A new president for Brazil tourism agency Embratur

Bruno Reis, former Director of International Marketing, Business, and Sustainability at Embratur, was officially appointed on Friday, April 17, as president of Brazil’s official tourism promotion agency. The appointment was formalized through a decree, confirming Reis as the successor to Marcelo Freixo, whose mandate ended on March 31.

The decree also announced the appointment of Bruno Villa, formerly Freixo’s chief of staff, as the new Director of Marketing, Business, and Sustainability at Embratur.

Bruno Reis described the moment as “an opportunity to continue a collective effort in promoting Brazil“. He also emphasized the scale of the challenge of maintaining high levels of international tourism, as the country broke all records last year with 9.3 million international visitors and a financial injection of US$7.9 billion into the local economy.

“As a tourism specialist, I understand the scale of representation and responsibility we have here. My intention is to lead by listening, through dialogue and interaction with all stakeholders in the sector, so that we can continue to collaborate on the international promotion of Brazil in a professional and assertive way. The entire country is at Embratur’s disposal to work together,” Reis stated.

“It is rewarding when we truly believe in a reality and a goal that allows us to change lives. I have always believed in the tourism industry since I joined Embratur in 2005, 21 years ago, as an intern. Many people helped me get here; doors opened because people believed in me and supported me throughout this process, contributing to my professional development. I hope many interns across the country will also be inspired to reach leadership positions,” the new president concluded.

Continuing Brazil successful tourism marketing strategy

For his part, in his farewell speech as head of Embratur, Marcelo Freixo thanked his collaborators and partners for the work carried out during his three years and three months in office.

“All the work we have done so far, which repositioned Brazil in the global tourism market and allowed us to achieve historic records, must continue. The transition is aimed at ensuring Embratur can keep progressing in its goal of consolidating the growth of international tourism in our country. It is a source of pride that someone who began as an intern at Embratur is now taking over the presidency of the agency,” Freixo said, referring to his successor, whom he described as having “broad recognition in the tourism market and strong capacity for dialogue and collective construction. He understands the challenges of tourism in Brazil and will contribute to improving strategic projects at the head of the agency.”

The new Director of International Marketing, Business, and Sustainability, Bruno Villa, emphasized the importance of ensuring continuity in the projects implemented in recent years. “Our management will be based on continuity because you don’t change a winning team. Our international strategy has been extremely successful, with a series of unprecedented achievements that translate into more jobs, income, and opportunities for Brazilians,” he said.

“These positive results are part of a broader strategy by the Lula da Silva government, which has provided all the conditions for tourism to become one of the central drivers of our economy, also contributing to regional development across the country,” Villa concluded.

Bruno Reis career

Bruno Reis holds a degree in Tourism and has more than 20 years of experience in planning and implementing projects and programs for the development of the sector, both nationally and internationally. At Embratur, he has worked as an assistant, analyst, market coordinator, and head of International Markets and Events, before taking on the role of Director of International Marketing, Business, and Sustainability.

Reis was named among the 100 most influential people in Brazilian tourism in 2020, 2021, 2022 (Panrotas/ELO), and 2024. The new Embratur president also worked at the Ministry of Tourism (MTur), Rio Galeão Airport, and served as president of the Potiguar Tourism Promotion Company (Emprotur). He was also vice president of the National Forum of State Secretaries and Tourism Directors (Fornatur).

Related News Stories:  Normalcy is back to Madagascar as proved by Air France return     Green light given to Bali North airport by Indonesia President Prabowo     NCLH orders three new ships - TravelMole     Norse Atlantic appoints new CEO - TravelMole     Norse Atlantic Airways - TravelMole     Celebrity Cruises Announces 2026 President's Cruise On Celebrity ...     News Archive - Page 4275 of 9733 - TravelMole     Crystal Builds Strong Momentum Heading Into 2026, Marking A New ...     The Dominican Republic and the FCCA strengthen the cruise sector     EVA Air adds Washington D.C. as its 11th North American destination