São Paulo – Brazil received 5.9 million foreign tourists in 2023, a 62.7% increase over 2022, when the country saw 3.6 million visitors. According to data made public by the Ministry of Tourism, the Brazilian Tourism Board (Embratur), and the Federal Police on Thursday (18), the 2023 total exceeded the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) ’s estimates by 3% but was still shy of pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, 6.3 million foreigners visited Brazil. Pictured above, an aerial view of Rio de Janeiro at dawn.
However, according to the release, international tourism revenues from January to November 2023 outperformed pre-COVID figures, reaching BRL 31 billion (about USD 6.28 billion at the current rate).
The chair of Embratur, Marcelo Freixo, said in the statement that the performance in 2023 was due to measures adopted by sector entities to promote Brazil as a destination, increase interest in the country, and attract international flights. “And wherever each new flight takes off, we carry out an advertising and business generation strategy with Brazilian and foreign companies, placing our destinations on the global shelf,” he said.
The minister of Tourism, Celso Sabino, said the industry is close to reaching – and surpassing this year – pre-pandemic foreign visitor numbers. He also said it is “even more important” to increase the average ticket and total amount spent by foreigners in Brazil.
The main origins of tourists coming to Brazil in 2023 were Argentina (32%), followed by the United States, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, France, Portugal, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The states that recorded the highest volume of tourist arrivals were São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, and Santa Catarina, with the primary means of transport to the country being air, with 3.7 million entries, followed by land with 1.9 million.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
