Record numbers of tourists visit Brazil
According to figures from the ministry of tourism, the number of international visitors travelling to Brazil rose by 5.3 per cent in 2011 compared to 2010.
The data, compiled in partnership with Embratur (Brazilian Tourist Board), revealed 5,433,354 tourists visited the country last year, 271,975 more than the year before.
In 2011 almost 30 per cent of foreign visitors to Brazil were from Europe.
There were 1,621,183 Europeans, 0.4 per cent higher than the number recorded the year before, while the number of people going for holiday in Brazil from the UK remained high at 149,564 in 2011.
According to the minister of tourism, Gastão Vieira, this stability is positive taking into account the continent’s economic difficulties in 2011.
“Not losing tourists is a very good outcome considering the unfavourable context,” said Vieira.
However, the rise was driven by a 10.3 per cent increase in the number of South American tourists visiting Brazil – from 2,384,186 in 2010 to 2,628,957 in 2011.
The countries which make up the BRICs economic block also showed a significant increase in tourists travelling to Brazil: Russia (40.9 per cent), China (47.9 per cent), India (14.3 per cent) and South Africa (6.8 per cent).
Argentina still leads the rankings as the country that visits Brazil the most.
Last year 1,593,775 Argentines had their holiday in Brazil which is 13.9 per cent higher than the 2010 figure of 1,399,592.
This means that the neighbouring country’s contribution to the international flow of tourists travelling to Brazil reached 29.3 per cent.
The USA (10.9 per cent) and Uruguay (4.8 per cent) hold second and third place respectively.
Asia also shows more interest in Brazil.
In 2010, there were 220,085 visitors from Asia to Brazilian destinations whereas in 2011 this number increased to 279,161: a rise of 26.8 per cent.
“The figures show that we have resumed the rate of growth again in international tourism reaching a historic record of 5.4 million visitors to our country,” Vieira added.