In Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s first year as president, Brazil experienced unprecedented foreign tourism spending.
The Central Bank’s Monday report revealed that in 2023, international visitors spent $6.9 billion in Brazil. This figure is the highest since the bank started keeping records in 1995.
This spending surpassed the previous high of $6.84 billion in 2014, during the World Cup.
Compared to 2022, when foreign travel spending was $4.9 billion, 2023 saw a significant increase.
To attract more international tourists, the Brazilian Agency for International Tourism Promotion (Embratur) has prioritized increasing global air connections.
An event at Galeão Airport is planned to celebrate this achievement, as reported by Ancelmo Gois at GLOBO.
Marcelo Freixo, Embratur’s president, attributes this success to several factors. These include the agency’s initiatives and President Lula’s efforts to “reconnect Brazil with the world”:
“We use a data intelligence portal to understand which tourists come to Brazil and their interests in countries like Argentina, the USA, Chile, and France, enabling us to tailor our promotional efforts.
We’re also in deep conversation with airlines about launching new routes,” Freixo explained to GLOBO.
In 2024, Brazil plans to reintroduce visa requirements for visitors from Canada, Australia, and the United States.
This move, delayed to April after Embratur’s request, could impact future tourist inflows.
On the other hand, Brazilian tourists’ spending abroad has also surged, reaching its highest level since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
They spent $14.5 billion overseas in 2023, approaching the $17.5 billion mark in 2019.
The Central Bank data highlight 2013 and 2014 as the years when Brazilians spent over $25 billion abroad, showcasing the fluctuating dynamics of travel spending.