Brazil consolidated its recovery in international tourism by reaching fourth place among the countries that most increased the number of foreign visitors between 2019 and 2025, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
International tourism soars in Brazil and the country enters the top 4 of the OECD
Brazil consolidated its recovery in international tourism by reaching fourth place among the countries that most increased the number of foreign visitors between 2019 and 2025, according to data from the Organization for Economic...
Brazil surpasses traditional destinations in the OECD ranking With the performance recorded between 2019 and 2025, Brazil was behind only Saudi Arabia (67%), Morocco (53%) and Egypt (47%) in the OECD ranking. The result also equaled Malta's performance, both with growth of 46%.
- The advance placed the country at the forefront of important international tourist destinations.
- In the same period, Japan recorded growth of 34%, Portugal increased by 20%, Spain increased by 16% and France grew by 12%.
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According to the newspaper O Estado de São Paulo, the OECD survey — based on indicators from the OECD, the Ministry of Tourism and the Central Bank — shows that the country recorded a 46% growth in the flow of foreign tourists in the period, going from 6.3 million visitors in 2019, the last year before the pandemic, to 9.3 million in 2025, the highest volume ever recorded in the Brazilian historical series.
Brazil surpasses traditional destinations in the OECD ranking With the performance recorded between 2019 and 2025, Brazil was behind only Saudi Arabia (67%), Morocco (53%) and Egypt (47%) in the OECD ranking. The result also equaled Malta's performance, both with growth of 46%.
The advance placed the country at the forefront of important international tourist destinations. In the same period, Japan recorded growth of 34%, Portugal increased by 20%, Spain increased by 16% and France grew by 12%.
In South America, the scenario was different. While Brazil showed strong expansion, Argentina (-23%) and Peru (-22%) recorded a decline in the number of foreign visitors compared to pre-pandemic levels.
First half of 2026 records highest flow in the historical series Between January and June 2026, Brazil received 5.2 million international tourists, establishing the highest result in the historical series for the period, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
Of this total, 3.5 million arrived in the country by air, a number 13.3% higher than that recorded in the first half of 2025.
The increase follows the expansion of international routes, which grew 9.4% in the first six months of the year. The indicator considers both foreigners who arrived in Brazil and Brazilians who traveled abroad.
Revenues from foreign tourists also reach new levels In addition to the growth in the flow of visitors, spending by international tourists also increased in 2026.
Data from the Central Bank show that foreign visitors generated US$5.6 billion in the Brazilian economy between January and June, a value 12% higher than the US$5 billion recorded in the same period in 2025.
In June, performance was even more impressive. International tourists left US$809 million in Brazil, an increase of 17% compared to June 2025, when revenues totaled US$691 million.