ITU TELECOM AMERICAS 2005: Exhibition

TRIP PLANNER - SALVADOR DA BAHIA

The coastal city of Salvador da Bahia will provide a spectacular setting from which to explore the region's telecommunications sector. The city is a key destination for business events and tourism and has a rich cultural heritage spanning 450 years. It was founded by Tomé de Souza in 1549 and was the capital of Brazil until 1763.

Nowadays, the capital of the State of Bahia, known as "Happy Land" is a fascinating, diverse city, rich with churches, historic monuments, forts and museums, and a vibrant cultural life. Salvador is surrounded by a spectacular coastline, with coral reefs, coconut groves, ecological reserves and rainforests.

The City is divided into two:

The Lower City, which lies on sea level and is close to the old port and is home to attractions such as the Model Market, a market specializing in local handicrafts and the Solar Do Unhão, a museum and elegant restaurant;
The Upper City, which features districts such as the Pelourinho- Salvador's colourful historical centre- or the Castro Alves Square.

The two levels of the city are connected by the Lacerda Elevator.

CONVENTION CENTRE

AMERICAS 2005 will take place at the Bahia Convention Centre, a modern conference and exhibition centre, conveniently located in heart of the city’s financial district. The convention centre can be accessed easily from the city centre.

The convention centre features an extensive Exhibition space, together with a number of different auditoriums, conference rooms, restaurants, snack bars and meeting rooms. The capacity of the conference rooms ranges from 60-2,000 people, whilst meeting rooms can seat between 30-120. Secure parking for up to 1,300 cars is provided.

The convention Centre lies midway between the airport and the city centre. Taxis from the airport to the Bahia Convention Centre cost around R$35.00 (approx US$12).

LANGUAGE

The official language is Portuguese, but most people in the resort area also speak English or Spanish.

TIME / CALENDAR

Salvador is within the same time zone as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, GMT-3.00.

GEOGRAPHY

Salvador is located in the state of Bahia, on the Atlantic coast in northeastern Brazil.

CLIMATE

Temperatures in Salvador range between 22° to 30 °C. With over 2,200 hours of sunshine a year, there is little precipitation; most of it falls between April and July. Expect the weather in October to be mild.

AIRPORT

Salvador da Bahia international airport is located approximately 32km from Salvador city centre.