Brazil’s tourism promotion agency, EMBRATUR, has welcomed the news that direct flights between Brazil and South Africa are being reinstituted. These flights will start early this month and will be operated by two airlines, South Africa’s State-owned South African Airways (SAA) and LATAM Brasil (LATAM), the Brazilian subsidiary of the private-sector pan-South American LATAM airlines group.

“This strategic expansion brings Brazil closer to Africa, making it easier for business and leisure travellers from both regions to experience the rich culture, natural beauties and business opportunities each has to offer,” highlighted EMBRATUR president Marcelo Freixo.

SAA will provide direct connections between both Cape Town and Johannesburg and Brazil’s main economic hub, São Paulo. LATAM will operate direct flights between São Paulo and Johannesburg. These flights will be the first direct air links between the two countries since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva last week visited first South Africa (for the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa summit), Angola and São Tomé. In Angola, he pointed out that 50% of Brazil’s 203-million people had African ancestry. (There are already direct flights between Angola and Brazil.)

“Much has already been said about what unites us in music, dance, capoeira, gastronomy and soccer,” said President Lula in his address to the Angolan National Assembly. “We need and can go beyond this extraordinary cultural link.”

Also recently, the government of the archipelagic African country of Cape Verde announced the relaunch of flights between the island nation and the north-eastern Brazilian city of Ceará. This creates another direct link between South (and, indeed, Latin) America’s biggest country and economy, and Africa.

“The decision by LATAM airlines and the new flights from [SAA] reflects the deepening relationships between Brazil and African nations across multiple sectors,” affirmed EMBRATUR in its statement. “The shortened travel times and added convenience are expected to amplify these ties and guarantee the growth of tourism and commerce.”