Tourism is not only about visiting a destination. It is also a way for people to meet, to understand different cultures, and to build closer ties between countries. For Brazil and China, two countries with long-standing relations and broad cooperation, tourism is becoming an increasingly important bridge for people-to-people exchanges.

Bruno Reis, president of Embratur (Photo provided by Embratur)

"The Brazilian government has been strengthening the relationship between Brazil and China with a strategic vision and a long-term perspective," said Bruno Reis, president of Embratur, the Brazilian Tourist Board. "Tourism has a central role in this rapprochement, opening up opportunities."

In Reis' view, the development of tourism cooperation between Brazil and China is closely connected with the broader deepening of bilateral relations. Economic and trade cooperation has long been an important foundation of Brazil-China ties. Tourism, however, adds a more direct and human dimension to this relationship. When Chinese tourists visit Brazil, they do not only see a new country; they encounter its people, its daily life and its cultural diversity. Such experiences help turn mutual interest into mutual understanding.

The Chinese market is of strategic importance for Brazil's tourism sector. From January to April, the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Brazil grew by 33.65 percent. In 2025, arrivals from China also registered strong growth, reaching a record high. Reis said these figures show that Chinese travelers' interest in Brazil is continuing to rise and further proves "the importance of deepening our work in the Chinese market."

For Embratur, this growth is not seen merely as a statistical increase. It points to a broader opportunity: to bring the peoples of Brazil and China closer through travel. China is one of the most important outbound tourism markets in the world, and Brazil hopes to be more present in the travel plans of Chinese tourists. Reis stressed that Brazil welcomes Chinese visitors and looks forward to receiving more of them in the coming years.

"The interest of Chinese travelers in Brazil continues to grow," Reis said. "This result reinforces the importance of being more present in one of the most strategic markets for global tourism."

The recent visa exemption for Chinese travelers is an important step in this process. Reis said the measure makes Brazil more accessible and helps transform growing interest into actual travel. It also reflects Brazil’s willingness to create more favorable conditions for Chinese tourists.

"We worked directly on this agenda for the visa exemption, because this measure increases our capacity to transform growing interest in the country into travel, business and development for Brazilian destinations," Reis said. "It is a major gain for tourism and for Brazil."

At the same time, Brazil is seeking to strengthen cooperation with Chinese travel agencies, online travel platforms and other partners in the tourism sector. In Reis' words, the goal is to "expand Brazil's presence in the Chinese market" and "strengthen strategic partnerships." This work is not limited to promotion; it is also about building channels of communication with Chinese tourists and better understanding their expectations.

Reis noted that Chinese travelers are highly connected and increasingly attentive to the quality, convenience and cultural meaning of travel experiences. Therefore, Brazil's efforts in China include advertising campaigns, cooperation with tourism operators and online travel agencies, as well as the social media platforms of Visit Brasil.

"We want to transform public curiosity into travel," Reis said. "The recent visa exemption makes Brazil more accessible, while the advertising campaign, partnerships with tourism operators and OTAs, and the social media channels of Visit Brasil bring our experiences to the screens, imagination and travel plans of Chinese people."

Compared with traditional tourism promotion, digital communication allows Brazil to speak more directly to Chinese consumers. It also allows potential travelers to form a more concrete understanding of Brazil before departure. Reis said this is especially important for turning curiosity into real journeys.

For Chinese tourists, visiting Brazil can be an opportunity to see a country that is geographically distant but increasingly connected with China through trade, culture and people-to-people exchanges. For Brazil, welcoming more Chinese tourists means not only attracting an important source market, but also deepening mutual knowledge between the two peoples.

Brazil has a vast territory and rich cultural and natural resources. Reis mentioned that "each time a tourist comes to Brazil, he or she can live a completely different travel experience." But in this cooperation, the significance of travel goes beyond scenic or tourism products. Through travel, visitors can learn about a country in a more vivid and personal way. Encounters during a journey often create impressions that are more lasting than abstract knowledge.

This is why Reis sees tourism as an important field in Brazil-China relations. It creates opportunities for local development, supports businesses and destinations, and strengthens Brazil’s international image. More importantly, it enables ordinary people to take part in the friendship between the two countries.

"Tourism has a central role in this rapprochement," Reis said. Brazil is working to present Chinese travelers with "a diverse, sustainable offer connected with new desires in tourism consumption."

Looking ahead, Reis said Brazil will continue to attach great importance to the Chinese market. The country hopes to receive more Chinese tourists, provide them with a welcoming and high-quality experience, and allow them to know Brazil more closely and more directly.

For Brazil and China, tourism cooperation is becoming a practical way to deepen cultural exchange. It helps people move beyond distance, language and unfamiliarity, and creates more opportunities for mutual understanding. As Reis emphasized, Brazil's task now is to transform the growing interest of Chinese tourists into real travel — and through these journeys, into stronger ties between the two peoples.