Brazil to host 3rd UN Tourism Summit in 2026

Brazil has been selected to host the 3rd UN Tourism Summit, which will take place in 2026. Leaders from the African and South American tourism industries will gather in Rio de Janeiro to discuss joint strategies for sustainable and inclusive development of the sector. This is reported by the official website of the Brazilian Government.

The announcement was made at the 2nd UN Tourism Africa & Americas Summit in Zambia, where representatives from Brazil's Ministry of Tourism emphasised the importance of strengthening ties between the two continents. Carlos Henrique Sobral, Secretary of Infrastructure, Credit and Investment in Tourism of the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, highlighted progress in increasing the number of direct flights and bilateral agreements, which facilitates tourist flows.

Sobral emphasised Brazil's role as "Africa's gateway to South America" through an increase in weekly direct flights from South Africa, Angola, Ethiopia, and Morocco. He also highlighted the government's support for the development of Afrotourism in Brazil through the Rotas Negras programme and investment in airport infrastructure.

The meeting in Zambia, which focuses on developing sustainable tourism through improved connectivity, investment and skilled labour development, aims to build strategic partnerships in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Sobral also highlighted the record performance of Brazilian tourism, including the arrival of 6.7 million foreign tourists last year.