The percentage of foreigners travelling to Brazil because of the country’s natural attractions and adventure tourism activities increased from 12.8% in 2014 to 15.7% in 2015.
According to the Study of International Tourism Demand by the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, the increase strengthens the country's position as a leading destination for foreigners.
"Brazil is lucky to have treasures such as the Amazon Rainforest, the Pantanal, the Cerrado, the Atlantic Forest and over 8,000 kilometers of coastline, as well as the largest river basin in the world. With professional management and a partnership between the public and private sectors, these products can be exploited in a sustainable manner and to the benefit of local communities," says interim Tourism Minister Alberto Alves.
In the survey, 35,133 foreign tourists were interviewed at 16 international airports, representing over 99% of international air arrivals. The research also included interviews at 10 land borders, representing about 90% of the international land arrivals.
With adventure tourism in mind, the Ministry of Tourism and EMBRATUR are defending the search for national and international private investment through public-private partnerships and concessions in strategic areas such as marinas and national parks.
According to the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), visits to federal conservation areas increased significantly in the last decade. In the national parks alone, the number of visitors rose 238%, going from 2.9 million in 2007 to 7.14 million in 2015.
In the area of adventure tourism, Brazil is also an international reference point. In the first half of 2016, two Brazilian institutions received international certification for activities in this segment. They are among the first to earn this kind of certification globally.