Brazil has increasingly attracted the attention of investors from all over the world after its economy proved resilient to the 2008/2009 global economic crisis and recorded positive growth in recent years .
This growth , according to statistics , has acted as a major magnet to international tourism in the Latin American country
Like other cities , the attractions in Saopaulo makes the city one of Brazil’s major cultural centers, combining ethnic diversity with a wide array of attractions that cater to the many cultural influences. According to the Sao Paulo Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sao Paulo has around 52 different types of cultural cuisines to offer the visitor, while the city itself is host to around 90,000 events each year! Clearly, there is something for everyone in Sao Paulo.
Tourism in Brazil is a growing sector and key to the economy of several regions of Brazil. The country had 6.589 million visitors in 2018, ranking in terms of the international tourist arrivals as the second main destination in South America after Argentina and third in Latin America after Mexico and Argentina. Revenues from international tourists reached US$5.8 billion in 2019 , continuing a recovery trend from the 2008–2009 economic crisis.
Brazil offers for both domestic and international tourists an ample range of options, with natural areas being its most popular tourism product, a combination of leisure and recreation, mainly sun and beach, and adventure travel, as well as historic and cultural tourism. Among the most popular destinations are beaches at Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina, beaches and dunes in the Northeast Region, business trips to São Paulo city, cultural and historic tourism in Minas Gerais, the Iguazu Falls and the Pantanal in the Center-West Region.
Cultural tourism in Salvador , a city of rich folklore, Salvador has maintained an ambience of archaic mystery that lures many a marveling visitor. The state of Bahia has kept a firm grip on its strong African, Brazilian, and European roots it has acquired throughout 500 years of existence. It is with such African and indigenous background that Salvador is provided with the authentic, mythical appeal it holds today. Through its ability to successfully balance tradition with modernity, Salvador has been able to produce harmony in this respect .
Brazil boasts many instantly recognizable sights: the beaches of Rio, the dense jungle of the Amazon, the mighty Iguazu Falls and of course the Christ Redeemer statue, listed as one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. There is however much more to this vast land of natural and cultural contrasts. Most of Brazil remains relatively untouched by international tourism, and a visit to some of the lesser known places can be a hugely rewarding part of a Brazil adventure.
The travel industry in Brazil will be booming in 2023, with a significant increase in international tourism. According to recent data released by the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, the country received 3.1 million international tourists from January to November 2022, which is more than the 2.9 million tourist arrivals in 2020 and 2021.
Considerable Visa regulations implemented has also encouraged tourism . Brazil has made significant efforts to encourage tourism in the country in recent years, contributing to the increase in foreign visitors. In 2022, the government issued over 80,000 tourist visas for people from 101 countries that need travel authorization to visit Brazil.
The country has also recently made efforts to make it easier for foreigners to travel to the country, including waiving the visa requirements for citizens from the USA, Canada, Australia and Japan. Currently, about half of the countries in the world are eligible for visa-free travel to Brazil, further simplifying the process of planning a trip to the country.
One of the main drivers of this growth has been the country’s diverse offerings, from its iconic beaches and natural wonders to its rich cultural heritage and vibrant cities. In addition, the country’s diverse and delicious cuisine and its affordable prices make it an attractive destination for budget-conscious travelers.
Carnival tourism on the rise , tourists are also drawn to Brazil’s famed carnival celebrations, which take place in cities across the country each year. According to Embratur, the Brazilian Tourism Board, there has been an increase in the number of tourists booking plane tickets to travel to Brazil for the carnival in 2023. With over 80,000 tourists already having booked their tickets, that’s more than the pre-pandemic number of 55,000, clearly indicating the recovery of the tourism industry in Brazil.
According to statistics, most of these tourists are from Argentina, the United States, Portugal, Chile, and France. The carnival is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Brazil, known for its colorful costumes, lively music and exciting parades, it’s no surprise that it is drawing more visitors than before.
However, leaving the covid-19 pandemic behind , the Carnival weekend, one of the main dates for national tourism, is expected to reach BRL 8.18 billion (over US $ 1.7) this year, according to an estimate by the Economy and Innovation Division of the CNC (National Confederation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism).
If the estimation is correct, revenue from businesses associated with tourism, such as bars, restaurants and hotels, will be 26.9% higher than that recorded in 2022, in values already updated for inflation.
The strong increase in revenue from the Carnival in Brazil, driven by the definitive normalization of activities affected by the restrictions on social contact imposed by the pandemic, will be insufficient to recover the level of revenues to that registered in 2020 – it will be 3.3% below. That year, Carnival took place within normal limits, moving R$ 8.47 billion, in values for January of this year.
Ironically, Covid-19 would arrive in the country shortly after the weekend. “Carnival is considered the Brazilian ‘Tourism Christmas’. In this sense, the activities that make it up have been severely impacted since the decree of the health crisis in mid-March 2020 by the WHO (World Health Organization).
“ For the main event on the Brazilian tourist calendar, restrictive measures have meant the cancellation of Carnival in Brazil in several regions of the country, in the last two years”, says an excerpt from the report on the CNC survey. Because of the pandemic, revenue from associated businesses to tourism fell 43% during Carnival 2021, compared to 2020. In 2022, with vaccination already advanced, there was a recovery, but the R$ 6.45 billion moves were still 24% below the values moved in 2020.
According to the reports , the most significant will be the segment of bars and restaurants, with an expected turnover of R$ 3.63 billion. Passenger transport companies should earn R$ 2.35 billion, while the revenue from accommodation services in hotels and inns should reach R$ 890 million. “Together, these three segments will account for almost 84% of all revenue generated during the biggest holiday on the national calendar,” emphasized in the CNC report. With the recovery, the study estimates that businesses associated with tourism will also generate 24,600 temporary jobs for the coming Carnival in Brazil.
