An opening that promises to revolutionize the Brazilian tourism market

Afrotourism is becoming a segment, as it is an activity linked to tourism that seeks to make visible, enhance and boost material and immaterial cultural assets that value black culture.
Understanding the importance of consolidating the preservation of black cultural heritage, including living heritage such as popular culture masters, oral tradition and the like, through the need to materialize Afrocentric narratives, symbols and monuments in Brazil.
Afrotourism plays an important role in promoting racial equality, education and the experiences of African communities and the African diaspora around the world.
This type of tourism seeks not only to offer an authentic view of African cultures, but also to promote awareness of their global influence and contribute to the economic and social development of these communities.

Afrotourism as an important tool for the economic empowerment of African and Afro-Brazilian communities.

Afrotourism plays a crucial role on several fronts.
Firstly, it offers a richer and deeper narrative of African history and culture, challenging stereotypes and prejudices.
In doing so, it promotes education and awareness about the complexities of the African diaspora and its global influence.

In Brazil, Afrotourism plays a fundamental role in tackling social inequalities and combating racism, given that we have the largest black population outside Africa and the second largest in the world, behind Nigeria.
More than half of Brazilians (56.1%) are black, which underscores the relevance of this segment for national tourism

In addition, Afrotourism is an important tool for the economic empowerment of African and Afro-Brazilian communities.
By directing tourism resources to these communities, Afrotourism can help create jobs, foster local entrepreneurship and support the conservation of cultural and environmental heritage.

Black Routes, generating jobs and income for Afro-Brazilian communities and territories

The impacts of Afrotourism are multifaceted, encompassing the social, economic and cultural.
On the international stage, a 2020 study by MMGY Travel Intelligence revealed that black US travelers spent $109.4 billion on travel in 2019.
This study also identified an interest among these travelers in destinations with diversity and receptivity for black travelers, with experiences that connect with their African origins in the US. Brazil, the segment is part of the Federal Government through the Black Routes program, which is an inter-ministerial initiative of the Brazilian government that aims to promote racial equality and value Afro-Brazilian culture.
With the participation of ministries such as Racial Equality, Tourism, Development, Industry and Trade, and Embratur, which is the Brazilian agency for international tourism promotion, which prioritizes the segment as a priority axis in the agency’s management and aims to promote Brazil internationally through the valorization of black culture.

One of the main objectives of Rotas Negras is to generate employment and income for Afro-Brazilian communities and territories, as well as promoting racial equality policies.
The program emphasizes the importance of promoting tourism that values Afro-Brazilian memory, history and culture, collaborating with economic development and expanding the supply of tourism services in Brazil.
To this end, it involves the federated entities joining the National System for the Promotion of Racial Equality (Sinapir) and the Tourism Map, indicating a joint effort to increase the visibility and appreciation of the experiences of black people.

The Ministry of Culture, together with entities such as the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN) and the Palmares Cultural Foundation, is part of the Interinstitutional Working Group that will contribute to the construction of the Black Routes Program.
This partnership between various ministries and entities reflects an effort to articulate cross-cutting public policies, highlighting the legacy and contribution of Afro-Brazilian culture to tourism development and the promotion of racial equality in the country.

Afrotourism stands out in various regions, with itineraries covering cities such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Aracaju, Olinda, Fortaleza, São Luís, Belém, Macapá, Brasília, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Rio Claro, Vinhedo, Campinas, Pindamonhangaba, Piracicaba, Juiz de Fora, Ouro Preto, Vitória, João Pessoa, Boipeba, Recife, Maceió, Manaus, Campo Grande, Cuiabá and Corumbá.
These itineraries are coordinated by various companies and organizations, and in Brasília, we have the Turismo Fora do Avião initiative, which aims to promote Afrotourism in the Midwest.

People, culture, gastronomy, music, fashion, religiosity and knowledge all surround the table and the heart of the Basilian.

Afrotourism has stood out because it is pointing in the direction of anti-racism, where it will positively affect tourist facilities that are part of the tourism production chain, such as airports, hotels, restaurants, events, agencies, operators, tourist attractions, support services and tourist and support infrastructures, in which everyone must have training and the proper qualification to achieve quality in tourism.
The moment a black person moves from one place to another, traveling for leisure, work or study, they are practicing Afrotourism, and the moment non-black people travel and make itineraries with a black protagonist, be it a cultural or gastronomic tour, they are doing Afrotourism.
This segment is made up of people who have contributed to the country’s history in all areas, culture, gastronomy, music, fashion, religiosity, knowledge and in their language with thousands of words brought to Brazil.

Afrotourism is a powerful tool for education, empowerment and celebration of the rich heritage of Africa and its diasporas.
By addressing the challenges it faces and emphasizing sustainable and inclusive practices, Afrotourism has the potential to transform not only the communities it visits, but also the visitors, promoting a deeper and more respectful understanding of the diversity and complexity of cultural heritage and a unique opportunity to experience the rich black culture for the building of a new era.