Brazil welcomes 7m foreign tourists in nine months

Dhaka: Brazil received approximately 7 million international visitors in the first nine months of 2026, while tourism spending continued to climb, highlighting the country's growing appeal to overseas travelers.

International visitors spent more than BRL 45.6 billion (about USD 8.66 billion) between January and September, up 10 percent from the same period in 2025, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, citing Central Bank figures.

September set a new monthly record, with foreign tourist spending reaching BRL 4.9 billion, equivalent to approximately USD 931 million.

The growth also coincided with increased international air traffic. Passenger numbers on international flights reached 22.7 million during the nine-month period, marking a 7.2 percent year-over-year increase.

Business travel contributed significantly, generating BRL 11.07 billion in revenue, up 7.41 percent from a year earlier.

Tourism growth also supported employment. The sector added 62,000 formal jobs between August 2025 and August 2026, bringing total employment to 2.42 million, or around 5 percent of Brazil's workforce.

Meanwhile, Brazil joined Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay in launching a regional tourism portal on October 27 in Montevideo. The platform is designed to help travelers discover destinations and organize multi-country trips across the participating South American nations.