Brazil welcomed 6.6 million international tourists in 2024, its best historical mark

It is official! Brazil broke the record for international tourists visiting the country. Over 6.621 million travelers chose Brazilian destinations for their leisure or business trips in 2024, exceeding the historical mark from 2018, when 6,6 million foreigners visited. With the best result since the beginning of the historical series in 1970, Brazil is getting closer to the goals established by the Tourism National Plan (Plano Nacional de Turismo/ PNT), which aims for 8.1 million international tourists in the next three years.

"We have just reached the mark of 6.621 million foreign passengers in Brazilian lands and this is a reason to celebrate; we must celebrate the fact that we are on the right path. It is worth noting that the historical series dates from 1970 and the last record was from 2018. This is clearly the result of improvements in infrastructure and our presence in international fairs, which have attracted foreign investments to Brazil," stated the Executive Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Ana Carla Lopes, during the event that celebrated the record, hosted at the Brasilia International Airport.

The results underscore the maturity of Brazilian national tourism to attract international visitors, as the Minister of Tourism, Celso Sabino, pointed out.“2024 will be historically remembered as a year of records. The sector has shown all its capacity and strength to receive these tourists who have chosen our destinations throughout the year and, with the support of the Federal Government, we have been investing in measures to value our culture and promote our image internationally,” highlighted the minister.

The 2024 numbers exceeded those recorded in important years in tourist reception, such as 2014, when the country hosted the FIFA World Cup, and 2016, the year of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Juntos, os dois anos somam 12,9 milhões de desembarques no país. “We have been investing in improving tourism infrastructure, with construction works from North to South. We have been supporting the sector through the release of resources from the FUNGETUR credit line, which help structure the entire chain, making it more prepared to receive these tourists. Moreover, we have been promoting our destinations in international events, showing the world Brazil’s best attractions,” Sabino added.

STRATEGY — The Brazilian Ministry of Tourism has been working on different fronts to attract international tourists. December 2023 saw the inauguration, in Rio de Janeiro, of the first Office of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in the Americas and the Caribbean. This achievement was the result of extensive efforts by the Brazilian government, elevating the country to the ranks of major global players, and advancing strategies and actions to foster sustainable development throughout the region.

MARCA BRASIL - Furthermore, to increase the number of tourists visiting the country, the Ministry of Tourism has been partnering with EMBRATUR to resume Brazil’s participation in large and strategic international events to promote Brazilian destinations. The efforts include the promotion of “Marca Brasil” (Brazil Brand), an important initiative that aims to rebuild the country’s image abroad — which is now duly committed to sustainability, diversity, and inclusion in the tourism sector.

SEVERAL WORLDS — Brazil also launched the “Visit South America: One Place, Several Worlds” brand. The initiative is the result of a partnership between the Brazilian government and Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile to push an integrated strategy to promote and position these countries’ destinations internationally, focusing on their natural and gastronomic attractions and hospitality features.

FUTURE — For 2025, the Brazilian Federal Government has announced that the new regionalized calls for proposals (“editais”) under the country’s International Tourism Acceleration Program (Programa de Aceleração do Turismo Internacional/ PATI) foresee investments of BRL 63.6 million (approximately USD 10.24 million) to attract new flights on domestic routes, which are expected to generate at least 500,00 new seats in one year. This number has already impacted a new record of seats in international flights for the Southern Hemisphere’s 2024/2025 Summer season: a total of 7.48 million, representing a 19% increase compared to the 2023/2024 season.

COP30 AND BRICS — Brazil is also preparing to host important events next year, such as the UN Climate Conference (COP30), to be held in Belém, in the state of Pará, and the BRICS meeting in Brasilia, attracting thousands of international visitors to the country.