Domestic Travel in Brazil: Stability in Numbers but Higher Spending in 2024

In 2024, Brazil's domestic travel saw a slight stability with 20.6 million trips recorded, marking a negligible decline of 0.1% from the previous year. However, spending on these trips jumped significantly by 11.7%, reaching R$ 22.8 billion, according to the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). This suggests a continuing recovery in the travel sector after pandemic lows.

Despite the increased expenditure, only 19.3% of Brazilian households traveled, down from 19.8% in 2023, showcasing that travel remains largely inaccessible for many, especially among lower-income families. IBGE analyst William Kratochwill noted that the rising costs of travel likely deterred several households, as demonstrated by the 39.2% of families citing lack of money as a reason for not traveling. In contrast, travel was more common among wealthier households, with 45.7% of families earning above four minimum wages participating in travel.

The average cost per trip rose to R$ 1,843, and with 75.5% of all trips categorized as short (lasting up to five nights), it appears that many are opting for concise getaways. This growth in spending may also reflect longer trips or greater expenses per travel occasion, moving away from solely visiting relatives, which was a trend in pre-pandemic years, to leisure being the primary motive for trips at 39.8%.

As the travel landscape evolves, factors such as income disparity and broader economic challenges continue to influence Brazilian travel trends, indicating both a recovery and a persistent inequality in access to travel experiences.