The whole world is looking at Brazil again, and this is no coincidence. In 2025, the country achieved a historic milestone: the number of international tourists increased by 45%, the largest increase ever recorded. The data comes from the UN’s World Tourism Barometer, which was released in November; Putting Brazil at the top of the global growth rankings.
This jump is not just statistics. He has a face, he has movement, he has a direct impact on real life. It translates to full airports, packed hotels, crowded bars, working tour guides, drivers running, and small businesses breathing.
And above all, in money in circulation: between January and October 2025, foreigners pumped US$6.617 billion into the Brazilian economy, equivalent to more than R$35 billion.
International tourism has never been so important in the country’s economic gear.
More than 8 million foreigners before December
By November 24, 2025, Brazil had already received more than 8 million international tourists. The previous record was in 2024, with 6.8 million. In other words, Brazil surpassed the historical high mark even before the end of the year.
The official forecast is even more symbolic: the country is expected to end 2025 with more than 9 million foreign visitors. This is a number that seemed unattainable until a few years ago.
“The world is once again looking at Brazil and now seeing our authenticity, our diversity and the unique experience that only our people offer.”
Marcelo Freixo, President of Imperator
Tourism has become an engine of economic growth
When a foreigner sets foot in Brazil, he doesn’t just consume the landscape. It consumes transportation, food, accommodation, culture, entertainment and trade. Every ticket purchased, every daily fare paid, and every meal eaten generates taxes, income, and jobs.
According to official data, international tourism receipts grew by more than 12% in just the first nine months of 2025. In absolute terms, 6.617 billion US dollars It has already been recorded until October and is the highest volume since the start of the historic series in 1995.
Tourism today is already competing for space with large traditional export sectors. It is consolidated as one of the most strategic economic arrays in Brazil.
The role of the private sector and “tourist shelves”
Tony Sando, president of Visto São Paulo, believes that the growth comes as a result of a joint effort between the public and private sectors.
“Brazil had been off the shelves of the international market for a while,” he says. “What was missing was not the theme, but the promotion. When you put Brazil on the shelf of international operators, the results come.”
These “racks” are the catalogs of tour operators around the world, where destinations compete for the traveler’s attention. Today, Brazil has once again occupied this field in both leisure tourism and business tourism, the so-called MICE (events, conferences and conventions) market.
“Business tourism is strategic because a conference with 10 people from the organization can bring 2,000 to 3,000 participants to the country,” highlights Tony.
Why did Brazil explode on the global tourism map?
This growth did not happen by chance. It is the direct result of a profound change in the way the country presents itself to the world. In March 2025, Imperator was launched Brazil planthe first organized international marketing plan for Brazilian tourism in more than 20 years.
“Brazil had a marketing plan since 2004. Within 20 years, everything had changed: airports, cities, tourist behavior, communications. It was impossible to continue without modernization,” explains Freixo.
Brasis Plan uses data intelligence to determine where to invest, which markets to attack, which destinations to promote, and at what time of year. Today, strategy is scientific rather than intuitive.
“We know exactly who they come from, where they come from, when they come, how much they spend, and where they are distributed in Brazil. We are no longer promoting in the dark,” said the Imperator president.
The Brazil that the world is beginning to see
For many years, Brazil has been sold abroad through stereotypes. A country turned into a postcard. In 2025, this image has been replaced by a more realistic, deeper, and more respectful narrative.
New International Imperator Campaign “Brazil, it’s a great atmosphere.”invests in the so-called Brazilian soft power: culture and hospitality.
“Brazil is unique, but it’s not. What you find in Acre is not what you find in Minas, Rio Grande do Sul or Paraíba. This diversity is our greatest asset.”
Marcelo Freixo, President of Imperator
The plan was built from a data intelligence center, which today directs the entire international promotion policy. Imperatore began working based on scientific data: who comes, where they come from, how much they spend, when they travel, and where they go within the country.
“Today it is no longer possible to ‘find’ it. We know that Argentines do not go to the Amazon, they arrive in Fortaleza. The Chileans have been encouraged and are now the second largest emitter. All this is the result of reading the data,” Freixo thinks.
The northeast, north and interior are prominent in new tourism
Growth is not limited to traditional capital alone. It is spread throughout the states. The Northeast, for example, is growing at a higher rate than the national average. The creation of the Nordeste brand, within the Embratur strategy, has strengthened the region as an integrated destination.
“Today tourism is one of the greatest tools for regional development. It generates jobs and income and changes local realities,” says Marina Marinho, President of Fornator. “But it has to be good first for those who live in the area.”
According to her, the new cycle of Brazilian tourism is guided by a logic that values community tourism, experiential tourism and respect for the environment.
Argentina advances, Chile surprises, and the United States remains strong
Visitor map confirms the new geography of tourism in Brazil:
Argentina: Nearly 3 million tourists in 10 months
Chilean: 661,850 visitors
US: 614,348
Uruguay: 453,633
Paraguay: 421,886
This growth shows that Brazil is once again back on the shelves of major international operators.
“Before, there was a lack of promotion. Now Brazil is visible. And when it appears, the flow comes,” stressed Tony Sandu.
The Brazil that tourists remember
At the end of the experience, what the tourist takes away from Brazil is not just a beautiful picture. It is emotion, affection and identity.
“Brazil is happy, colourful, affectionate and welcomes you with great hospitality,” describes Marina Marinho.
“It’s the Brazilian experience,” Freixo sums it up: “A country with six biomes, diverse cuisine, stunning nature and welcoming people. Few countries in the world offer it all.”
What lies ahead?
The forecast is ambitious: the number of tourists in Brazil is expected to exceed 9 million in 2025, reach 10 million in 2026, and continue to grow in the coming years. The national tourism plan predicted 8 million in 2027 alone, and the target was reached two years early.
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“Now it is time to do our bit: qualify the reception, integrate public policies, engage municipalities and continue investing in infrastructure,” Freixo points out.
For Tony, the sky is the limit. “Tourism is pure development. It generates jobs and income, drives production chains and strengthens the economy. Brazil has everything it needs to be one of the largest references in global tourism.”
Imperator
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