With punctual airports and top restaurants, Brazil boosts international tourism

In May, the Brazilian tourism sector achieved four significant and unprecedented milestones. Two of them are noteworthy recognitions: Brazilian airports appeared in Cirium's On-Time Performance Report and two restaurants were listed among the world's top 50.

From January to May 2024, Brazil achieved a 10-year record revenue from international tourism. Additionally, for the 38th consecutive month, the number of passengers transported in the international market has increased. In May, Brazil recorded a new high with 1.9 million international travelers, the best result for May since the start of this historical series in 2000.

The Cirium survey focused on Brasília International Airport, Congonhas (São Paulo) and Santos Dumont (Rio de Janeiro), each in a specific size category. The company classifies airports into four groups: Global, Large, Medium and Small. Within the Global category, which includes airports offering 25 to 40 million seats and serving at least three global regions, Guarulhos (São Paulo) ranked sixth, with an 84.80% punctuality rate.

In the Large category, Congonhas (São Paulo) was listed as the world's second most punctual airport, with an 88.53% punctuality rate. Brasília (Federal District) excelled in the Medium category, securing first place, with a 93.40% punctuality rate. Santos Dumont (Rio de Janeiro) and Viracopos (Campinas/São Paulo) were also included in that category. In the Small category, five Brazilian airports were among the top 20 most punctual: Galeão (Rio de Janeiro), Salvador (Bahia), Curitiba (Paraná), Fortaleza (Ceará) and Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais).

BEST RESTAURANTS – In 2024, The World's 50 Best Restaurants list featured two Brazilian establishments. A Casa do Porco in São Paulo secured the 27th position, while Oteque in Rio de Janeiro achieved the 37th spot. Now in its 22nd year, the list recognizes restaurants from 26 territories across five continents.

Another list highlighting Brazilian cuisine is the traditional Michelin Guide. Since 1926, the guide has awarded stars to notable restaurants, initially marking them with a single star. Focused on Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the publication lists 25 restaurants in the “good and affordable” category. Highlights in the “Bib Gourmand” category (featuring good quality and value) include São Paulo's A Baianeira, Capim Santo, Cora, Cuia, Mocotó Vila Leopoldina and Rio de Janeiro's Brota, Sult, Lasai, Oteque and Mee.

TOURIST ACTIVITIES - From January to May, Brazil generated USD 3.2 million in revenue from international tourism. This result represents over BRL 17 billion (USD 3.08 billion) injected into the national economy in the first five months of 2024. The amount is nearly 18% higher than the same period last year, when the country received USD 2.7 million from international tourism.

The data is from a survey conducted by the Central Bank of Brazil (Banco Central do Brasil/BCB) and compiled by the Ministry of Tourism (Ministério do Turismo/MTur). Tourism Minister Celso Sabino emphasized that Brazil has once again become an increasingly attractive destination for foreign tourists. “With its natural beauty, rich culture and economic, political and social stability, Brazil has the potential to establish itself as one of the world's leading tourist destinations. To achieve this goal, we are investing in incentive policies, sustainability initiatives and the continuous improvement of tourism services,” said the minister.

In May, as reported by BCB, international tourism revenue amounted to USD 523 million. These funds help develop touristic regions, supporting infrastructure improvement, increased local consumption and small and medium-sized enterprises.

TRAVELER RECORD - The air transportation demand and supply indicator, released on Friday, June 21, by the National Civil Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil/ANAC), recorded an increase in the number of passengers transported in the international market. This indicator has shown consistent growth since April 2021. The results revealed an 18.2% increase compared with the same period last year, surpassing the pre-pandemic volume.

The Federal Government's policy to promote international civil aviation, led by the Ministry of Ports and Airports (Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos/MPor), has contributed to the recent increase in international air connectivity. Minister Sílvio Costa Filho announced the resumption of several routes suspended during the pandemic, including 95 new weekly flights from Portugal to Brazil, servicing 11 Brazilian capitals. 

According to ANAC data, the Santiago (Chile) to Guarulhos (São Paulo) connection brought the most passengers to Brazil in May, with more than 112,000 touristic arrivals. The second most traveled route connected the Chilean capital to Rio de Janeiro's Galeão International Airport, with approximately 50,000 tourists. The route from Bogotá (Colombia) to Guarulhos came in a close third place, with over 48,000 passengers.