South America Sees Strong Post-Pandemic Recovery in Tourism

The Travel Insights 2025: Focus on the Americas report, released by Amadeus in collaboration with UN Tourism, highlights a strong rebound in South American travel. The report, based on forward-looking data from Amadeus Navigator360, details how trends in expanding air capacity, rising demand from emerging markets, and evolving traveler behaviors are reshaping tourism strategies across the region. Air traffic to the Americas rose by 1.8% year-on-year, with South America leading regional growth in air capacity at +6%.

Key Takeaways:

• Passenger traffic to South America grew 5.9% year-on-year, signaling a strong post-pandemic recovery.
• China is the top origin market to South America with a 311% increase in searches and a 30% rise in bookings.
• Paraguay leads in booking growth with a 9% increase, while Chile and Peru show strong performance across both metrics.
• Brazil and the U.S. lead in search activity, but Argentina tops the list for actual travel.
• Countries like Uruguay, Paraguay, and Chile appear among the top-performing destinations for both searches and bookings.
• Nature-focused locations such as San Carlos de Bariloche and Calama gained popularity.
• Hotel performance across South America stayed stable in early 2025, with several months outperforming 2024.
• Brazil and Argentina continue to command higher average daily rates (ADRs), while Colombia's lower ADRs may contribute to its continued appeal for budget-conscious travelers.
• Seasonal variations across countries highlight opportunities for multi-destination itineraries and regional collaboration.

Statistics:

• Air traffic to the Americas rose by 1.8% year-on-year.
• South America led regional growth in air capacity at +6%.
• Passenger traffic to South America grew 5.9% year-on-year.

*China saw a 311% increase in searches and a 30% rise in bookings to South America.

• Paraguay led in booking growth with a 9% increase.
• Chile and Peru showed strong performance across both metrics.
• Brazil and Argentina commanded higher average daily rates (ADRs) of $120 and $95, respectively.
• Colombia's lower ADRs were $55.

Sources:

• Amadeus
• UN Tourism
• Amadeus Navigator360