From April 27 to 29, Mato Grosso do Sul will once again host Adventure ELEVATE Latin America, organized by ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association), the largest global network of adventure travel leaders. Bonito, Brazil’s leading ecotourism destination and the world’s first carbon-neutral destination, will welcome international operators who will get to know our destinations and meet to negotiate with MS companies, specialists from various countries who will debate the future of adventure tourism, in addition to reinforcing strategies to position Brazil as a global reference in nature tourism and sustainable experiences.

From April 21 to 26, 2025, Corumbá, the capital of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, hosted the Pre-Adventure of Adventure ELEVATE Latin America 2025. The Pre-Adventure is an exclusive trip for buyer operators taking part in Adventure ELEVATE, aimed at getting to know the region’s cultural and nature experiences that could be included in the international market’s product basket. The group that experienced the Pantanal de Corumbá was made up of 09 international ecotourism, adventure and wildlife-watching operators.

In Corumbá, the operators began their immersion welcomed by local cuisine, savoring in the city’s restaurants local delicacies based on fish, beef, baru nut, plantain, kabocha squash and vegan options in both a la carte and buffet systems, proving that we are a Pantanal people who welcome with a smile and unforgettable flavors.

The Pantanal ways and knowledge of music, dance and other traits of our roots were presented in the cultural spaces: Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano (South American Moinho Cultural Institute), Memorial do Homem Pantaneiro, Casa de Memória do Mestre Cururueiro Seo Sebastião and at the Nhuporã farm – Recanto Vale do Sol, all attractions presented in a Cultural Circuit format already offered to locals and tourists by local receptive agencies.

The Memorial Homem Pantaneiro was one of the sites visited. Photo: Clóvis Neto/PMC

After the immersion in local culture, the group, aboard a hotel boat, began navigating the Paraguay River northward (upstream) toward Baía do Castelo, the Faz. Escola Jatobazinho, the crystal-clear waters of the Rio Paraguai-mirim region up to the majestic Serra do Amolar, where outdoor activities such as river safari, floating and trails alongside the many sunsets will mark the trip amid the biome’s rich biodiversity.

AdventureELEVATE is an international ecotourism and adventure tourism conference held by ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association), the largest global network of adventure travel leaders. The 2025 edition takes place in Mato Grosso do Sul, in the city of Bonito, from April 26 to 29.

“Adventure ELEVATE will bring together 350 tourism professionals from around the world, who come seeking inspiration, new ideas, trends and products, and welcoming them in Corumbá is very important for our destination, because we can personally present the natural beauty, sustainable practices and provide real experiences to the international public. So it really is bringing the eyes of the world to the Pantanal de Corumbá,” says Zelinho Carvalho, president-director of FUNDTUR PANTANAL.

For the Mayor of Corumbá, Mr. Gabriel Alves de Oliveira, “the Pantanal de Corumbá is an ecotourism and adventure destination, and we are committed to diversifying our tourism offer and expanding the participation of our companies in the international market, which is why we secured, with the support of FUNDTUR MS and IGR Pantanal, the Pre-Adventure for our region,” Dr. Gabriel noted.

Mestre Sebastião’s workshop, a cururu craftsman, was another of the sites visited. Photo: Clóvis Neto/PMC

The operators traveled on to the conference in Bonito on April 26 (Saturday) and on April 28 (Monday) will take part in the international business roundtable, where they will have access to the Pantanal de Corumbá destination’s products offered by the agencies and receptive operators serving international visitors, such as ICTERUS Ecoturismo e Expedições and Pure Brasil.

Luiz Ricardo Julião Rocha, executive secretary of FUNDTUR PANTANAL, responsible for the market unit, highlighted the expectations surrounding the event, which promotes an intense exchange of experiences through meetings, talks and a strategic business roundtable for the sector. “We believe this movement will expand the visibility of our products on international shelves and further project the image of the Pantanal de Corumbá as an international reference in nature tourism.”

Adventure ELEVATE takes place at the Bonito Convention Center with talks, panels, a marketplace, meetings, dialogue sessions and debates, networking moments and the annual meeting of Latin America’s tourism business associations.