Tourism is the world´s fastest-growing industry and a positive alternative for development countries. This sector has been producing a turnover of US$3.5 trillion per year, 10% of the world´s GDP. Promoting tourism in Brazil is a priority in the government´s agenda. The Ministry of Tourism, created in 2003, has doubled the number of international events and fairs promoting tourism in Brazil and invested heavily in the country´s infrastructure. The Program for the Development of Tourism in the North East has invested in excess of $736 million in several hundred infrastructure projects to improve airports, roads and drainage, and programmes of heritage restoration and environmental protection are ongoing. The tourism industry has already become one of the country´s biggest employers, employing one in every 11 workers. In 2005 approximately 9 million jobs were linked to Brazil´s travel and tourism industry and the sector generated more than 250,000 new jobs.

Brazil's government expects to attract over 9 million international visitors per year, and rising. Major tour operators have already realized Brazil´s tourism potential: Thomson began offering package holidays at the beginning of 2006 and international groups are investing billions in new hotels and resorts in the North East, where visitors are flocking to enjoy the near-perfect climate and numerous virgin beaches along its beautiful coastline.

Brazil's emergence as a leading tourist destination, as evidenced by the steady increase in the flow of international airline passengers, from 8.6 million in 2002 to 12.2 million in 2006. The growth in tourism is leading airlines to increase the number of direct flights to Brazilian destinations. Flight times from Europe are as little as 6.5 hours and direct routes are now in place from London and Manchester to Salvador, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza.

Brazil is already a popular holiday destination for the Portuguese, Spanish and Italians and other European nations are rapidly catching on. It is also becoming a favourite with the Americans, keen to sample the country´s colour and energy at good value for the dollar.