British tourism to Brazil is booming, with visitor arrivals climbing 11.33% between January and September 2026 to reach 148,429 (up from 133,328 in 2025). Riding this wave of momentum, Brazil arrives at WTM London (3–5 November) with a strategic programme built to drive even higher numbers for 2027. The Brazilian pavilion will immerse the international travel trade in the country’s unmistakable energy, blending rich culture, sporting passion, and a famous way of life shared across its tables, beaches, streets, and stadiums.
The Brazil stand brings together 56 co-exhibitors, including destinations, tour operators, hotels and guesthouses, airlines, industry associations and cultural institutions. The offering ranges from the crystal-clear waters of Bonito to the power of Iguaçu Falls, taking in the wildlife of the Pantanal, the Amazon rainforest and the meeting of art and nature at Inhotim. The flavours, rhythms and landscapes of Bahia, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo complete this showcase of possibilities for travellers.
“The United Kingdom is one of the world’s five largest outbound tourism markets, and the nearly 150,000 British visitors we welcomed between January and September 2026 demonstrate its potential for Brazil. With 552 flights scheduled from London to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro this year, we have an opportunity to connect that demand with experiences spanning culture, sun and beach, nature and adventure, enriched by encounters with local communities. This is the spirit of Brazil we will bring to WTM, combining diversity, creativity and hospitality to strengthen the country’s presence in the international market”, says Bruno Reis, President of Embratur.
To bring this diversity closer to international audiences, Brazil will launch campaigns at the show dedicated to Carnival and the host cities of the 2027 Women’s World Cup, the first to be held in South America. With culture and football as their connecting threads, the initiatives invite visitors to join the celebrations and discover local life beyond the events themselves.
Developed in partnership with Beautiful Destinations, the Carnival campaign explores the cultural expressions that give the celebrations their distinctive character in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife and Olinda. With the slogan “The heartbeat of Brazil” and compelling audiovisual storytelling, the initiative showcases Carnival through authentic experiences: the festivities, the behind-the-scenes moments few get to see, the moving stories and the cultural, social and economic impact of this collective celebration.
Local perspectives also shape the campaign featuring the Women’s World Cup host cities. Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and São Paulo are seen through the eyes of Brazilian football fans. In this narrative, the football experience extends beyond the stadiums to beaches, neighbourhood bars, samba gatherings and communities where clubs are part of everyday life.
By placing local life at the heart of their storytelling, both campaigns tap into British visitors’ interest in culture, the main reason for travel for 44% of this audience. For the travel trade, this connection creates opportunities to develop itineraries that combine the celebrations with other destination experiences and encourage longer stays in Brazil.
A STRATEGIC MARKET FOR BRAZIL
These opportunities are underpinned by a growing market. Following growth of 22% in 2025, British visitor arrivals totalled 148,429 in the first nine months of 2026. The United Kingdom is Brazil’s fourth-largest European source market. Brazil is the leading South American destination for British travellers, who stay an average of 12.5 nights, offering scope for trips that take in more than one region.
Air connectivity is central to turning this demand into bookings, with 552 flights and 181,492 seats scheduled from London to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in 2026. Connections via Portugal expand the options for travellers departing from other British cities or seeking access to different Brazilian regions. In the same year, services between Portugal and Brazil are scheduled to offer 3,421 direct flights and 930,866 seats, more than five times the seat capacity planned on direct flights from the United Kingdom.
Reaching all five Brazilian regions, this network includes São Paulo, Campinas, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Fortaleza, Salvador, Natal, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Belém, Porto Alegre, Florianópolis, Curitiba and São Luís. TAP accounts for three in every four flights, with Azul, LATAM and Gol providing the remaining services.
The Brazilian stand at WTM will showcase enhanced travel options to Brazil, highlighting TAP’s expanded network and latest routes. A key feature of the presentation is the direct link between Lisbon and São Luís. This route significantly improves access to Maranhão and the breathtaking Lençóis Maranhenses—one of Brazil’s most iconic landscapes, renowned for its dramatic white sand dunes and crystal-clear freshwater lagoons.
TOOLS FOR TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS SELLING BRAZIL
With campaigns that spark interest and connections that make travel possible, the next step is to support the professionals who turn these opportunities into itineraries. At WTM London, Visit Brasil will therefore present tools that combine destination knowledge, training and access to local experiences for travel agents and tour operators.
One of these is Feel Brasil, developed in partnership with Sebrae Nacional. The collection brings together 101 experiences spanning ecotourism, nature, Afro-Brazilian heritage tourism and encounters with local communities across Brazil’s regions. Most are offered by small businesses, connecting visitors with people who live in the destinations and earn their livelihoods through tourism.
This collection complements the resources available through Brasil Travel Specialist (BTS), which helps professionals understand what makes each destination distinctive and guide their clients’ choices. The platform offers up-to-date content on destinations and attractions, alongside training, certification, promotional materials and benefits for international travel agents. It is available at www.brasiltravelspecialist.com.
The initiatives form part of Plano Brasis – the International Tourism Marketing Plan 2025-2027. Developed by Visit Brasil in partnership with Sebrae, the plan sets out the framework for promoting Brazil abroad. At WTM London, campaigns, connectivity and training put this strategy into practice, with the aim of turning interest in the country into trips that encourage visitors to explore more destinations and engage with local communities.
