UN Tourism opens regional office in Brazil to boost this activity in Americas, the Caribbean

Brazil has just become the location of the first UN Tourism Regional Office in the Americas and the Caribbean. Inaugurated on Friday, February 7, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), the new unit has initiated its activities and marks a strategic step in promoting tourism on the continent, attracting investments to Brazilian destinations and to areas outside the traditional European circuit.

With a team of national and international consultants, the representation in Brazil will enable the development of policies and actions to strengthen the sector. The unit will play a key role in advising countries in the region, promoting economic and social growth through tourism.

In addition to coordinating UN Tourism operations at the regional level, the office will work to foster responsible, sustainable, and accessible tourism, enhance the sector's competitiveness, and integrate tourism into the global agenda by stimulating strategic partnerships. Aside from its headquarters in Madrid (Spain), UN Tourism has only one other Regional Office in operation in Saudi Arabia.

DEVELOPMENT - Celso Sabino,, Brazil’s Minister of Tourism (Ministério do Turismo /MTur) and President of the UN Tourism Executive Council, highlighted the importance of the action for the sector's development. According to him, Brazil is beginning a new era for tourism. "It is a milestone that celebrates the excellent moment of Brazilian tourism in these first months of 2025 and especially in 2024, when we achieved significant milestones for our sector. I have no doubt that, from now on, Brazil and our neighbors will have much more space on the global tourism stage," stated Sabino.

COORDINATION – The establishment of UN Tourism in Brazil was the result of an intense negotiation process led by the Federal Government, with direct coordination from Ministry of Tourism. Rio de Janeiro was chosen as the headquarters due to its significance in the sector, being one of the main entry doors for foreign tourists into the country.

In January 2025, the city received 240,100 international visitors, a 46% increase compared to the same period in the previous year. "The UN Tourism office will place the country firmly on the global tourism stage, with actions planned and adopted to foster the sustainable development of the entire region," added the minister.

INVESTMENTS – Leading the office in Brazil, Director Heitor Kadri emphasized the commitment to attracting more investments to the countries that are part of the new hub. "The work of the UN Tourism office is now beginning, and we have an important path ahead of us to develop tourism in Brazil, the Americas, and the Caribbean, attracting visitors, investments, and always valuing our culture and history," he pointed out.

OPPORTUNITY – Introduced at the ceremony, the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Zurab Pololikashvili, pointed to the office in Rio as a great opportunity for Brazil. "It is a great day for UN Tourism because it is the first time we are opening a unit in the Americas and the Caribbean. We will work to bring many more tourists here; this is our commitment with the arrival of the regional office here in Rio. Brazil is wonderful and we will work to show all of this to the world," he stated.

IMPORTANCE – Brazil has become a key player in the international representation of the countries in the region. Now, it will be possible to enhance communication between nations, improving public policies to encourage the arrival of more foreign tourists to the country. In recent years, tourism activity in Brazilian territory has been gaining prominence and becoming a priority for the Federal Government, which is betting on the sector to boost the country's economic and social development in a sustainable manner.

RECORDS – The year 2025 has already started by breaking records. In January, 1.48 million international tourists arrived in Brazil. It is the best first month of the year since 1970, the beginning of the historical series. Data collected by Ministry Of Tourism, EMBRATUR (Instituto Brasileiro de Turismo), and the Federal Police (Polícia Federal) show a 55% increase compared to the same period in 2024, when 956,700 visitors from other countries were recorded.

HISTORY – The agreement for the installation of the international representation in Brazil was signed by Minister Celso Sabino and Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili in October 2023, during the 25th General Assembly of the organization, held in the city of Samarkand (Uzbekistan). In May 2024, the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies confirmed the negotiation, which was validated by the Federal Senate in July. The text was signed into law by President Lula in September 2024.