The Data Appeal Company awards Brazil’s top destinations for sustainability at ABAV Expo 2024

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

This week, The Data Appeal Company, part of Almawave Group, participates in the ABAV Internacional de Turismo at the CICB – Centro Internacional de Convenções do Brasil, Brasília.

Last night, Data Appeal’s much-anticipated Prêmio Excelência Turística Destino Digital – Brasil 2024 awards were announced, honoring Brazilian destinations that have excelled in sustainability practices.

This year, the third edition of the awards placed a special focus on sustainability, recognizing destinations that demonstrated excellence across Data Appeal’s Destination Sustainability Index, a comprehensive framework designed to evaluate and rank tourism destinations based on their sustainability performance.

This Index assesses various factors, including environmental management, economic impact, social equity, and governance practices.

It is based on the renowned European Tourism Indicator System (ETIS) created by the European Commission.

By analyzing proprietary and third-party data, including online reviews, KPIs and satellite environmental monitoring data, Data Appeal uses the index to provide valuable insights into how well destinations are balancing tourism growth with sustainability efforts.

It not only helps destinations identify areas for improvement, but also guides them in implementing effective strategies to enhance their overall sustainability and attractiveness to visitors.

The winners for 2024 were:

● Amazonas – Environmental Pillar Winner

● Mato Grosso – Economic & Overtourism Pillar Winner

● Paraná – Governance & Destination Management Pillar Winner

● São Paulo – Social Cultural Pillar Winner

● Distrito Federal, Brasília – Overall Sustainability Winner

These destinations were recognized for their innovative practices in environmental protection, effective management of tourism pressures, and social-cultural inclusiveness.

São Paulo, in particular, was highlighted for its leadership in urban sustainability, with its extensive network of rain gardens and conservation units, positioning itself as a global, vibrant, and inclusive destination.

Sustainability: A path for Brazil’s future growth

As part of the awards ceremony, Emilio José Inés Villar, Destinations Market Lead at The Data Appeal Company – Almawave Group, delivered a thought-provoking speech on the role of sustainability in shaping the future of tourism in Brazil.

His presentation, titled “Sustainability: The key to resilient tourism in the post-COVID era,” emphasized how Brazil’s focus on sustainable tourism can drive both economic growth and long-term recovery.

He commented that “Although Brazilian tourism has been slower to recover when measured by the traditional metric of visitor numbers, it has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels in other areas, such as tourism revenue.

This reflects a positive shift in the tourism development model and presents an extraordinary opportunity for the country.

Our Destinations Sustainability Index shows that all sustainability-related indicators are on the rise, positioning Brazil as a key player in the future of tourism.

It emphasizes a quality, sustainable, and responsible form of tourism, where tourists and residents coexist harmoniously, contributing together to the country’s development.”

Villar highlighted the critical lessons learned from European destinations facing overtourism and discussed how Brazil can take proactive steps to avoid similar challenges. “Brazil has the unique opportunity to leverage sustainability as a tool not only to boost tourism but to ensure that this growth benefits local communities, protects the environment, and enhances cultural preservation,” he noted.

He also shared findings from the company’s proprietary Destination Sustainability Index, which highlights Brazil’s progress in sustainability metrics, indicating a 2-percentage point increase overall since 2019.

Destination management saw a substantial improvement of 7.8 points, while the management of overtourism rose by 1.8 points.

Although there hasn’t been significant growth in the environmental and socio-cultural dimensions, both pillars remain within a favorable range, reflecting the country’s commitment to responsible tourism development.

Recent data shows that while international arrivals in 2023 have almost reached pre-pandemic levels, rising from 46% in 2020-2021 to 93% in 2023, the focus must now shift to high-quality, sustainable tourism to ensure long-term resilience.

Data Appeal’s analysis also indicated that accommodation prices have risen by 13.4% in 2024, while online travel agency saturation has dropped slightly, reflecting a shift toward higher-spending international visitors, in line with the global trend toward sustainable tourism.

As the winners of Data Appeal’s Prêmio Excelência Turística Destino Digital – Brasil 2024 awards reflect on their achievements, The Data Appeal Company and Almawave continue to drive the conversation around sustainable tourism, aiming to support destinations in their growth through data-driven insights and innovation.

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