With COP30 taking place in Brazil this November, how is this putting the destination on the map?
Holding COP30 in Belém, in the state of Pará, positions Brazil at the centre of the global sustainability agenda. As the first COP held in the Amazon region, the event attracts unprecedented international attention to the country’s environmental assets and reinforces its role as a leading figure in climate diplomacy.
This visibility reinforces Brazil’s natural wealth, but also fosters opportunities for the development and promotion of sustainable tourism in the region, aligning the destination’s image with global conservation and climate priorities.
Clearly sustainability is important for the destination – what tourism initiatives are you working on that tie in with this?
Since 2023, with President Lula at the helm of the Brazilian government, Embratur has placed sustainability as one of the central pillars of its international tourism promotion strategy.
Among our standout initiatives is the Feel Brasil programme, developed in partnership with Sebrae, which brings together 101 authentic and sustainable experiences across all 27 Brazilian states.
The programme values community engagement, environmental preservation, and cultural heritage, with over 59% of the experiences led by women. In Pará, for example, one of these project experiences is Piracaia, an ancestral community celebration held in Alter do Chão, in the Amazon region, to commemorate pirarucu fishing in the Tapajós River.
It is a unique, authentic experience that respects and celebrates the community’s way of life, based on sustainable tourism. Initiatives like these are part of Embratur’s international promotion strategy, along with others related to nature tourism and Afrotourism, for example.
What about sustainability-focused products, tours and hotels- what can travellers experience and is there anything new coming up?
Brazil offers a growing portfolio of tourism products based on environmental responsibility and social inclusion.
These include ecolodges in the Amazon, as you had the opportunity to see on the press trip, and in the Atlantic Forest, birdwatching tours and immersive cultural programmes in traditional communities. Among the new developments, the Caminho dos Orixás (Path of the Orixás) in Bahia stands out, a cultural itinerary that celebrates Afro-Brazilian heritage and spirituality.
New low-impact hospitality ventures are also emerging in the Cerrado and Pantanal biomes. Many service providers are in the process of obtaining certification and implementing sustainable best practices aligned with international standards.
Many of these experiences are listed in the Feel Brasil project, which aims to amplify their promotion in the international market.
Aside from the well-known destinations such as Rio, can you recommend any areas or activities that British travellers may not know about?
Brazil’s geographic and cultural diversity allows for a wide range of high-quality tourism experiences beyond the traditional circuits.
For example, the Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a unique destination with an incredible diversity of flora and fauna. Here you can go on safaris and observe jaguars, macaws, and anteaters, as well as stay in lodges for a true immersion in Pantanal culture. Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, in the Northeast, offers a unique seasonal landscape of dunes and freshwater lagoons.
The Amazon, of course, is a transformative destination—the capitals of Manaus and Belém reflect the cultural diversity of rhythms and flavours, as well as the experience of staying in jungle hotels and lodges, feeling like you’re in the middle of the forest.
These destinations combine low environmental impact with a strong local identity, ideal for travellers seeking authentic experiences.
How will you work with UK agents to promote Brazil this year and in the future?
The UK remains a strategic market for Embratur. In the first half of 2025, compared to 2024, there was an almost 20% increase in tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom. Nearly 100,000 Britons visited destinations in our country.
This is the result of our strategy of intensifying collaboration with British tour operators, participating in industry events such as WTM London and organising famtours (familiarisation trips) to showcase emerging and sustainable destinations, in addition to digital advertising campaigns, using traditional and digital media.
Embratur expanded its B2B support through digital promotional materials, technical webinars, and collaborative campaigns. Our goal is to ensure travel agents have the tools, information, and confidence necessary to promote Brazil as a destination aligned with the new demands for sustainability, authenticity, and cultural depth.
Anything else you’d like to highlight?
Brazil is experiencing a new era in its international promotion strategy – based on sustainability and innovation. Our tourism products increasingly reflect the country’s socio-environmental diversity, and Embratur is committed to fostering a tourism model that generates shared value between travellers and communities.
We are experiencing the best moment for international tourism in Brazil, breaking records. As a result, we are expected to reach eight million international tourists this year. It is the ideal time to invite international travellers to rediscover Brazil from a more conscious and transformative perspective.
We are open and ready to strengthen cooperation with our partners in the United Kingdom to achieve this vision.
