Tourism authorities reported on 1 April that more than 2.6 million international visitors travelled to Brazil in January and February 2026—an unprecedented start to the calendar year that puts the country on track for its best inbound performance on record. The figure, released by industry platform Travel and Tour World, represents a 22 % jump over the same period in 2025 and outpaces the global post-pandemic recovery trend tracked by UN Tourism. Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo absorbed the lion’s share of arrivals, but secondary destinations such as Salvador, Florianópolis and Foz do Iguaçu also posted double-digit growth, driven by expanded air links and aggressive marketing by EMBRATUR. Analysts attribute part of the surge to eased visa regimes with China and Mexico, a favourable real–dollar exchange rate and restored long-haul capacity from Europe and North America. Hotel groups report occupancy rates above 80 % during Carnival and the March convention season, while duty-free operators at airports say average spend per passenger is up 14 %. The Ministry of Tourism is revising its 2026 forecast from 10 million to 11.5 million arrivals if current momentum holds. For multinational companies the boom means tighter booking windows and upward pressure on airfare and room rates in Brazil’s main commercial hubs. Travel managers are advised to secure corporate allotments earlier and consider secondary airports to maintain budgets. The data also reinforce Brazil’s position as Latin America’s busiest meetings-and-incentives destination, underlining the need for agile visa-compliance checks as traffic from new source markets grows.
Source: Travel and Tour World
