The five BRICS economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — are emerging as increasingly influential players in the global tourism market, with official data from 2024 and 2025 indicating sustained inbound growth and expanding cross-border travel cooperation. While each country is at a different stage of recovery, collectively the bloc represents a significant share of global population, air traffic expansion and long-haul travel demand. Analysts view the rebound not merely as post-pandemic normalization, but as a structural rebalancing of tourism flows toward emerging markets.
Brazil has posted one of the strongest revenue gains within the group. According to Brazil’s Central Bank, international visitors generated R$32.5 billion (approximately US$6.04 billion) between January and September 2025 — an 11.7% increase year-on-year. The rise reflects higher spending per visitor and sustained demand for Brazil’s established attractions, including ecological tourism in the Amazon, heritage tourism and large-scale cultural events. The figures are derived from official balance-of-payments data tracking foreign visitor expenditures.
China’s inbound tourism sector has also regained scale. Ministry of Culture and Tourism data show approximately 132 million inbound tourist visits in 2024, marking a broad reopening of international travel. Expanded visa-free entry arrangements and bilateral travel agreements have contributed to rising arrivals, particularly from regional markets and Russia. Continued investment in aviation capacity and high-speed rail infrastructure is reinforcing China’s position as both a leisure and business travel hub.
India recorded 9.95 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in 2024, according to the Ministry of Tourism. When including Non-Resident Indian travel, total International Tourist Arrivals reached roughly 20.57 million. Growth has been supported by the expansion of India’s e-Visa program, now available to citizens of more than 170 countries, alongside increased international air connectivity. In Russia, the Ministry of Economic Development clarified that earlier projections of 2 million arrivals in 2024 referred specifically to tourists from BRICS countries, not total inbound travel. Broader industry estimates suggest overall foreign tourist volumes exceeded that BRICS-only forecast and are projected to continue rising into 2025, aided by expanded e-visa access and business-event tourism.
South Africa reported 8.92 million international arrivals in 2024, a 5.1% increase year-on-year, according to Statistics South Africa. Recovery in long-haul markets and steady regional travel have supported the rebound. Across the BRICS bloc, policymakers are pairing growth strategies with sustainability initiatives, digital travel systems and transport modernization. While infrastructure capacity and environmental pressures remain constraints, current data indicate that BRICS nations are gaining share in global tourism — a trend likely to influence investment patterns, airline networks and international travel demand over the coming decade.
