Brazil has cemented itself as a tourism leader in the region, with seeing a record €7.4 billion in tourism revenue between January and September 2026 – an increase of 9.1% compared to the €6.8 billion seen in the same period in 2025. This is according to data from the Brazilian Central Bank.
The increased revenue has helped boost hotel, restaurant, transport, retail and tourism businesses across the country as Brazil’s tourism continues to grow as a significant part of the Brazilian economy.
Positive Figures in September
Brazil’s tourism continued to grow in September with international visitors spending a record €812.9 million in the country – an increase of 8.33% on the €750 million seen in September 2025. This is due to Embratur’s international marketing efforts.
International visitors to the country have increased to 7 million in the first nine months of the year, placing Brazil in second place. International air travel to the country has seen 4.9 million visitors arrive, a record figure and an increase of 9.7% on last year.
Diversification Fuels the Tourism Growth
Brazil has seen success due to its strategy to diversify tourism. Embratur’s international marketing plan (Brasis Plan) for 2025-2027 has targeted 23 key markets. Of these, 20 saw an increase in visitors between January and September.
China saw the largest increase with a cumulative increase of 78% since the start of the year. In September alone, there was an increase of 106% with 22,496 visitors arriving. Other countries saw record increases with Colombia (+25.5%), Mexico (+22.8%), Peru (+16.6%) and Canada (+13.5%).
Increase in International Visitors
International visitors have increased across the country with the Northeast leading the way with a 27.1% increase. The Southeast saw an increase of 7.7%.
Rio Grande do Norte saw an incredible 124.6% increase in air arrivals. Alagoas saw an increase of 88.1%, Pernambuco saw 65.2%, Paraíba saw 49.8% and Ceará saw 23.2%. Eleven states in Brazil saw record international arrivals.
Overall, the record revenue, increase in visitors, diversification of markets and increase in regional visitors shows the tourism sector is doing well and becoming more resilient.
Brazil Stays on the Top in Latin America
Brazil continued to be the leading country in Latin America in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index 2026. However, the country fell from 26th to 32nd globally. Brazil scored 4.41 points out of 110 economies. This placed them ahead of Chile (35th), Mexico (41st) and Argentina (48th). The top three countries globally were Japan, United States and Spain.
The index assesses 102 indicators across 17 pillars such as safety, transport infrastructure, business environment, natural and cultural resources, public policy and sustainability. Whilst Brazil is leading the region, there are still challenges to overcome in order to ensure the increase in visitors are seen to benefit local communities. These include concentration of tourists, infrastructure and increased costs.
In 2026 Brazil has consolidated itself as one of the main international destinations for business tourism and events. The corporate travel market reached record levels of US$ 2,069 million (equivalent to approximately R$ 11.07 billion with an increase of 7.41% compared to the same period in 2025, between January and September, according to data from the Brazilian Association of Corporate Travel Agencies (Abracorp).