C010T3

Actually, there is no need for tourist dollars in Brazil. There are several regions that do need tourism as economic activity and should welcome tourists, but it's not like there is need for hard currency in the country.

RafKa

I don't mean as a desperate need for hard currency, but with 12% unemployment, and hotel occupancy in Rio standing currently at around 50-60% surely an increase in tourism would be welcome?

erik123

Incoming tourism revenue is over $7 billion, making it one of the top export products.

erik123

double post

VidaNaPraia

And the added contribution of the very small number of US passport holders who don't travel to Brazil because of the visa would be minimal.

If Brazil really wants more tourist revenue from the US, it should ADVERTISE on US TV in the (US) winter months, just like Jamaica or Colombia or the Bahamas do.

And make an attempt to lower airfares. I can fly to the beach in Mozambique (much further) right now for far less than I can fly to Rio.

TominLazybrook

Adding 320 bucks in visa fees for a couple has caused me to say 'meh - lets just go somewhere else'... and then there's the actually hassle of getting the visa (Argentina recognized this when it had the visa fee). I've been to Brazil, its nice, but for many American tourists, its not ....'lets go to Brazil....but lets go on vacation - where can we go, at what cost, and what are the practicalities of going'. The actual process of getting the visa can be daunting, especially for the majority of Americans who don't have a local Brazilian Consulate.

I think a smarter way of Brazil implementing its reciprocity law might be to tie it to visa overstay rates.

Either way, the visa cost and the associated hassles (and additional expense in many cases) of getting the visa does stop people from going to Brazil. I suspect that number is not small either.

RafKa

According to different reports I read, the number of US arrivals to Argentina increased between 16-20% since they decided to waive the reciprocity fee last year. And as TominLazybrook noted, this was “only” an easy U$160 payment on arrival, unlike the bureaucratic jumping through hoops to get a Brazilian visa.

iahphx

Interesting. Based on Argentina's results, I would guess Brazil could increase USA tourism by 25% by eliminating the visa fee and hassle. Seems like a good idea to me, at least on the economics.

erik123

Argentina and Brazil have the same number of tourism arrivals (about 5+ million) and compete for those $.

It makes sense to make it easy because it will attract visitors visiting a neighboring country, especially if they come from far. E.g. Uruguay gets quite a bit of overflow from Argentina. Brazil could bump the numbers quite easily, especially with the good exchange rate.

Krysenok

Usually the tourism minister supports visa waiver for any country, internal Affairs resists any, while MFA opts for reciprocity. In case of Brazil they are not a banana island (as Jamaica or Bahamas), so probably reciprocity is what they are looking for.

Btw their visa policy is quite flexible:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Brazil

C010T3

The overstay issue in the US is related on how easy it is to lead a life undocumented.
If it weren't for that, you would see the same situation in the US as you can see in Europel where Brazilian enjoy visa-free entry.

VidaNaPraia

"Visa free entry", but they can be (and are) refused entry at immigration at the European airport sometimes.

Clearly you have not been an undocumented Brazilian living in the US for long if you think it is so easy to do so. Most would tell you it is grueling emotionally/psychologically, financially, culturally, as well as physically.

C010T3

I have never been undocumented anywhere, full stop.
I can only imagine the hardship, but it's clear that Brazilians tend not to try it in Europe.

A visa does not represent a guaranteed entry into the US.
Obtaining it is not as difficult as it seems. Proof is the high overstay rate of Brazilians despite visas.

VidaNaPraia

Of course they "try it" in Europe. However most European economies are not doing well at the moment, and there is quite an anti-immigrant backlash currently.

Once through the visa process, there would have to be a big red flag for a Brazilian not to have "a guaranteed entry" into the US.

If you can say about the visa process that "it is not as difficult as it seems", that, to start with, says a great deal about your comfortable socio-economic status in Brazil.

Currently there are hardly any Brazilians arriving, and those who were in the US long term (by overstayed visa or walking in) left at the time the US economy tanked and the Brazilian economy looked good.

C010T3

Of course, there are people who try, but it is not representative as it is in the US.