Brasil DNA Launches International Initiative Showcasing Afro-Brazilian Heritage Through Tourism

SÃO PAULO, Aug. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brasil DNA, a project organized by Global Vision Access, has launched an international initiative highlighting Afro-Brazilian heritage tourism as part of its strategy to expand global awareness of Brazil's cultural diversity and promote travel experiences centered on history, living traditions, and local communities.

Created by tourism specialist Gisele Abrahão, Brasil DNA is introducing international audiences to destinations where African heritage continues to shape Brazil's identity through music, gastronomy, spirituality, craftsmanship, festivals, and community-based experiences. The initiative responds to growing international demand for culturally immersive travel, particularly among visitors seeking meaningful connections with the African diaspora.

"International travelers are increasingly looking for experiences that allow them to understand the people and cultures that define a destination," said Gisele Abrahão, founder of Brasil DNA. "Brazil has an extraordinary opportunity to present its African heritage not only as history, but as a living cultural legacy that continues to influence communities across the country."

Rather than focusing exclusively on Brazil's traditional tourism icons, Brasil DNA brings together destinations that showcase the country's Afro-Brazilian legacy through historical sites, quilombola communities, cultural routes, artistic traditions, and heritage experiences.

The initiative highlights destinations across multiple Brazilian regions, including Maranhão, where Afro-Brazilian traditions remain present through reggae culture, religious celebrations, and popular festivals; the Amazon, where Afro-descendant communities contribute to the region's cultural identity; Alagoas, home to the Quilombo dos Palmares Memorial Park and the quilombola community of Muquém; and São Paulo, where cultural walking tours explore the city's Black history and its contributions to urban development.

According to Tânia Neres, Embratur's Coordinator of Afrotourism, Diversity, and Indigenous Peoples, the growth of afrotourism represents an important opportunity to strengthen Brazil's international tourism positioning while creating economic opportunities for local communities and preserving cultural heritage.

Brasil DNA's initiative reflects a broader shift in global travel demand toward experiences centered on authenticity, identity, and community engagement. By connecting travelers with destinations that preserve Afro-Brazilian traditions, the project seeks to diversify international perceptions of Brazil while supporting sustainable tourism development.

The initiative reinforces that Brazil's African heritage is not limited to museums or historical records. It remains part of everyday life through communities that continue to preserve traditions, knowledge, artistic expressions, and cultural practices passed down across generations.

For international travelers, the project offers a broader understanding of Brazil, one that extends beyond its best-known attractions and reveals the cultural diversity that continues to shape the country's present and future.

Subscription to the Brasil DNA Newsletter is available here.

Contact: 

Gisele Abrahao - gisele@globalvisionaccess.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

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Couple of women at the beach

Couple of women at the beach

Gisele Abrahão, CEO of GVA

Gisele Abrahão, CEO of GVA

Couple admiring the landscape

Couple admiring the landscape

Tânia Neres, Embratur’s Coordinator of Afrotourism, Diversity, and Indigenous Peoples

Tânia Neres, Embratur’s Coordinator of Afrotourism, Diversity, and Indigenous Peoples