Iran, Brazil Discuss Tourism Cooperation on Sidelines of BRICS Meeting

On Friday, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri met Brazil’s Tourism Minister Gustavo Feliciano on the sidelines of the BRICS Tourism Ministers Meeting 2026 in Jaipur, India to discuss strengthening tourism cooperation between the two countries.

During the talks, the two ministers identified four priority areas strengthening air connectivity, improving tourist travel, linking the private sectors of both countries and sports tourism.

Both delegations showed their willingness to further develop the air route and facilitate travel between the two countries.

There has always been an absence of direct routes between Iranian and Brazilian cities and people are forced to travel through third countries. Better connections will also improve travel time and cost to markets for both countries.

The ministers also agreed to promote awareness among tour operators, travel agencies and investors from both sides regarding the collaboration between them and not limiting it only to the government’s level.

Another area of interest identified was sports tourism. The market is ideal considering Brazil’s football profile and the popularity of the Brazilian game among Iranian people.

In a statement, Salehi-Amiri urged greater coordination between government policy and capability in BRICS, noting that the bloc has advanced the scope of cooperation among governments in tourism but needs to improve mechanisms for the coordination of state support and private investment.

Salehi-Amiri further added that the BRICS member states and partner states combine about 46 percent of the world population and include China, Russia, Brazil, India and Iran which provide great potential to create new forms of tourism cooperation.

He also proposed establishing a BRICS Tourism Infrastructure Development Fund and creating a common platform to promote tourism and cultural cooperation among member countries, including through the historic Silk Road and Spice Route.

Minister for Culture and Tourism of India Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the aim of the tourism cooperation among BRICS is to integrate the sector with the economy and create employment opportunities, strengthen the capabilities of the local communities and bring together people and civilisations.

India had bilateral talks with the visiting delegations of Brazil, Iran, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates during the ministerial and was to visit Hawa Mahal, City Palace and Amber Fort in Jaipur on 22 August.

The nine countries of the BRICS group participated in this conference. The UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, South Africa’s Tourism Minister Patricia De Lille and Salehi-Amiri and heads of delegation from China, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Russia attended the event.

The meeting concluded with the adoption of the BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Communiqué 2026, known as the Jaipur Declaration, under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

Tayyaba Afzal is an International Relations Graduate from Lahore College for Women University. Her research interests include Information Warfare, AI Governance and Digital Diplomacy. She can be reached at [email protected]