Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced on January 23 that ordinary passport holders from China will be able to enter Brazil without a visa.
This move, which has been long awaited, aligns with Brazil’s efforts to streamline its visa processes, having already introduced an electronic visa system earlier this year.
The announcement sparked a wave of discussions on social media, focusing on practical issues such as complicated transit routes, prolonged travel times, high ticket prices, and safety concerns, which many see as significant obstacles for travelers heading to Brazil.
Data indicates that Brazil is making strides in enhancing its global tourism appeal. From January to July 2025, approximately 6 million international visitors were recorded, nearing the record 6.7 million from the entirety of 2024, resulting in $7.3 billion in tourism revenue.
Notably, the influx of visitors from China has been remarkable. In 2024, Brazil welcomed 76,000 Chinese tourists. In the first half of 2025, arrivals escalated to 58,000, marking a 40% increase compared to the previous year.
Moreover, Brazilian citizens have been granted visa-free access to China for stays of up to 30 days since June 1, 2025. Additionally, the two nations recently extended the validity of regular tourist and business visas from five to ten years.
Supporting this trend, recent data from platform Decolar highlights an 85% increase in flight searches from Brazil to China in the latter half of 2025, with the peak in ticket inquiries occurring in October, coinciding with China’s National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays.
Marcelo Freixo, the head of Brazil’s tourism promotion agency Embratur, previously stated: “China is the world’s largest outbound tourism market. By 2028, we expect outbound travel to reach 200 million people. There is no reason for us not to expand into this market.”
