Brazil Global Reps

Trade & Media Engagement

Travel South was the main destination partner at a Whiskey & Bourbon event at the U.S. Consulate in São Paulo, where five tour operators met agribusiness and retail executives. Meetings with luxury operators Teresa Perez and Queensberry focused on bourbon trails, music heritage and cuisine. Brand USA expressed interest in a roadshow for a Kentucky–Tennessee–Mississippi–Louisiana road trip. The Tennessee online training reached 106 agents, and ABAV Expo 2026 opened conversations about operators’ 2027 programs.

A media breakfast for 28 journalists previewed IPW 2027 in New Orleans and Travel South’s goal of making Brazil a top-five market. Coverage included an Exame rail journey along the Mississippi coast and a PANROTAS feature on that top-five goal. The “Sunrise to Sundown” release achieved a 44.67% click rate, and Instagram views rose 160%.

Market Trends & Travel Demand

Brazil remains the fourth-largest overseas market for the U.S. Arrivals were up 0.7% through August, and Brazilians spent BRL 19.9 billion on cards in the U.S. in the first half of 2026. Delta’s Atlanta service and Copa access to North Carolina support itinerary building.

Key Takeaways & Next Steps

Takeaways:

• Luxury, bourbon and road trip themes are opening new product conversations.
• IPW 2027 in New Orleans is a major opportunity to grow Brazil’s presence.

Next steps:

• Follow up with Teresa Perez, Queensberry and Brand USA on product and roadshow plans
• Continue monthly online trainings and the editorial calendar

The plan targets high-value Late Millennials, Gen X, and Early Boomers, with a focus on urban travelers from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and other major outbound markets who have strong travel intent and the means to travel.

For FY2026-27, the strategy follows a three-pronged approach across travel trade, PR and media, and social and creator content. Trade activity centers on building agent and operator confidence — through operator meetings, product development sessions, agent training and webinars, a cooperative campaign with a high-value Brazilian partner (Diversa/BWT or TBO Holidays Brazil), and International Showcase FAM recruitment — while a new Brazil Roadshow Series across São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and other high-volume outbound markets, along with participation in Brazil’s leading trade fairs, deepens face-to-face reach with core decision-makers; connectivity messaging will also lean on Atlanta as a primary gateway to simplify itinerary building for the trade. PR and media efforts continue an always-on press office program with Brazilian journalists and editors, editorial pitching around food, culture, music, and nature, and Global Media Marketplace attendance and FAM recruitment. Social strategy is distinctly creator-led in this market: alongside consistent organic Facebook and Instagram posting, the plan leans on long-term creator partnerships and co-posted content to amplify reach and engagement, reflecting how central influencer trust is to Brazilian travel decision-making, with UGC captured for reuse across social, trade, and PR channels.

Content will continue to be anchored in the South’s core storytelling pillars — music and culture, culinary South, road trips and scenic byways, history and heritage, outdoors and adventure, festivals, the New South, and Southern hospitality (“All Y’all Are Welcome”) — positioning Travel South USA as a dream-trip alternative to better-known USA gateways. KPIs span trade engagement (partner meetings, agents trained, and International Showcase suppliers secured), PR and media output (media meetings, articles generated, earned impressions, and Global Media Marketplace participants), and newsletter performance across both trade and media audiences, giving the market a coordinated, measurable framework for converting Brazil’s already-strong destination interest into deeper trade adoption and visitation.