# Brazil international tourism and business travel growth > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/brazil-international-tourism-growth > Updated: 2026-09-11T14:21:05.000Z. Sources: 31. Developments: 7. Brazil continues to see robust growth in international tourism and business travel. In the first half of 2026, the country welcomed 5,261,733 international tourists, marking its second-best performance for a six-month period. Air arrivals rose by 13.3% to over 3.5 million, a feat Embratur describes as “the best result ever recorded for this period.” Growth was driven by South American travelers, a 15.9% increase from Argentina, and long-haul markets, including an 18.8% rise from Asia—led by a 55.12% surge from China—and a 16.2% increase in European arrivals. National tourism revenue for the first half of 2026 reached R$ 143.1 billion, a 3.5% increase over 2025 and the best performance for this period since 2011, according to FecomercioSP and IBGE. Key drivers included air passenger transport (up 5.7%) and food services (up 5.6%). Regional growth was particularly strong in Bahia, which generated a historic R$ 4.7 billion in revenue, an 8.9% increase. Recent data highlights Bahia as a national leader in tourism growth, recording a 5.9% increase in 2026 despite a 1% decline in the national average. IBGE data indicates Bahia has achieved 60 months of continuous growth, attributed to infrastructure investments, professional training, and new flights. Simultaneously, the corporate travel sector is expanding; technology company Onfly projects it will process R$ 760 million in hotel reservations by the end of 2026, a 70% increase from the previous year. ## Claims - The 2026-2027 cruise season in Brazil may grow by more than 24%. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The 2026/2027 season is projected to feature eight ships and 831,254 beds. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The number of cruise itineraries will increase from 160 to 190. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Corazul Cruceros is considering starting its operations 45 days early and extending its stay by 30 days. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The 2024/2025 cruise season generated 93,700 jobs and over US$ 1 billion in the Brazilian economy. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Minister of Tourism Gustavo Feliciano stated that every dollar invested in the sector generates four dollars for the national economy. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The Giusfredo Santini Terminal in Santos expects to handle approximately 913,000 passengers over 97 days of operation. (single source) - The 2026/2027 season at the Santos terminal is expected to create 400 direct jobs and 5,500 indirect jobs. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-11: Brazil tourism: Bahia leads growth as Onfly targets R$ 760M in hotel bookings Bahia leads Brazilian tourism with 5.9% growth amid a national decline, while travel tech firm Onfly targets R$ 760 million in hotel reservations by 2026. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazil-tourism-bahia-leads-growth-as-onfly-targets-r-760m-in-hotel-bookings ### 2026-09-04: Brazilian tourism sector expects holiday boost amid pricing concerns Brazil's hospitality sector expects a boost from the September 7 holiday, with some cities seeing 10% growth, though concerns remain regarding price exploitation of tourists. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazilian-tourism-sector-expects-holiday-boost-amid-pricing-concerns ### 2026-08-31: Brazil sees unprecedented surge in international tourism Brazil is seeing record-breaking tourism growth, with international arrivals up 46 percent since 2019, outperforming major markets like Japan and Spain according to OECD data. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazil-sees-unprecedented-surge-in-international-tourism ### 2026-08-29: Brazil cruise season 2026/2027 projected to grow by over 24% Brazil's 2026/2027 cruise season is projected to grow by over 24%, featuring eight ships and over 831,000 beds, potentially boosting the national economy and creating thousands of jobs. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazil-cruise-season-20262027-projected-to-grow-by-over-24 ### 2026-08-26: Brazil tourism sector hits record R$ 143.1 billion in first half of 2026 Brazilian tourism reached a 15-year high in the first half of 2026, with national revenue hitting R$ 143.1 billion. Bahia led significant growth, recording R$ 4.7 billion in sectoral revenue. 19 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazil-tourism-revenue-hits-15-year-high-in-first-half-of-2026 ### 2026-08-24: Brazil reports record international tourism and business travel growth Brazil saw record international air arrivals in early 2026 and is projected to lead the top 15 global markets in business travel growth with a 13.8% expansion. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazil-reports-record-international-tourism-and-business-travel-growth ### 2026-08-02: Brazil ranks fourth worldwide in international tourist arrivals growth, 46% rise 2019‑2025 Brazil’s international tourist arrivals rose 46% to 9.3 million (2019‑2025), ranking fourth globally; first‑half 2026 saw 5.2 million visitors and $5.6 bn revenue, up 12% YoY. 44 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazils-cni-projects-2-gdp-growth-and-lifts-industrial-outlook-to-21 --- Cite as: Brazil international tourism and business travel growth. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/brazil-international-tourism-growth