Brazil: sustainability as a priority for business and events tourism at IMEX

Brazil is a destination prepared and with vast experience to host large international events and business meetings, and seeks to become a destination increasingly known for its concern for sustainability. It is this aspect that was highlighted during IMEX, the main world trade fair for Business Tourism and Events (MICE), which was held in Frankfurt, Germany, last week.

Together with 18 Brazilian public and private co-exhibitors, Embratur brought the country to the event with the aim of showing the best of each location, stimulating the attraction of events and businesses and, consequently, jobs and income. 

In Frankfurt, the Brazilian stand featured a sample of the country's diversity, culture, gastronomy and the excellence of its infrastructure and connectivity for holding events. Brazil was represented by the Director of International Marketing, Business and Sustainability of Embratur, Jaqueline Gil. With whom Travel2latam was able to talk.

“The most central mission is to position Brazil as a competitive business and leisure destination. We have, within this broad spectrum, some more specific directions. For example, Brazil is a large country and we have to make decisions about what we take abroad or what we work with at home, especially for domestic tourism. And it is our role at all times to try to find what is in demand, what are the international market trends and which travelers want to buy what we have to offer in Brazil. This is our constant work. We have been working for the last 18, 19 months very focused on bringing the diversity of Brazil. We are a country of people of many origins, starting with indigenous people, then with people of African descent, Asians, descendants of Europeans and Brazilians, who are a mixture of all these nationalities. Our diversity increasingly becomes a very strong point, it builds who we are, our identity as a country, and, therefore, the construction of our hospitality is also directed towards foreigners,” he commented.

On the other hand, he referred to the fact that sustainability is no longer a secondary issue, it is central for Brazil.

“We know that it is no longer possible to promote the increase in international tourism if it does not come with a tourist profile that wants to come to Brazil, and that respects nature. We talk about sustainability in general terms: environmental, social and economic. Brazil is an actor, a leading country in international negotiations since 1992, when the first United Nations convention on climate change was signed in multilateral instances. COP30, which is today the largest conference within the United Nations, taking place outside New York, will take place in Brazil in an Amazonian city, Belém, next year. Thus, the country positions itself once again in the debate on climate change. And it could not be different with the tourism sector. We think about contributing to minimizing the effects of climate change and how people adapt to strengthen places where there is great vulnerability to the negative impacts of climate change,” said the Director of International Marketing, Business and Sustainability of Embratur, Jaqueline Gil.

This is why sustainability marks a priority for business and event tourism at IMEX.

The business tourism segment is responsible for 49% of international visitors to Brazil. Tourists who come to the country for work or to participate in events spend three times more than a leisure tourist, directly impacting the local economy.

“Brazil has six biomes and can be one of the great destinations in the world to connect businesses and events with socio-environmental conservation, strengthening our people and a tourism model that is sustainable. Business tourism in Brazil is linked to these priorities, as a great engine of development. For this, presence in international initiatives such as IMEX is essential,” highlights the president of Embratur, Marcelo Freixo. 

“Resume the growth of business tourism and international events in Brazil is a priority at Embratur. We have exclusive management for MICE tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), with the mission of positioning the country internationally with competitiveness in the sector, combining our natural and cultural riches with modern infrastructure, growing connectivity and excellence in services. To this end, we recently launched the policy of attracting and promoting international events, with the aim of once again placing Brazil in the Top 10 of the ICCA ranking until 2027. In 2024, Brazil regained leadership in Latin America in this ranking and entered the Top 20 worldwide,” mentioned the director.

“We understand that Brazil, in close and joint work between Embratur and MICE leaders, must recover space in the international market and, in this way, transform business and event tourism into a vector of sustainable development and increase foreign exchange income. to our country. country,” added Jaqueline Gil. 

Brazil – Germany Connection In 2023, Brazil received more than 158 thousand German tourists, which represents a significant increase compared to the previous year, which registered 120,670 German travelers. This growth of 31.42% reflects the growing attractiveness of Brazil for German tourists. In addition, the country stands out as the most sought-after destination in Latin America, highlighting its popularity among Germans seeking diverse tourist experiences, such as ecotourism.

Connectivity between Germany and Brazil also contributes to the increase in tourist flow, with a total of 304,978 seats planned for 2024, distributed on 844 flights operated by two main airlines: Latam and Lufthansa. These operators offer routes directly from Frankfurt to the main Brazilian destinations, such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, facilitating access for German tourists to the various attractions that the country has to offer. 

This extensive flight network reflects the commitment to strengthening tourism ties between Germany and Brazil, providing more opportunities for visitors to explore the rich culture, lush nature and warm hospitality of our country.

Embratur is responsible for implementing the National Tourism Policy, focusing on promotion, marketing, services and products in the international market. Embratur aims to promote social and economic development, attracting international tourists to Brazilian destinations.

Source: Embratur.