Brazil’s São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná lead a record-breaking international tourism boom in 2024: What new you need to know?

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Brazil’s São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná set a new benchmark for international tourism in 2024, welcoming a record 6,657,377 foreign visitors—a 12.6% increase compared to 2023.

In December alone, 690,236 international tourists arrived, marking an 11.1% rise from the same month in 2023, according to data released by the Ministry of Tourism, Embratur, and the Federal Police.

Key Contributors to Success
Marcelo Freixo, president of Embratur, attributed the surge to innovative international promotion strategies.

“Our efforts to structure Brazil’s global promotion have yielded significant results, making tourism a cornerstone of our economy and a model for sustainable development,” Freixo said.

Tourism Minister Celso Sabino also highlighted the impact of strategic campaigns, partnerships, and destination development. “These numbers reflect our commitment to showcasing Brazil’s diverse experiences, from natural wonders to cultural heritage,” Sabino stated.

Top Destinations and Visitor Origins

São Paulo (2,207,015), Rio de Janeiro (1,513,235), Paraná (894,536), and Rio Grande do Sul (879,412) served as key entry points for visitors.

Proportionally, states like Roraima (97%), Santa Catarina (71.7%), Bahia (52.8%), and Pará (47.4%), which will host COP 30 in 2025, saw significant increases in foreign arrivals.

Argentina remained the leading source of visitors, with 1,953,548 arrivals, followed by the United States (696,512) and Chile (651,776). Paraguay and Uruguay together accounted for over 833,412 entries. Air travel dominated, bringing in two-thirds of all tourists, while land transport accounted for 28.7%.

Economic Impact
By November 2024, foreign tourists had spent $6.62 billion, the highest figure recorded in the first 11 months of any year since 1995. This represents a 5.3% increase from 2023 and surpasses spending during the same period in 2014, when Brazil hosted the FIFA World Cup.

Future Initiatives
Brazil is doubling down on efforts to attract more visitors.

The Federal Government announced investments of $10.6 million for new domestic flight routes through the International Tourism Acceleration Program (PATI). This is expected to add 500,000 new flight seats in 2025. Additionally, the summer season for 2024/2025 will see a record 7.48 million international flight seats, a 19% increase from the previous year.

Brazil is also gearing up to host major global events in 2025, including the UN Climate Conference (COP 30) in Belém, Pará, and the BRICS Summit in Brasília, which are expected to draw thousands of international attendees.

Collaborative Efforts
The Ministry of Tourism and Embratur have been active in promoting Brazilian destinations at international events and through initiatives like the “Brazil Brand” campaign. They also launched the “Visit South America: One Place, Many Worlds” strategy in partnership with neighboring countries to highlight the region’s unique attractions.

With these efforts, Brazil aims to surpass 8.1 million foreign tourists annually by 2027, generating over $8.1 billion in revenue and further solidifying its position as South America’s premier tourist destination.