UN Tourism, the United Nations World Tourism Organization, published a new report that ranks Brazil among the world leaders in international tourism growth in 2025. The UN Tourism publication on social media highlights the performance of the Americas in the first quarter of 2025, with Paraguay (53%), Brazil (48%) and Chile (48%) leading among the world’s countries. The report also considers tourist arrivals, revenue and other indicators to evaluate international tourism performance.
Brazil’s privileged position in the ranking confirms its current leadership in international tourism. To give an idea of its strong performance, the UN World Tourism Barometer also indicates that, while Brazil grew 48%, the world grew 5% compared to the previous year and 3% compared to the pre-pandemic year, 2019.
Embratur President Marcelo Freixo sees the ranking as further confirmation of the repositioning of Brazil’s global image, maintaining its high visibility among international travelers. “Brazil’s presence among the leaders of this list demonstrates the strength of our country as a sought-after tourist destination worldwide. We are growing well above the global average, and this is the result of our continuous international promotion efforts. We are on the rise, breaking records and promoting social development through tourism, which generates jobs and income in our country. It’s good for those who visit us and for those who live here,” he added.
In the Americas, international arrivals increased 2%. Countries like Gambia, Israel and Vietnam also lead the list, demonstrating interest in less traditional destinations, such as the United States and European countries. In the first three months of the year, more than 300 million tourists made international trips, approximately 14 million more than in the same months of 2024.
Historical Performance
The UN Tourism report reinforces Brazil’s historic moment in international tourism. Data from Embratur, the Ministry of Tourism and the Federal Police show that never have so many foreigners arrived in the country. In the first half of 2025 alone, the country received 5,332,111 international tourists – a 48.2% increase over the same period last year and the best result in the historical series for a first half.
Among the main source countries for Brazil, Argentina leads with 2,323,891 visitors in the first half of 2025, followed by Chile (442,993) and the United States (410,189). Uruguay, with 308,956 tourists, and Paraguay (306,523) complete the top 5.
Next comes France, with 132,939 visitors, followed by Portugal (128,114), Germany (103,483) and the United Kingdom, with 97,413, in ninth position.
The number of British tourists is 20% higher than recorded in the same period of 2024, when 81,200 visitors from the United Kingdom visited Brazil in the first half.
International Tourism Growth Ranking (UN Tourism)
1) Paraguay (53%)
2) Brazil (48%)
3) Chile (48%)
4) Gambia (46%)
5) Israel (31%)
6) Vietnam (30%)
7) Japan (23%)
8) North Macedonia (22%)
9) Morocco (22%)
10) Egypt (21%)
11) Lithuania (21%)
12) Palau (20%)
13) Mongolia (19%)
14) Malta (19%)
15) Ecuador (17%)
16) Curaçao (17%)
17) Latvia (16%)
18) Finland (15%)
19) Iran (14%)
Source: Embratur