by Brian Major
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Tue December 23, 2025
Brazil has achieved an unprecedented tourism milestone, recording nine
million international visitors before the end of the year.
The figure shatters
the country’s previous record of 6.77 million set in 2024 and also exceeds
the 6.9 million target established in
the 2024-2027 National Tourism Plan.
From January to November this year, international tourists
contributed $7.17 billion to Brazil’s economy, according to figures released by
the Central Bank. The figure represents an 8.41 percent increase compared to
the same period last year and comes very close to the total recorded in 2024,
which reached $7.3 billion.
The results reflect a successful effort to reposition Brazil’s
image abroad, said Marcelo Freixo, president of Embratur, the country’s tourism
promotion agency, combined with a strategic focus on priority markets. “This is
a historic figure that generates jobs, income, and development across all
regions of the country, reinforcing tourism as one of the major drivers of our
economy,” Freixo said.
Brazil’s top source markets for the January to November period
were Argentina, the clear leader with 3.1 million visitors, an 82.1 percent
increase compared to the same period in 2024 and Chile, with 721,497 tourists
(a 24.4 percent increase). The United States was third with 677,888 visitors,
up from 640,579 in 2024 (a 5.8 percent increase).
The state of São Paulo consolidated its position as the main
gateway into Brazil, receiving nearly 2.5 million international visitors
between January and November. It was followed by Rio de Janeiro (1.97 million),
Rio Grande do Sul (1.43 million), Paraná (958,000), and Santa Catarina
(651,000).
Continued growth is projected for the summer of 2026, according to
Embratur officials, supported by “increased ticket sales to Rio de Janeiro and
the expansion of international air routes at Galeão International Airport.”
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