Brazil Tourism Still First In Miami

Brazil maintains a stronghold in Miami’s international tourism market despite being in the midst of economic uncertainty and political turmoil, according to the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Brazil finished No. 1 in the county’s 2015 international visitor market with 2% growth, a welcome figure for a tourism industry that has gone a few years without seeing the double-digit percentage growth that Brazil used to be known for. Even with the growth slowdown, Miami is still seeing record amounts of travel and is Brazil’s top international destination.

“It’s important to note that Miami and Brazil are connected,”  said Rolando Aedo, bureau senior vice president of marketing and tourism.

“One reason Brazil has continually topped the international travel charts is that airlines have remained very loyal to the Miami-Brazil market,” he said.

The first quarter of 2016 brought 105 weekly non-stop passenger flights from major cities in Brazil to Miami, according to figures provided by Miami International Airport. This is compared to 117 flights during the same time in 2015. According to Mr. Aedo, at least a small amount of the adjustment can be attributed to Brazilian outbound cities that have been eliminated.

“For the most part, the network is whole,” Mr. Aedo said. Miami receives direct flights from nine major Brazilian cities, most of which are serviced by American Airlines and LATAM Airlines – the merger of Chile’s LAN Airlines and Brazil’s TAM.