In 2024, Brazil experienced its best year ever for foreign tourism. The country welcomed a record 6,657,377 international tourists, a 12.6% increase compared to 2023. Brazil's Ministry of Tourism (MTur), the Brazilian tourism agency Embratur, and the Federal Police (PF) released consolidated data last week.
In December alone, 690,236 foreigners visited Brazil, 11.1% more than in the same month of 2023, the third-best December in the historical series that began in 1995.
The Minister of Tourism, Celso Sabino, expressed his enthusiasm about the achievement, stating, "It is a joy to share such positive statistics for our country. This increase reflects our efforts to enhance Brazil's image internationally. Our strategic advertising campaigns, the development of tourist destinations, participation in international fairs, the establishment of our UN Tourism office in Rio de Janeiro, and the strengthening of domestic and international partnerships have all contributed to boosting our visibility. This showcases Brazil's diverse experiences, including its natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage."
In 2024, the states of São Paulo (2,207,015 visitors), Rio de Janeiro (1,513,235 visitors), Paraná (894,536 visitors), and Rio Grande do Sul (879,412 visitors) emerged as the primary destinations for international tourists. Notably, states like Roraima (97%), Santa Catarina (71.7%), Bahia (52.8%), and Pará (47.4%) experienced significant increases in the number of foreign visitors. These latter states are set to host COP30 at the end of the year.
Argentines remain the largest group of international visitors to Brazil, with over 1.9 million arrivals this year. The United States rank second, contributing 696,512 tourists, while Chileans come in third with 651,776 arrivals. Additionally, Paraguay and Uruguay combined accounted for more than 833,412 visitors.
Two out of every three international tourists who arrive in Brazil do so by plane, which continues to be the primary means of access for these visitors, while land transport represents 28.7% of the total.
"One of the primary objectives of the National Tourism Plan (PNT) 2024-2027 for Brazilian tourism is to increase the number of international visitors and establish Brazil as the leading tourist destination in South America," stated Minister Sabino. "We aim to exceed 8.1 million foreign tourists annually, generating over US$ 8.1 billion in revenue and further bolstering the national economy," he added.
Until November 2024, foreign tourist spending in the country reached $6,620 million. This is the highest amount recorded for the first 11 months of the year since 1995. This figure represents a 5.3% increase compared to the same period in 2023 when spending was $6,290 million. Additionally, it surpasses the amount spent during the same period in 2014, which was $6,300 million, when the country hosted the soccer World Cup.