Francisco Madrid, general director of Cicotur Anahuac, explains that in Brazil there is a concentration of barely 30% of the population in the 10 main metropolitan areas, with which there is a very high dispersion of inhabitants that translates into a challenge to obtain a visa , since Mexico only has three consulates in the country.
“In 2022, the Brazilian market was in the process of recovery, it was the 20th world market and the first in Latin America (…) In addition, it is the seventh country with the highest international tourist spending, at $2,177 last year. With the pandemic, the arrival of Brazilians decreased, and then a little more as a result of politics [de visado]”, said the specialist at a press conference.
The suspension of visas for Brazilians dates from an agreement in 2004, which was suspended in 2005, but which was resumed to some extent as of 2010, when free transit of travelers with US visas was allowed. For 2013, the visa suspension agreement was resumed, but in 2021 it was suspended to make way for a digital visa, and by August 2022 the digital visa was canceled by a physical document.
For Braulio Arsuaga, president of the National Tourism Business Council (CNET), the measure has a negative effect at a time when the sector continues to recover from covid-19 under adverse conditions, such as the lack of a promotion mechanism for the country, which disappeared with the extinction of the Tourism Promotion Council of Mexico (CPTM).
“The unilateral decision to remove this facility has affected business,” emphasized the industry representative.