Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will host the 19th edition of Routes Americas, the leading aviation event dedicated to advancing air service development across the Americas.
As Brazil’s second-largest city and the sixth most populous in Latin America, Rio de Janeiro serves as a crucial financial and commercial hub. The city boasts a dynamic and diversified economy, spanning industries such as energy, telecommunications, tourism, and entertainment.
According to a study conducted by the World Travel and Tourism Council, travel and tourism in Brazil is expected to contribute $169.3 billion to the country’s GDP in 2024, which is a 9.5% increase from 2019. By 2034, this figure is expected to rise to $194.6 billion.
To support this growth, Rio has implemented significant improvements to its transport and tourism infrastructure. RIOgaleão—Rio de Janeiro International Airport—connects the city to more than 50 domestic and international destinations. In 2024, the airport has experienced a significant growth in passenger numbers, driven by heightened global interest in Rio’s diverse attractions. The city welcomed over 760,000 international visitors in the first half of 2024, marking a 19% year-on-year increase and achieving the second-highest number of international arrivals on record, second only to the 2014 FIFA World Cup year.
Steven Small, director of Routes, said: “Rio has a proven track record of hosting globally significant events, including the Olympics in 2016 and most recently the G20 Leaders' Summit. Routes Americas will support the city’s objective to attract even more international events, promote tourism and secure investment through the role it will play in driving air connectivity.”
Small added: “Independent analysis shows that airports in previous host destinations have seen their networks grow by around 6.9% more than comparable airports within three years. With decision-makers from over 90 of the region’s leading and fastest-growing airlines expected to attend Routes Americas 2026, the event offers a unique opportunity for Rio to showcase its remarkable growth potential and strengthen its position as a key player in the global aviation market.”
"RIOgaleão has attended Routes events for the past 10 years and we are delighted to finally host Routes Americas 2026 ourselves. It is a unique opportunity to showcase the destination Rio de Janeiro to airline delegates from all over the world. RIOgaleão is the main gateway for tourism to Brazil and offers plenty of growth opportunities for our airline partners”, said Alexandre Monteiro, CEO of RIOgaleão.
