Thadeu Araujo shares some thoughts and numbers on Brazil’s growing MICE industry.
The business meetings and events industry in Brazil has shown impressive numbers in recent years. The latest ICCA GlobeWatch Business Analytics, for example, has shown Brazil rising to a top 15 position in the international ranking and being the leading destination for MICE events in Latin America.
UBRAFE, the Brazilian Fair and Business Events Union, is on trend here, reporting a record of 612 business events and fairs. This represents a 19% growth in total events and a 14% spike in attendance, with over 3.2 million visitors – all in the first half of 2025.
How is Brazil reaching these impressive numbers? A recent World Map of Venues report by UFI and jwc consultancy marked Brazil as the eighth-ranked country for exhibition space, with more than 800,000 sqm of gross indoor space when considering venues over 5,000 sqm. This figure effectively puts the country ahead of the UK, United Arab Emirates, India and Mexico.
When these numbers are compared regionally, across Central and South America, Brazil boasts nearly 60% of all event facilities, with Argentina accounting for 10% of centres in the region. It is also worth noting that in Latin America exhibitions are often held in smaller venues, hotel congress centres and sports facilities.
Leading centres
In terms of major purpose-built centres, São Paulo Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre and RioCentro Convention and Event Centre are the two leading venues in Brazil. The former hosts the highest number of events, while the latter offers the largest exhibition space in the country.
RioCentro Convention and Event Centre
GL Events has been organising events in Brazil for the past 20 years and has invested over R$2.8bn, alongside significant time and effort, into the market. Willians Lopes, director of business unit at São Paulo Expo & Santos and institutional marketing director at GL Events Brazil, explains that the events market is in clear expansion mode.
He says there are strong investments being made to transform venues into attractive locations capable of hosting large exhibitions, events and entertainment, all crucial to positioning the country within the global sector.
Lopes adds: “RioCentro has on its books over eight international congresses to be held for the first time in Brazil until 2027, which should welcome nearly 50,000 participants, and São Paulo Expo has received, to date, an estimated 2.5 million visitors in the year to November 2025 alone.”
Embratur, the Brazilian Tourism Board, has announced that inbound international tourist numbers have grown by 42% to reach a record of over eight million visitors during the first 11 months of 2025 – the highest number ever recorded. The target of nine million visitors by the end of the calendar year looks achievable.
Paulo Octavio, executive director at UBRAFE, notes that 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.
Brazil has more than 800,000sqm of indoor event space
He adds that the country’s venue infrastructure is benefiting 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 are now activating their own ecosystems through bespoke events. One example is Expo Magalu, run by Magazine Luiza, one of Brazil’s leading retailers with more than 1,000 physical retail locations nationwide.
Connectivity
In addition to hosting the largest event spaces in the country, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro benefit from strong international airline connectivity, making them attractive for international delegates and conventions. With arrivals from more than 100 international destinations, the two cities account for 80% of Brazil’s international flight arrivals.
Local airlines also offer more than 120 daily flights of less than one hour from the two airports. The air-bridge service between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, which began in 1959, remains the highest frequency route in the country.
According to Fabio Rossi, business executive director at 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.”
São Paulo Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre
These figures are supported by data from ABEOC, the Brazilian Association of Event Companies. Its latest tracking report confirms that this growth reflects the sector’s ability to adapt and innovate in a dynamic market. The rise in corporate events and international conferences has also attracted more than 300,000 tourists annually, significantly contributing to the local economy.
The growth in São Paulo’s events calendar is also benefitting other cities across the country. Octavio believes São Paulo is showing signs of saturation, having hosted over 1,200 large-scale events across its eight main venues in recent years. As a result, cities such as Campinas, Curitiba and Belo Horizonte are now capturing a greater share of national B2B events.
Another trend identified by Rossi at MCI is the rise of personalisation and the use of artificial intelligence. “We optimise processes and personalise every aspect of the events we organise. Our talented team, combined with AI, allows us to create immersive and intimate experiences, finely tuned to our clients’ expectations,” he says.
Brazil also offers world-class accommodation for event delegates. The country has two hotels featured in the Top 50 World’s Best Hotels list: the historic Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro and the iconic Rosewood São Paulo.
A Brazilian Hotel Operator Forum study on the hospitality industry in 2025 found that more than 150 new hotel properties are currently in development – an 8% increase on the previous year – with almost 40% of these in the luxury and upscale segment.
Embratur has played a leading role in the rise of Brazil’s events industry. Behind the increase in international arrivals is an international tourism marketing strategy known as Plano Brasis, focused on maximising the sector’s economic impact. The plan outlines a series of initiatives through to 2027 designed to increase visitor numbers and ensure a warm welcome for all.
In summary, Brazil is undergoing a consistent rise in international convention rankings, increasing numbers of large-scale exhibitions and record international arrivals. This growth is supported by an extensive portfolio of event venues, global organisers, world-class luxury hospitality, diverse flight connectivity and, of course, a very special destination.
About the author
Thadeu Araujo is a business development, hospitality and events specialist, having organised more than 3,500 events across multiple countries. He has over 15 years’ experience, having worked in London, Dubai, Geneva, Portugal, Doha and São Paulo.
Images: Courtesy of GL Events Brazil
