Tourism by the numbers: how many visitors João Pessoa receives

João Pessoa received 1.56 million tourists in 2025, with a sharp rise in foreign visitors to Paraíba.

According to data from PBTur (Paraíba Tourism Company), João Pessoa ended 2025 with an estimated overall flow of 1,565,374 tourists, growth of 8.68% compared to 2024, when the capital received 1,440,334 visitors — an increase of more than 125,000 people in a single year. The survey is built from PBTur's monthly bulletins in partnership with the State Secretariat of Tourism and Economic Development (Setde).

The most striking growth, however, is seen among international visitors. According to Embratur, based on the ForwardKeys platform, the number of foreign tourists choosing Paraíba grew 22.3% through May 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, and reached a jump of 127% between January and October 2025 in the annual comparison, a result of the expansion of international routes and the promotion of the destination in markets such as the United States, Argentina and Portugal.

The profile of tourists arriving in João Pessoa is mostly domestic: about 60% of guests come from other Brazilian states, with São Paulo (21%), Pernambuco (15%), Minas Gerais (11%), the Federal District (6%) and Rio Grande do Norte (6%) standing out. Among foreigners, the main source markets are the United States (15%), Argentina (12%) and Portugal (9%), followed by France and Italy (6% each).

These numbers reinforce the weight of tourism in the local economy, discussed in the article about the city's economic sectors, and help explain the high hotel occupancy rate recorded throughout the year.