Data released by the Ministry of Tourism on 24 November show that international searches for trips to Brazil over Christmas and New Year rose 18 % compared with 2024, putting the country ahead of Spain and the United States in Google’s global ‘year-end travel’ leaderboard. Domestically, Rio de Janeiro is the number-one city searched by Brazilians and foreigners alike, followed by São Paulo and Salvador.
The surge is attributed to aggressive marketing campaigns run by Embratur in the United States, France and Argentina, as well as looser health controls and the return of cruise itineraries along the southeast coast. Airlines have responded: LATAM re-activated its Johannesburg and Los Angeles routes, while Air France-KLM has upgraded Rio-Paris to twice daily.
![Brazil tops global search rankings for year-end travel, Rio de Janeiro most-wanted city]()
For businesses relocating staff, the popularity spike translates into pricier airfares and hotel rates during December-January. Several serviced-apartment providers in Barra da Tijuca report occupancy above 90 % and are imposing minimum 10-night stays. Companies planning short-term assignments should book blocks now or consider secondary cities like Campinas or Belo Horizonte for interim housing.
Ministry officials say the tourism windfall could inject R$ 10 billion into the economy and indirectly support 120,000 temporary jobs. They stress, however, that airport capacity—especially at Congonhas, Galeão and Recife—will be tight, prompting calls for extended operating hours and additional Federal Police staffing at immigration desks.
Looking ahead, Embratur will launch a new digital-nomad campaign in Q1 2026 centred on Brazil’s year-old remote-worker visa, targeting Canada and the UK where applications remain modest.
The surge is attributed to aggressive marketing campaigns run by Embratur in the United States, France and Argentina, as well as looser health controls and the return of cruise itineraries along the southeast coast. Airlines have responded: LATAM re-activated its Johannesburg and Los Angeles routes, while Air France-KLM has upgraded Rio-Paris to twice daily.
For businesses relocating staff, the popularity spike translates into pricier airfares and hotel rates during December-January. Several serviced-apartment providers in Barra da Tijuca report occupancy above 90 % and are imposing minimum 10-night stays. Companies planning short-term assignments should book blocks now or consider secondary cities like Campinas or Belo Horizonte for interim housing.
Ministry officials say the tourism windfall could inject R$ 10 billion into the economy and indirectly support 120,000 temporary jobs. They stress, however, that airport capacity—especially at Congonhas, Galeão and Recife—will be tight, prompting calls for extended operating hours and additional Federal Police staffing at immigration desks.
Looking ahead, Embratur will launch a new digital-nomad campaign in Q1 2026 centred on Brazil’s year-old remote-worker visa, targeting Canada and the UK where applications remain modest.
