Brazil’s Tourism Hits Record Growth in H1 2025 but Still Lags Global Competitors

Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism reported that the country’s tourism sector expanded 6.6 percent in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to the Monthly Services Survey by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

The rise came from stronger demand in passenger air transport, hotels, and food services. Rio de Janeiro led growth with 14.2 percent, followed by Rio Grande do Sul at 9.4 percent and Bahia at 9.3 percent.

The Ministry confirmed that 5.33 million foreign visitors entered the country between January and June, an increase of 48.2 percent from the previous year.

This was the highest result ever for the first semester. UN Tourism data placed Brazil among the fastest-growing destinations in the world in early 2025, behind only Paraguay and ahead of Chile.

Foreign visitors spent 20.8 billion reais, or 3.65 billion US dollars, from January to May, the strongest result on record for that period. Domestic activity added another 90.4 billion reais in revenue, also a historic high since 2012 according to FecomercioSP.

The sector generated over 114,000 formal jobs between January and June, a 15.8 percent increase compared with 2024. The Ministry of Tourism launched discount programs to expand access and improve security.

Teachers in public and private schools now receive 15 percent off in affiliated hotels nationwide. Women traveling alone also receive the same discount, valid through March 2026, in hotels connected to the Brazilian Association of the Hotel Industry (ABIH).

Brazil’s Tourism Rebounds but Global Potential Remains Untapped

The government also announced the return of the National Tourism Salon, scheduled for August 21 to 23 in São Paulo, after twelve years without the event.

The numbers highlight both progress and missed opportunities. Brazil welcomed 6.65 million foreign visitors in 2024 and nearly 6 million by July 2025.

These levels remain far below competitors such as Mexico, which recorded over 40 million international arrivals in 2024, and Thailand, which received more than 35 million.

For a country of continental size with world-class natural and cultural assets, this gap reveals untapped potential. Industry groups point to high airfares, limited connectivity, and safety concerns as barriers to faster expansion.

Domestic flight prices remain above pre-pandemic levels due to operational and tax costs. At the same time, e-visas for citizens of the United States, Canada, and Australia, reinstated in April 2025, add hurdles to attracting long-haul visitors.

The record-breaking results confirm the growing role of tourism in Brazil’s economy, but they also show how much the sector still underperforms compared with other major destinations.

The country now faces a clear choice: continue celebrating numbers that break its own records or take steps to unlock the larger global market it has yet to reach.