Brazil Tourism sets highest foreign visitor spending record

Brazil recorded an unprecedented US$ 5.409 billion in foreign exchange inflows from international tourists between January and September 2024, marking the highest figure in the country’s historical data, which has been tracked since 1995. According to new data released by the Central Bank, this total is 8% higher than the same period in 2023 and 1.8% higher than the corresponding period in 2014, the year Brazil hosted the FIFA World Cup.

This significant increase in tourism revenue also represents 78.2% of the total foreign exchange brought into the country in 2023, which reached US$ 6.9 billion, setting a previous record. Notably, the US$ 5.4 billion brought in during the first three quarters of 2024 is 20% higher than the same period in 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, reflecting the growing contribution of international tourism to Brazil’s economy.

Marcelo Freixo, President of Embratur, celebrated this milestone, emphasising the wide-reaching impact of foreign tourist spending on local economies: “The tourism industry is incredibly democratic. The money brought in by international visitors goes directly into our local communities, benefiting everyone from waiters and taxi drivers to street vendors on the beach. It’s an economic boost that supports jobs and income at the grassroots level.”

Freixo also credited the success to the joint efforts of Embratur and Brazil’s tourism sector, noting that the country has consistently broken records in 2024. “September saw the highest number of international tourist arrivals ever recorded, 26% higher than in September 2023. The cumulative arrivals from January to September were also 12% higher than the previous year”, Freixo highlighted.

He attributed this growth to strategic international promotion: “Embratur and the tourism trade have been working together, using data-driven strategies to promote Brazil abroad. These results are the outcome of a collaborative effort that promises to yield even greater success. When tourism thrives, everyone benefits.”