By Emilio Izquierdo, CEO at MARAEY

Brazil closed 2024 with a record number of foreign visitors. According to the Ministry of Tourism (Mtur), almost 6.7 million people had the chance to see the country's natural beauty and cultural attractions.

Growth is expected. Mtur also reports that, in January of this year, the flow of international tourists to Brazil grew by 55% and broke a new record: 1.48 million visitors.

The Brazilian government is optimistic and estimates that more than 7 million people will come to Brazil by 2025 and that the 10 million mark will be reached by 2027. In a recent interview with the press, the Minister of Tourism, Celso Sabino, estimated that the GDP from tourism, currently around 7%, will reach double digits.

However, for the sector to reach and exceed these expectations, structural actions are necessary, as explained by Emilio Izquierdo, CEO of MARAEY, a luxury development under development about 45 kilometers from the city of Rio de Janeiro, in the region of the municipality of Maricá/RJ.

“I see five bottlenecks that need to be addressed not only by public entities, but also by players in the hotel and education sectors, civil aviation and the capital market”, emphasizes Izquierdo.

For him, the points are Brazil's international visibility; the lack of air connectivity; the lack of high-end offerings; structuring the financial market to guarantee more investment in the tourism sector and, finally, the necessary reformulation and increase in professional training.

The poor image of Brazil abroad, especially in terms of public safety, tends to drive away potential tourists, says Izquierdo. “To help resolve this problem, it is necessary to ensure the increase of communication and advertising actions with the message that Brazil is a country conducive to tourism”, he states. “The good results in the sector indicate that we are on the right track. However, even more investment is needed from public entities, in addition to greater coordination between the federal government, state governments and municipalities,” says the CEO. The press also plays a fundamental role in this scenario by publishing good news from the sector, giving even more prominence to this important market, he adds.

The poor air connectivity of the main Brazilian destinations is a serious obstacle for tourists from abroad, especially those who come from far away, to get to know this wonderful country. “We therefore need more flights to Brazil, and they need to be direct and with fewer connections, improving the tourist experience,” he says.

“The third bottleneck is that there is a lack of high-end hotels and all-inclusive resorts in Brazil,” says Izquierdo. “In addition, there is a lack of greater penetration by the world’s major hotel brands and more options for unique experiences aimed at tourists with greater purchasing power,” analyzes the CEO of MARAEY. “In a global world, Brazil competes with several other destinations that are seeking the same market share. Therefore, the solution would be, among other things, to attract the most exclusive brands in the world to set up shop in Brazil and start offering the expected level of hospitality and ensure that the country is on the list of options for premium travel agents and global tour operators,” he concludes.

For Izquierdo, the piece that can help solve the above challenge is also considered a bottleneck in itself. “The large capital structures in the tourism sector, with the participation of both qualified investors and financial institutions, need to be balanced. This ensures a greater variety of options for obtaining resources that will lead to the construction of new hotels and resorts, in addition to improving the existing tourism infrastructure.

Finally, the final bottleneck to be addressed is the lack of qualified labor to work in the hospitality sector. “This sector differs from others in the economy because we have a direct, close and continuous interface with the tourist,” says Izquierdo. “Whether at the time of checking in or when serving them in the restaurant, the quality of this interaction is vital for a positive experience,” he adds.

According to the CEO of MARAEY, the solution would be to significantly increase and improve training courses throughout the country, which would guarantee more qualified professionals with better pay. “It’s a win-win scenario for everyone,” says Izquierdo. “The tourists who receive better service win; the entrepreneurs who have lower staff turnover; and the professionals who have more expertise and a higher salary win,” he concludes.