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visitors by the end of the calendar year looks achievable.
Paulo Octavio, executive director from UBRAFE, notes the business events market( B2B) in Brazil has shown strong growth indicators since the pandemic.“ With an increased appreciation for immersive in-person events, organisations have prioritised events where emotional connections take place in thematic and controlled venues,” he says, adding that,“ the country venue infrastructure is benefitting in several ways: new players are entering the market as venue renters connected to online retail. Before the pandemic these companies participated in sector events as exhibitors, but now are activating their own ecosystems in bespoke events. One example is the Expo Magalu- Magazine Luisa or‘ Magalu’. It is one of the country’ s leading retailers with over 1,000 points of physical sale in Brazil.
Connectivity In addition to being the home of the largest event spaces in the country, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have good international airline connectivity, attractive for international delegates and conventions. With arrivals from more than 100 international destinations, the capital cities hold a market share of 80 % of Brazil’ s international flight arrivals.
Additionally, local airlines offer more than 120 daily options that are less than one hour’ s flight time from the two airports and the air-bridge service between the cities, which started in 1959, remains today the highest frequency route in the country.
According to Fabio Rossi, business executive director from MCI Group Brazil,“ The events sector in Brazil is currently experiencing remarkable growth, driven by innovative trends and an increasing demand for highly personalised events. In 2025, the events market in São Paulo saw a 20 % increase in the number of events held, with over 5,000 events, setting new records and highlighting the vitality of the sector.”
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These numbers are supported by data from ABEOC – the Brazilian Association of Event Companies – and its latest tracking report. Its executive director has said this growth is a testament to the ability of companies to adapt and innovate in a dynamic market. Additionally, the rise in corporate events and international conferences has attracted more than 300,000 tourists annually, significantly contributing to the local economy.
The growth in São Paulo’ s events means other cities in the county benefit as well. Octavio believes the São Paulo calendar is showing signs of saturation, having held over 1,200 large scale events in its eight main city venues in the past couple of years, there is now a trend that other cities( Campinas, São Paulo, Curitiba and Belo Horizonte) are now having greater share in the national B2B events.
Another local trend identified by Rossi at MCI is personalisation and the use of artificial intelligence.
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Above top: São Paulo Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre
Above bottom: Crowded aisles at a RioCentro expo
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“ We optimise processes and personalise every aspect of the events we organise. Our talented steam, combined with AI, allows us to create immersive and intimate experiences, finely tuned to our clients’ expectation,” he says.
Brazil also offers world-class accommodation for event delegates and the country has two hotels on the Top 50 World’ s Best Hotels in the world list: the historic Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro and the iconic Rosewood São Paulo. A Brazilian Hotel Operator Forum study on the country ' s hospitality industry in 2025 found that over 150 new properties are in development – up 8 % increase on the previous year’ s data, with almost 40 % being in the luxury and upscale segment. Embratur has also played a leading role in the rise in Brazil’ s event industry. Behind the activities that have led to increasing international arrivals, stands an international tourist marketing plan named‘ Plano Brasis’, which is focused on the economic impact the sector has for the country. The plan covers several actions up to 2027 designed to increase visitors numbers and to give them all a warm welcome to Brazil.
So, to summarise: Brazil is undergoing a consistent rise in international convention rankings, increasing numbers of large-scale exhibitions, record-numbers of international arrivals. All this is supported by an extensive portfolio of event venues, global organisers and world-class luxury hospitality, diverse flight connectivity and, of couse, a very special destination. n
n Thadeu Araujo is a business development, hospitality and events specialist, having organised over 3.500 events in several countries and has 15 years’ experience having worked in London, Dubai, Geneva, Portugal, Doha and São Paulo.
Images / Photos: Courtesy of GL Events Brazil
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