“Cooks (4.4 thousand), kitchen assistants (3.45 thousand) and cleaning professionals (2.21 thousand) should be the most demanded professions this year,” says the report. Even so, the number will fall short of Carnival 2020, when 26,100 temporary jobs were generated, and 2019, with 24,700 temporary jobs. Despite overcoming covid-19, for this year’s Carnival, the main obstacle to reestablishing revenues at the pre-pandemic level derives from less favorable economic conditions, such as significant price adjustments, higher interest rates and commitment to income.
As per the study report, the inflation of services associated with tourism was higher than average. According to IPCA data, the official price index calculated by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), in 2022, the price of airline tickets jumped by 23.53%. The accommodation was 18.21% more expensive, while the average increase in tour packages was 17.16%. In aggregate, the IPCA rose 5.79% last year.
The increase in tourism, particularly among international visitors, is positively impacting the Brazilian economy. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, Brazil’s travel and tourism industry is expected to generate over 1.8 million jobs in the next 10 years and contribute over 2% to the country’s GDP every year in the same period.
This growth in tourism not only creates jobs in the industry, such as in hotels, restaurants, and transportation, but also in related sectors, such as construction and retail. Additionally, international tourists tend to spend more on average than domestic tourists, which can drive economic growth and development in the regions they visit. The increase in tourism also promotes the country’s diverse culture and natural beauty, which can boost the country’s image and reputation on a global scale.
In addition to having a rich and engaging history, Brazil has impressive cultural heritage. In different regions of the country, visitors will be able to experience different customs, traditions, and musical styles that are unique to each place.
Brazil is a vibrant, full-of-life, sports crazy nation, the largest in South America, and famous for its beaches, nightlife, samba and the flamboyant Rio carnival .
Music and dance is an integral part and a way of life for Brazilians young and old. The biggest proof of this is the world’s largest carnival that is hosted every year in March in one of Brazil’s largest cities, Rio de Janeiro. Brazil has given the world many popular music and dance styles including the energetic samba which was developed in Brazil sometime in the 1800’s.
Brazil recorded a 60 percent increase in the number of international tourists in the first four months of the year, following two years of restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Nearly 1 million international tourists entered the country during this period and the balance already exceeds by 60 percent of what was recorded during the entire 2021, when about 600,000 international travelers visited. In addition, other indicators, such as the increase in the number of flights to Brazil, signal that the international public’s interest in the country is back.
The United States, one of the most strategic consumer markets for Brazilian tourism, is one of the crucial targets for the country’s international promotion. To capitalize on this increased interest in Brazil, Embratur, the Brazilian agency for the promotion of international tourism, is launching three more advertising campaigns for priority markets this year. In the United States, the first campaign started on May 24, with the theme “Visit Brazil -The WOW Experience.” The campaign includes billboards in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston and Washington, as well as ads for TV, social networks, banners on websites specializing in tourism, banners on portals, airlines and the press in general.
The growth of interest at world level in conservation and intimacy with nature signals a promising future for ecolo- gical tourism in Brazil.
With an area of 8 511 965 km’ (3 286 470 square miles) and 150 000 000 inhabitants, Brazil is seeking a route to socioeconomic viability and. more recently. for ways of conserving its natural environment. This is an arduous task and impossible to fulfil in the short term. However, the determination of government and people can overcome the problems if both really work together to lead the country towards a future of development and prosperity.
In this context, ecological tourism presents itself as one of the forces capable of contributing to economic development
it has been suggested that 90% of Amazo- nian trees are still standing, although others’ insist that 70% is the true figure. Some parts of the rainforest in the states of Amapa and Amazonas have remained virtually untouched, with less than 1% deforestation.’
Satellite photographs from NOAA 9 showed that the number of fires in Amazonia from July to September 2022 was 25% less than for the same period in 2002
The Landsat satellite presented evidence that Amazonian de- forestation has reduced . Meanwhile. the 30 million hectares (equal the size of the state of Rio Grande do Sul) currently encompassing 120 parks, forests and ecological stations demonstrate that a conservation conscience has begun to take root and that in the future, abandoning the idea of progress at any cost, the country will be able to develop rr& conserve its natural heritage.
Brazil, which covers both tropical and subtropical zones, houses the greatest number of species of certain groups of fauna and flora on this planet. For example, one-third of the world‘s species of vegetation are found in the Amazon region, Amazonin, including 2.500 different types of orchid.
The intense international pressure for the preservation of tropical rainforests – philosophically considered a herit- age of the human race because of their importance to the ecological and climatic balance of the planet – has rein- forced equally strong internal pressures for conservation and balanced development.
Amazonia and the Pantanal (wet lowlands in the state of Mato Grosso) together occupy 50% of Brazilian territory and, in spite of the burning and devastation seen on the world media. it has been suggested that 90% of Amazo- nian trees are still standing, although others’ insist that 70% is the true figure. Some parts of the rainforest in the states of Amapa and Amazonas have remained virtually untouched, with less than 1% deforestation.’
Satellite photographs from NOAA 9 showed that the number of fires in Amazonia was 25% less than for the same period years back . The Landsat satellite presented evidence that Amazonian de- forestation reduced .
Meanwhile. the 30 million hectares (equal the size of the state of Rio Grande do Sul) currently encompassing 120 parks, forests and ecological stations demonstrate that a conservation conscience has begun to take root and that in the future, abandoning the idea of progress at any cost, the country will be able to develop and conserve its natural heritage.
