The Brazil
tourism sector registered one of its best months ever in February when visitor
figures, tourist spending and passenger traffic all experienced a surge in
numbers. As a result, authorities believe 2023 will be the year when tourism in
Brazil exceeds
pre-pandemic figures.
Passenger traffic up 18.2%
The Ministry of Tourism has just recently a number of statistics for February. This month is traditionally one of the busiest for the sector in Brazil since it brings together Carnival and the high season.
Passenger traffic swelled during the month, with around 6.5 million people flying to destinations within Brazil. According to the Brazilian Airport Authorities, ANAC, the figure is 18.2% higher than in 2022. In January and February, traffic reached almost 15 million passengers, 14.1% more than last year. However, the figure remains slightly below that for 2019, when 16.9 million people flew in Brazil.
The country’s busiest airport during February was Guarulhos in Sao Paulo. Around 2.35 million used this airport to fly to other destinations, mainly in Northeast Brazil to beach resorts.
Ceará passengers up
Fortaleza Airport also saw a significant uptick in passenger numbers during February. Foreign arrivals increased by 76.19% compared to 2022, with the arrival of 20,466 passengers. The majority came from Lisbon, Paris and Miami.
For the Secretary of Tourism in Ceará, the growth reflects the strength of the state as a tourist destination. “Ceará is one of the most sought-after states for foreign tourists who are attracted to the unforgettable experiences they discover here,” said Yrwana Albuquerque.
One in ten jobs in tourism
On the back of the increase in tourism, employment rose throughout the country. The Ministry of Employment attributes the creation of one in every ten new jobs to the sector, which employed 27,200 more people in February.
For the Ministry of Tourism, Daniela Carneiro, “tourism has shown its strength as an important driver of the Brazilian economy”. She believes that the latest data proves that the “sector is able to transform life for Brazilians and their economy”.
Foreign spending surges
Another source of good news for Brazil tourism came in statistics for spending by international tourists during February. According to the Brazilian Central Bank, revenue reached a total of US$529 million, according to the Brazilian Central Bank.
The figure ranks as the highest since 2019, indicating that Brazil is well on the road to full recovery in foreign tourism. It is also 10.6% higher than in 2022 and 47% more than in 2021.
In January and February this year, 1.5 million international tourists visited Brazil and spent over US$1.1 billion. “We began the year on a mission to rebuild tourism in Brazil,” said Carniero, “and we can already see the impact in foreign visitors.”
(Source: Ministry of Tourism, SETUR)
