Spending by international visitors in Brazil soared to R$ 25 billion (US$ 4.9 billion) between January and May 2026, the highest amount ever recorded for the period, according to Banco Central figures analysed by the Ministry of Tourism and released on 30 June. The tally is 11 % higher than the same interval in 2025, with May alone posting R$ 4.08 billion—up 19 % year-on-year. The rebound is driven by surging arrivals from China (+75 % in May) following Brazil’s decision to grant a temporary visa waiver to Chinese nationals in May. North American and European markets also grew 8 % and 6 %, respectively, helped by increased air capacity and a favourable exchange rate. Overall, nearly 5 million foreign tourists entered Brazil in the first five months, approaching pre-pandemic volumes. For the hospitality and meetings industry, the numbers signal a robust pipeline for the second half of 2026, when São Paulo hosts the G20 Leaders’ Summit and Rio de Janeiro stages several offshore-energy conferences. Corporate-travel agencies report that daily rates in premium hotels have climbed 12 % year-on-year, and warn companies to secure inventory early for Q3 events. The data also bolster the government’s forecast of US$ 8 billion in foreign-exchange earnings from tourism for the full year—revenues that help offset Brazil’s structural services-trade deficit. Infrastructure concessions of regional airports in the North and Northeast are expected to be expedited to sustain the momentum, according to tourism-ministry officials.
Source: Rádio Itatiaia
