Economy

Tourism grows 6%, hits record in Brazil in first quarter

Bahia state recorded the best performance in March

Bruno Bocchini

Published on 05/06/2025 - 13:50

Agência Brasil - São Paulo

Ipojuca (PE), 26/10/2023 - eios de jangada para visitar recifes de corais na praia de Porto de Galinhas. Foto: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil — © Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil

The tourism sector in Brazil earned BRL 55.4 billion in the first three months of the year, suring the previous record of BRL 52.5 billion set in the first quarter of 2014.

The data were released by the São Paulo State Federation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism (FecomercioSP), based on figures from the Brazilian statistics agency IBGE.

Compared to the first quarter of last year, Brazil’s tourism sector grew 5.8 percent in 2025, adjusted for inflation. In March alone, the sector generated BRL 18 billion, up 6.6 percent from the same month last year—the best result for March since 2012.

“The sector has been accelerating despite high interest rates and inflation. Tourism is not a regular consumption activity but one that requires planning. The growth in formal employment in the country is driving higher spending on long-planned vacations,” FecomercioSP said in a statement.

In regional , Bahia state led March’s performance with tourism revenues growing 20.4 percent, boosted by Carnival. It was followed by Rio de Janeiro (16.8%) and Ceará (13.9%), which also benefited from the festive season.

The state of São Paulo, with the greatest weight in the analysis, recorded an increase of 4.8%, with revenues of BRL 4.5 billion. Mato Grosso fell by 9.7%, followed by Roraima (-7.1%) and Rio Grande do Sul (-6.3%).

São Paulo, the most significant state in the analysis, saw revenues rise 4.8 percent to BRL 4.5 billion. Meanwhile, Mato Grosso declined by 9.7 percent, followed by Roraima (-7.1%) and Rio Grande do Sul (-6.3%).