Rio de Janeiro tourism rises 18% amid Brazil's push for Chinese visitors

More than 1 million foreign tourists arrived in Rio de Janeiro during the first four months of 2026, an 18.1% increase over the same period in 2025, according to Embratur data. Argentina was the leading source with 412,447 visitors, followed by Chile, the United States, Uruguay and France.

Brazil as a whole recorded a record 2.33 million international arrivals in the first quarter of 2026, up 19.4% from the previous year. Chinese visitors numbered 103,000 in 2025 and grew 33.6% in the first four months of 2026. To accelerate this trend, Embratur launched a promotional program at the ITB China fair in Shanghai, highlighting a recent visa‑waiver agreement and targeting a 30% increase in Chinese arrivals this year through advertising and local tour‑operator partnerships.