Celso Sabino: FITUR will be a showcase for Brazil's potential

What is the importance of the tourism sector in Brazil's economy and how has it evolved in 2024?

Tourism accounts for around 8% of Brazil’s GDP and recent sector data demonstrate the growing momentum of Brazilian tourism activity, which is emerging as a firm favourite on the world stage. According to the Federation of Trade of Goods, Services and Tourism of the State of São Paulo, Brazilian tourism earned R$14.83 billion from January to September 2024, a record in the last 13 years.

Moreover, according to the Central Bank of Brazil, in the first half of 2024, tourism-related activities received US$126 million in foreign direct investment, an increase of more than 200% compared to the same period in 2023, the best first-half result in five years. Compared to the same period in 2019, during the Covid-19 pre-pandemic, the increase is 162%. Therefore, in addition to the significant progress in 2024, our outlook is extremely promising.

What measures have been taken to promote the deseasonalisation and diversification of the country’s tourism?

Since 2023, we have been developing an initiative that encourages Brazilians to travel throughout the country, even during the low season. This is the ‘Get to know Brazil’ initiative, which involves actions such as the expansion and diversification of air connectivity; the offer of facilitated credit for the acquisition of tourist services and the stimulation of civic tourism. We have been working on fronts that expand our tourism offer with incentives, for example, to destinations that develop Afro-tourism and tourism in native communities, involving indigenous and Quilombola communities.

Another action is the promotion of the Brazilian Amazon, one of the highlights of the country's promotion overseas by Embratur (Brazilian Agency for International Tourism Promotion). We have also stimulated cooperation with neighbouring countries for the joint promotion of South America's rich gastronomy, with the ‘Visit South America’ strategy, enhancing our appeal as a tourist destination.

What is the role of sustainability and technology in your tourism strategy?

Brazil has a vocation for ecotourism, due to the diversity of the natural attractions we have in all our regions. Therefore, fostering sustainability, involving the participation of local communities, is one of our guiding principles.

The new General Tourism Law, approved this year by President Lula, includes the promotion of the participation of traditional populations among the objectives of the National Tourism Policy. In fact, under Brazil's leadership, the G20 Tourism meeting in Belém do Pará this year a document was defined indicating the need for collective global investments in sustainability.

In terms of technology, MTur is developing the Brazil STD Model, which supports the transformation of locations based on new technologies, strategic data management and also sustainable development. This initiative is also the result of a partnership with SEGITTUR (State Company for the Management of Tourism Innovation and Technologies), creator of the STD concept.

What is the importance of innovation and know-how in the development of Brazilian tourism companies?

Innovation is already part of the daily life of several Brazilian tourism companies and the Ministry of Tourism supports and encourages actions in this direction, as it believes in the positive impact that improves the tourist experience. A recent example is the implementation of the new digital National Guest Registration Form in hotels, developed by MTur, which allows the secure and accurate transmission of accommodation visitor flow data, complying with legal requirements and offering more convenience to tourists.

Brazil will be hosting major events such as the 17th BRICS Summit and COP30 in 2025. How will you use these events to boost tourist arrivals to the country?

Both COP 30 and the BRICS Summit coincide with the start of operations in Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), of the first United Nations Tourism Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, which will position our country among the world leaders in the sector, with great impacts on the attraction of visitors, events and investments to Brazil.

In addition to tourism promotion, with information, and taking advantage of the visibility created by these events in Brazil, we are working to expand and diversify the air network, allowing visitors who come to these events to extend their trip and also have the opportunity to seek out lesser-known destinations, but ones that have great tourist attractions.

What are Brazil’s main source tourism markets?

 

Argentina maintains its position as the main country of origin of tourists to Brazil, with more than 1.71 million visitors from January to November 2024, followed by the United States, with just over 640,000. Neighbouring Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay together accounted for more than 1.331 million visitors to Brazilian destinations.

It is important to note that Brazil has already surpassed the total number of foreign tourists received throughout 2023. With one month to go, the country closed November 2024 with 5,967 million international visitors, surpassing the 5,908 million received in the 12 months of the previous year.

The figure recorded in the first eleven months of 2024 is the highest in the time series for this period. An important result of intense work to reposition Brazil's image abroad, showing the Lula government's commitment to sustainability, diversity, inclusion and democracy. We remain steadfast in the challenge to surpass the 10 million visitors who come to our country every year.

How has tourism between Spain and Brazil evolved in recent years and what future prospects do you foresee in this regard?

Up to November 2024, 115,418 tourists from Spain arrived in Brazil, a figure that is already higher than that recorded in the whole of 2023, which was 114,096, and which shows that we have attractions that satisfy the desires of Spanish tourists.

And we have strengthened these links. Recently, for example, I received the Heads of Mission representing the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) and Spain. At the meeting, a discussion took place on the development of regional and international tourism, including actions to strengthen air interconnectivity and promote places that are part of the Smart Tourism Destinations (STD) strategy.

Attracting Spanish investment to Brazil has also been a constant on our agenda, with several meetings held with local entrepreneurs since 2023. Incidentally, in early December, we followed, on the coast of Bahia, the laying of the first stone of a R$5.6 billion resort complex by Spain's Prima Group, which will have two resorts scheduled for completion in 2028.

What are the main proposals and attractions that Brazil will be presenting at FITUR 2025?

The colour of Brazil’s attractions will be present in every corner of FITUR 2025. We will present the natural and cultural experiences from various corners of Brazil, reinforcing the interest of Spaniards in these segments. This includes options from Rio de Janeiro, our Marvellous City; the Brazilian Carnival, which enchants visitors from all over the world; the breathtaking landscapes of the Amazon rainforest; our renowned gastronomy; in short, destinations and experiences that make a visit to Brazil a unique and unforgettable trip. Our presence at FITUR also seeks to promote some of Brazil’s lesser-known destinations, as well as to increase the length of stay of international tourists in the country.

We will make the Brazilian hall at FITUR 2025 one of its main attractions, offering immersive experiences, cultural presentations and business meetings aimed at encouraging investment and partnerships.

What will Brazil's participation as a FITUR Partner Country mean for the promotion of tourism in your country?

Being FITUR's partner country for the first time in the history of the trade fair, one of the most influential in the world and which opens the industry’s world calendar of trade events, is an extraordinary achievement! After a year of several unprecedented records in Brazilian tourism, 2025 promises to exceed our expectations in terms of results and global visibility, and FITUR will be a showcase for us to showcase Brazil's full potential, especially in a period when we will also be hosting COP 30 and the BRICS Summit.

As a partner country of the fair, Brazil will be expanding its presence in the world tourism market, with strong reflections in the promotion of the country and the arrival of visitors from various parts of the planet to our destinations from north to south. We will take advantage of the enormous visibility of FITUR to highlight all our diversity and consolidate Brazil as one of the leaders in world tourism.

Photo: Roberto Castro/MTur