Brazil received 5.4 million tourists in 2011 with Argentina providing 1.6 million

Saturday, May 5th 2012 - 06:01 UTC

Full article 6 comments

Beaches, tropical forests, caipirinha and great music but the 5 million figure remains

Brazil received more than 5.4 million international visitors in 2011, up 5.35 from 2010, the Tourism Ministry announced Friday. The number of visitors from other South American nations rose from 2.384 million in 2010 to 2.628 million in 2011.

Argentine tourists remain in the lead totalling 1.593 million last year, up 13.9% from 2010. Chinese and Russian tourists to Brazil jumped by 47.9% and 40.9% respectively in 2011, while the number of tourists from India rose 14.3% and that from South Africa climbed 6.8%.

“The figures show that intensifying tourism promotion in neighbouring countries was the right thing to do” said Flavio Dino, president of Brazil's state-run tourism promotion agency Embratur.

The number of European tourists to Brazil rose slightly to 1.62 million, up 0.4% from 2010. Brazilian authorities stressed the increase was very positive given the severe economic crisis facing European countries.

“Not losing tourists is very good in a very unfavourable scenario,” said Tourism Minister Gastao Vieira.

Despite last year's record-high figures, the number of foreign tourists to Brazil has remained relatively steady in the past decade at around 5 million.

Brazil expects to receive a major influx of tourists in the next few years as it will be hosting the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Brazil hopes to be one of the world's top 5 tourist destinations by 2022, Vieira has said recently. To accomplish the goal, it would need to surpass Italy, currently in the 5th place with 43 million tourists in 2010. In other words, Brazil would have to increase its international tourism arrivals eight fold.

Categories: Economy, Tourism, Argentina, Brazil, Latin America.

Tags: 2013 Confederations Cup, 2014 FIFA World Cup, Argentina, Brazil, Gastao Vieira, Olimpic Games 2016, tourism.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules

Skåre
The scary think is just how few of those 1.6 million Argitards return home once they have escaped. There is only room for so many Argentinian prostitutes in the world.
May 05th, 2012 - 08:58 am 0
tobias
Nothing like those junkie Norwegian whores in the caribbean islands... you know, the typical scandinavian “peace and love, I'm gonna go to an island to get away from my miserable suicidal life in North Europe to live the simple life”. Everyone and their mother knows the islands are full of those hippie European types... specially dutch and norwegian.

Then they get there, have no money so of course one ends up seeing them out bankrolling at the front of bars.

Anyway, as I have said in the past, South American tourism, from Brazil to Uruguay, to Chile, Bolivia and Peru is made or broken by the mighty argentine tourist. If we go down, so do they.
May 05th, 2012 - 09:59 pm 0
Forgetit87
@tobias

85% of the tourists in Brazil are Brazilian themselves. Domestic tourists are bar far more important than foreign ones. But it is right that, among foreigners, Argentinians are without comparison the most important ones for the sector.
May 06th, 2012 - 08:16 am 0

Read all comments

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!