Birdwatching, Amazonian experiences, Pantanal gastronomy and 50 co-exhibitors representing destinations from the six different biomes of the country with the greatest biodiversity in the world. All of this will be present at the Brazilian stand organized by Embratur, in collaboration with Sebrae, at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, which began this Tuesday (5) and continues until Thursday (7), in England. One of the most important international tourism fairs, the event is a unique opportunity to encourage new business and attract more foreign tourists to Brazil.
Embratur and Sebrae’s strategy is to take on destinations that are in the spotlight, such as the Cerrado – chosen as one of the best destinations for 2025 by National Geographic –, Lençóis Maranhenses – the new Natural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO –, as well as Rio de Janeiro (RJ) and Salvador (BA), which are competing for the award for the most desirable tourist destinations in the world by the British magazine Wanderlust. Among the Brazilian destinations of WTM London are also the states of Amazonas, Pará, Bahia, Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhão, Mato Grosso and cities such as Manaus (AM), Foz do Iguaçu (PR), Pantanal-Bonito (MS), São Paulo (SP) and São Sebastião (SP).
Every year, the fair brings together more than 30,000 participants interested in doing business, networking and expanding relationships with tour operators, exhibitors, the press and opinion makers. Embratur and Sebrae have prepared a 414 m² stand, with a program that includes caipirinha tasting, cooking shows led by renowned Brazilian chefs, cultural attractions and immersive experiences in which visitors will be able to discover more Brazilian destinations.
Brazil in the world
Brazil's participation in WTM London also aims to strengthen trade relations with the main tourist-sending markets to Brazil in Europe, in addition to the United Kingdom, such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
“We are taking on a leading global role in important agendas for the world. We will host the G20 Summit in Rio and COP30 in 2025, in Belém do Pará, in the Amazon. These events place the country at the centre of debates on today's main challenges, especially sustainable development,” says Embratur President Marcelo Freixo.
“Tourism is an economic activity that can contribute to the debate on environmental protection and sustainability. We are working to increasingly improve the quality of our destinations and services, so that tourists come to discover the diversity of our nature and our culture, and this tourism helps us to preserve these tangible and intangible assets,” adds Freixo.
The president of Sebrae, Décio Lima, reinforces the relevance of the topic at a global level. “The green transition will be the main driver of global growth in the coming years and small businesses have a fundamental role in taking advantage of these opportunities for tourism. Several entrepreneurs are already creating experiences with Brazilian biodiversity. Experiential Tourism has become a reference. Only Brazil has the Amazon, six biomes in one country. Most businesses in the country are small businesses and with this they create more opportunities, inclusion and income generation,” Lima highlights.
Birdwatching
Visitors to the Brazilian stand will be able to compete for airline tickets to visit Brazilian destinations such as the Amazon, an action in partnership with TAP and Amazonastur, using the recently inaugurated route between Lisbon and Manaus (AM), and the Pantanal, through the flight from London to Cuiabá (MT), in partnership with Latam Airlines and Fundtur MS and the support of Sebrae MT.
The draw will mark the launch of the Visit Brasil Showcase. The aim is to diversify the destination offering, focusing on authentic, diverse and sustainable experiences. In Mato Grosso do Sul, for example, the experience to be showcased will be birdwatching.
Vitrine Visit Brasil will prioritize strategic segments with high global tourism demand through the curation of 100 experiences. The initiative aims to position Brazil as a competitive and attractive destination abroad and promote small businesses. New authentic experiences will be introduced to the international market throughout 2025.
Fundtur-MS President Bruno Wendling highlights the importance of the partnership with Embratur. “Embratur is our great partner in the international promotion and in the ever-increasing strengthening of the image of Mato Grosso do Sul as a destination for nature, safaris and wildlife watching. Actions such as these, which encourage the arrival of operators and the press, greatly help to improve the image of Mato Grosso do Sul, in line with Embratur’s new strategy to diversify the image of Brazil and focus strongly on tourism and nature. So we are very happy, especially to be at WTM, reinforcing the position of the State at one of the largest fairs in the world,” he says.
Representing Amazonastur, Mariana Eder highlights the launch of the TAP flight between the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, and Manaus (AM). “For us in Amazonas, it is very important to be at WTM. Yesterday, our flight was launched, our connection with Europe. The European public is looking for nature destinations, community-based experiential tourism and indigenous communities. And our state has everything that the European and London markets want. Our expectations are high, with an intense programme and promotional actions in partnership with Embratur and TAP so that operators know about our destination,” she says.
Greater connectivity with Europe
From January to September 2024, more than 741 thousand tourists from countries such as France, Portugal, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain visited Brazil. This figure is 20% higher than that recorded in the same period in 2023, which shows the country's potential for the European market. Increasing connectivity between Brazil and Europe is also one of the priority strategies to expand new businesses and increase the flow of international tourists in Brazil.
In addition to the established direct air routes between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and major European capitals such as London, Paris, Lisbon, Rome and Madrid, new routes have expanded the possibilities for international visitors. Among the new routes, in October, Embratur celebrated the first arrival of a flight on the route connecting Paris, France, with Salvador (BA). Other direct routes, such as the one from Lisbon to Belém (PA), are also gateways to cultural experiences and contact with nature, immersing oneself in the Brazilian Amazon.
Source: Embratur.