Request Survey made by the Decolar travel sales website, from sheet, points out that, in September and October of this year, the demand for international air tickets for summer vacations increased by about 94% compared to the months of July and August.

“Lisbon is the most sought after destination this year, unlike what was observed in 2019, before the pandemic, when the preference was for Buenos Aires and Orlando”, says Tiago Lopes, sourcing director at Decolar.

“But even with the borders still closed to Brazilians, destinations in the United States are very popular,” he says.

A survey was carried out in October, with destinations surveyed from São Paulo. The borders for the United States reopen this Monday (8), while those for Portugal have been open since September 1st.

Decolar operates in 20 countries in Latin America, where it has 29 million registered customers, but has Brazil as its main market.

The travel group CVC Corp, which includes operator CVC and Submarino Viagens, confirms that Lisbon is among the main destinations sought by Brazilians. The search for the Portuguese capital has grown more than ten times since the reopening, on September 1st. The country does not require a Covid-19 test and is open to immunized Brazilians.

According to the company, 70% of air ticket sales to Lisbon are for trips that will take place in 2021. As for 2022, one of the packages offered is for January 23rd to 29th, which includes five nights’ accommodation with coffee from morning and airfare to and from Guarulhos, at the price of R$7,400 per person, in a double package.

This is a more expensive package than the one sold to New York. In the same period and conditions, the American destination costs R$ 6,900 per person, in a double package.

Abav (Brazilian Association of Travel Agencies) stated that its members are doing double work to update customers regarding travel restrictions in each country. The entity recommends that member agencies and consumers themselves consult information from official channels, such as Iata (International Air Transport Association).

Due to travel restrictions and rising costs, airlines are unanimous in strengthening domestic tourism in 2022. “We are increasing the number of national destinations: from 44 in the pre-pandemic to 49 this year. By the end of the second quarter . next year, we will reach 56”, says Diogo Elias, sales and marketing director at Latam Brasil.

Azul claims that, with Azul Conecta, its subsidiary for regional flights, the number of national destinations increased from 116 before the pandemic to 130. “We have aircraft to land even on a farm runway”, says Vitor Silva, planning manager knitwear from Azul.

Gol is also strengthening national destinations. In December, the airline starts taking the Congonhas-Bonito (MS) route, one of the main ecotourism destinations in Brazil. “It’s an unprecedented route, never before has a flight left São Paulo towards Bonito”, says Bruno Balan, manager of strategic planning for the air network at Gol.

Next month, the company will start flying to Cabo Frio (RJ) and, this month, to Juiz de Fora (MG).

Top destinations sought by Brazilians

Source: Take off; airfare prices surveyed ​​on October 30, to search from São Paulo; * return trip from December 20th to 30th; ** return trip, January 10th to 20th