Tourism

Brazil missing out on billions in eco-tourism potential

Despite being home to some of the world's most beautiful beaches and parks, Brazil vastly underperforms as a tourist destination — one part of the sector says private capital is the answer

ecotourism tourism parks
The Caracol state park, in the South, was auctioned off earlier this month. Photo: Vitor Marigo/Shutterstock

Covid restrictions no longer prevent people from traveling, but Brazil’s tourism sector is still struggling to recover from two years of revenue losses in the billions. The way to get back on track, experts say, is to take advantage of the country’s vast and underused natural beauty.

Data from the Tourism Ministry shows that eco-tourism destinations attracted around 700,000 foreign tourists to Brazil in 2019 — about 10 percent of all international tourists coming to the country. 

In domestic terms, 7 percent of all trips made by Brazilians in the last pre-pandemic year were to eco-tourism spots, according to data from a monthly household survey.

Now, having emerged from the coronavirus crisis after years of being stuck at home, Brazilians’ holiday preferences have shifted. The same PNAD survey in 2021 showed that the share of domestic travelers who took trips in search of nature, eco-tourism, or adventure rose from 20.5 to 25.6 percent between 2020 and last year.

Indeed, Brazilians are traveling shorter distances for their vacations, partly due to prior health restrictions but also as a result of soaring international travel costs. This is expected to continue in the short-term future.

On the other hand, visiting Brazil’s natural beauties has become something of a bargain for foreign tourists. More and more are arriving in the country, thanks to a more favorable exchange rate. 

Top of the list of Brazil’s natural spectacles are its beaches, with the country’s 7,000 kilometers of coastline home to three of the world’s ten most beautiful beaches, according to Trip Advisor. Sun, sea, and sand are also the biggest draws for domestic holidaymakers, with Tourism Ministry data showing that 49 percent of Brazilians chose to travel to the...

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