Everybody seems to be under a total illusion about NE Brazil. Firstly, you cannot get there cheaply by any method....Arkefly leaves from Amsterdam so from anywhere but NL add £150/€200 for parking, taxis, meals, connections and you are at the same price as TAP and that's your lot min £700..look at Dubai for the coming UK holiday weekend (pan Europe in fact) and there are flights as low as £250 return for the same distance as Natal/Lisbon. Natal is a destination which is well behind the competition, everything they have (or don't have) does not cater for the mass tourist market which Operators need. The hotels are generally poor and certainly not worth their star rating, there is little entertainment bar Salsa Street and one music bar on the beach which most Gringos don't know about. There is nothing for children. To get in and out of the airport is a scandal and I have only ever seen such poorly run security at Heathrow and Salvador. Just taking money is a nightmare as card cloning is rife and therefore carring cash and or t chqs is a real hassle and with rip off rates. As it happens I like Natal and the area, but nobody in their right mind would say it is easy as a tourist destination nor is it correct to say it has been over promoted. Most people I speak to in the Uk say "where"? It is for this reason that all the self imposed hype and confidence about the local property market is ridiculous...Natal and 100km each side is not and will not be a major tourist destination full stop.

With regard to Thomson, their flights are a "means to an end" in other words, they do not run the flights to make money, they run the flights to take customers who buy "all inclusive packages and excursions" to make money..they are a Tour Operator. So, full flights with people going to off plan properties will never be viable for them or any other charter airline as their is no incremental income..hence the reason why off plan rentals will never boom...it is too far away, unlike Europe where Ryanair for example have very low crew costs and very cheap handling..no baggage forexample...there is absolutely no comparison.