The strong momentum of the Brazilian tourism market and its steadily growing interest in Greek destinations were confirmed by the dynamic presence of the program Golden Gate Interconnections, Connecting With the Best of the New York Tourism Advisory Group at the international tourism exhibition WTM Latin America. The exhibition took place in São Paulo from April 14 to 16, 2026.
In a $52 billion market where travelers are increasingly seeking high-quality and authentic experiences, the Greek tourism product—and especially the islands—is emerging as a top choice. This was clearly reflected in this year’s event through the increased traffic at the stand and the strategic meetings held by the head of the program with leading institutional figures in Brazil’s tourism sector.
The team of the program Golden Gate Interconnections, Connecting With the Best of the New York Tourism Advisory Group, headed by Ambassador Mykonos Promo – HACC New York, Mykonos-based Mr. Kostas Skagias, participated in this exhibition for the third consecutive year, showcasing and promoting its members both to individual visitors and to tourism industry professionals.
In cooperation with its valued member TourGreece DMC, which has consistently supported the program for many years, they promoted Greek destinations to more than 3,000 visitors while also holding important meetings with institutional stakeholders in the country’s tourism sector.
Specifically, the head of the program, Mr. Kostas Skagias, held important meetings with the Secretary of Tourism of São Paulo, Mr. Gustavo Lopes, and the President of the Brazilian Hotel Association, Ms. Anna Karina Bueno Reynares, during the Mykonos Experience Night event at the Myk restaurant in São Paulo on April 15, 2026. Together, they discussed the further development of tourism flows from Brazil to Greek tourist destinations and the possibilities for cooperation between them.
WTM Latin America is the leading tourism event for Brazil and the wider Latin American region, attracting more than 30,000 visitors and hundreds of exhibitors from around the world. It is the key B2B event for Latin American tourism, while for the members of the Golden Gate Interconnections, Connecting With the Best program, it already serves as a targeted tool for promotion and business networking.
The total travel market of Latin America is estimated at approximately $52.18 billion in 2025. Forecasts indicate an annual growth rate of 5.41% through 2033, mainly driven by the rising living and economic standards of the populations in these countries. The World Bank forecasts that GDP in Latin America and the Caribbean will grow by about 2.3% in 2026 and 2.6% in 2027, strengthening medium-term spending power for international travel. At the same time, a recent study of the South American market shows that travelers are becoming more “adventurous,” digitally mature, and oriented toward high-quality, authentic experiences (gastronomy, nature, culture, wellness), which aligns particularly well with the Greek tourism product and especially the Greek islands.
The continuing interest of Brazilian tourists in Greece is the “fruit” of targeted promotional actions that have been implemented consistently in the Latin American market since 2018. It is worth noting that the targeting of the Brazilian market for the South Aegean officially began in 2018 through the twinning of the Region with the State of Santa Catarina (Florianópolis). This initiative was a decisive outward-looking move by the South Aegean Region, in which the head of the program, Mr. Kostas Skagias, played an active role. From then until today, the team of the Golden Gate Interconnections, Connecting With the Best program has systematically invested in the Latin American market, continuously upgrading the presence and tourism promotion of Greek destinations.
