RIO DE JANEIRO, July 28 — When you’re flying all the way to Rio de Janeiro, why not make your way around South America?

Interest in Rio has definitely increased with the Summer Olympics kicking off next month. According to travel search website Kayak, there has been an 83 per cent spike in searches for hotels in Rio in August. Naturally, hotel rates have also increased.

Travel search engine Kayak has reported that searches for three- and four-star hotel rooms are up by 281 per cent more per night in the second and third weeks of August — when the games will be peaking.

Vacation home rental website Airbnb revealed that the number of travellers from Asia to Rio has also jumped significantly — 42 times more compared to last year. Prices are also more stable for Airbnb rentals — the average rate has increased year on year by 19 per cent.

Airbnb shared that Asian travellers are spending more time in Brazil with an average stay of 13 days compared to the global average of five days.

Rio’s appeal has been building steadily since the city got its turn in the spotlight with the World Cup and better flight connections.

"Over the past few years, South America has emerged as an increasingly popular destination for Singapore travellers,” said Andrew Bunn, Emirates country manager Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei.

"We began our daily service between Dubai and Rio de Janeiro in 2012, and saw sharp demand during the 2014 World Cup and, more recently, ahead of the upcoming Olympics. With the option of a direct flight from Dubai onward to Rio, the Brazilian city is now also sought after by corporate and leisure travellers.”

A visit to Rio is also a chance to explore North and Latin America. Emirates offers the Americas Pass, which allows travellers to connect to over 90 cities across the United States, Canada and Latin America through its partner airlines — JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, Virgin America, WestJet Airlines and Porter Airlines — with one-way flight fares starting from US$99 (RM402).

That means you can connect from a city such as Orlando to Los Angeles or San Francisco easily if you feel like it after your trip in Rio. — TODAY