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• 4 min de lectura
Cruises injected BRL 4.76 billion into the Brazilian economy during the 2025/2026 season, considering both ships operating between Brazilian ports (cabotage) and vessels traveling between different countries (long-haul) that passed through the country's coast. The impact includes company expenses for operation and logistics, and passenger and crew spending in embarkation, disembarkation, and call cities, in addition to generating thousands of jobs and tax revenue.
The data comes from a study by Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), in partnership with the Brazilian Cruise Association (Clia Brasil). Cabotage operations alone moved BRL 4.28 billion and were associated with 64,529 jobs and BRL 166.3 million in federal, state, and municipal taxes.
Of the total moved by cabotage activity, BRL 2.28 billion corresponds to cruise companies' expenses for operation and logistics. Another BRL 2 billion was generated by passenger and crew spending in embarkation, disembarkation, and transit cities.
This movement reaches different sectors of the local economy, such as commerce, food, transport, hospitality, and services. Thus, a ship's passage along the Brazilian coast generates effects that go beyond port infrastructure and extend to the cities that receive passengers.
In the 2025/2026 season, 602,864 cruise passengers embarked on cabotage ships in the country. The study also points out that every BRL 1 invested by cruise companies moved BRL 3.89 in the Brazilian economy.
In addition to cabotage, the survey considers long-haul ships that passed through the Brazilian coast during the season. There were 21 vessels in transit through the country, responsible for BRL 480.94 million in economic impact, 7,500 sustained jobs, and BRL 51.15 million in taxes.
Adding the two segments, the numbers indicate approximately 72,000 jobs associated with cruise activity in the 2025/2026 season.
To keep up with the evolution of cruise tourism and offer more comfort, safety, and efficiency to passengers, Brazilian ports have been undergoing a modernization process. The agenda led by the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) includes the qualification of passenger terminals, the expansion of service capacity, and the preparation of structures to receive ships of different sizes and profiles.
An example is the Maritime Passenger Terminal of the Port of Maceió (AL). In 2026, MPor formalized the lease agreement for the terminal, which has an area of 5.6 thousand m² and a capacity to serve up to 612 passengers per day. Planned measures include the implementation of parking, the modernization of furniture, and the installation of equipment for passenger and baggage control, in addition to reinforcing security and access control systems.
Another example is in Pará. Delivered in November 2025, the requalification of the Outeiro Port Terminal prepared the structure to receive passenger ships during COP30. The structure was also designed to receive ships as floating hotels and, according to MPor, may integrate future regular maritime tourism routes.
These initiatives are part of a broader agenda for qualifying port infrastructure for maritime tourism, which also involves the integration of terminals with cities and the services offered to visitors. in 2025, MPor discussed this agenda in partnership with UN Tourism, focusing on the expansion of cruises, the modernization of ports, and integration with local economies.
Cruise operations depend on a structure that involves terminals, port services, transport, supply, logistics, and passenger assistance. The cities that receive ships also function as connection points with tourist destinations and other services.
This flow transforms ports into gateways for a chain that brings together different economic activities. In addition to receiving ships, port infrastructure integrates a network that involves companies, workers, service providers, and establishments that serve passengers and crew. This impact goes beyond maritime operations: it moves resources in cities, generates jobs, and contributes to revenue at different levels of government.