Rio strengthens tourism promotion and cooperation with France in Paris

Rio’s tourism mission in Paris promotes the Experiência Rio project and expands ties with France, its top European tourist market.

The State Secretariat of Tourism (Setur-RJ) and TurisRio held another international edition of the Experiência Rio de Janeiro event this Thursday (27) in Paris, bringing together operators, travel agents, DMCs, airlines, and specialized media from the French market. During the mission, Tourism Secretary Gustavo Tutuca also met with President Emmanuel Macron, strengthening institutional dialogue between Brazil and France. The meeting highlighted the importance of the French market and opened new opportunities for cooperation in tourism, culture, and innovation.

France is currently the leading European source of tourists to Rio de Janeiro. In 2024, more than 70,000 French visitors traveled to the state. In 2025, the flow continued to grow, surpassing the 70,000 mark again by October, confirming France as a priority market for international promotion.

Diversity and regional expansion

During the event, Setur-RJ and TurisRio presented the experiences and highlights of the state’s 12 tourist regions, reinforcing the strategy of diversification and regional development. The goal is to promote not only the capital’s icons but also gastronomy, culture, eco-tourism, mountain destinations, beaches, and historical routes.

“France is our main European market and in the last 10 months we have already surpassed all of last year’s visitor numbers. Bringing the Experiência Rio de Janeiro to Paris strengthens this partnership and shows the French market a diverse and well-prepared state ready to welcome more tourists. With the support of Governor Cláudio Castro, we have expanded our international promotion and continue to reach record tourist flows. We are close to achieving the unprecedented mark of 2 million international visitors,” said Gustavo Tutuca.

Global promotion strategy expands reach

The initiative is part of Rio de Janeiro’s global tourism promotion strategy, which in 2025 reached more than 20 international cities, including Toronto, New York, Rome, Beijing, Dubai, and Buenos Aires. The focus is to diversify inbound markets, strengthen air connectivity, and position Rio as a leading Latin American destination.

With continued growth and strong projections, the state is set to close 2025 with the highest number of international tourists in its history, surpassing 2 million visitors.