Starting today, June 17th 2019, tourists from Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States can visit Brazil for up to 90 days without the need of a travel visa. While European visitors have enjoyed visa-free travel to Brazil for years, this latest change hopes to further increase the number of tourists visiting the country.
During the 2016 Olympics, hosted in Rio, Brazil temporarily put its visa requirement for travellers from the four countries on hold. The short-lived visa waiver benefitted a massive 74.7% of all visitors to the Olympics from the four countries, making it a huge success. A survey conducted by the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism also showed that an estimated 87.7% of visitors would visit Brazil again, especially if the visa-free policy were to continue (82.2%).
The now implemented measure, initially announced back in March, has already made an impact on the travel industry.
Immediate Impact
Since the announcement in March, Brazil has reportedly seen a steady increase in travel interest from tourists in each of the four countries. For example, a year-to-year increase of 36% in search for flights from Australia to Brazil was measured; while similarly, searches in the American market spiked 31%.
Airlines are also looking to reap the benefits as new, direct flights were announced from Miami (and Orlando) with GOL, the largest Brazilian airline. American Airlines, meanwhile, offers direct flights to São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, and Manaus.
While Rio’s famous Carnival is no longer an option for this year, bamba has you covered! Check out our guide for Top 10 Unforgettable Things to Do in Brazil.
Don’t forget to share your best holiday snaps with us on Instagram by tagging @bambaexperience or #bambaexperience.
