Record Humpback Whale Sightings Transform Tourism on S�o Paulo Coast

Ilhabela, on São Paulo’s northern coast, is experiencing a new wave of tourism driven by the rise in humpback whale sightings. In 2025, 836 sightings were recorded across the archipelago —an all-time record— and around 25,000 people visited the city exclusively to see the cetaceans, more than double the 12,000 visitors in 2024.

The season runs from May to August, when the animals migrate from islands near Antarctica toward northeastern Brazil for breeding. Researchers say the region is no longer just a migration route and has also become a feeding area, especially for juvenile whales.

The economic impact is already being felt by local operators. Businessman Marcos Cará says the cetacean season is financially stronger than the summer season, with boats departing twice a day and tickets reaching R$500 ($93). The city government expects 2.3 million tourists throughout 2026.

As tourism grows, environmental concerns are also increasing. The municipality completed a bidding process to hire 120 boat trips with biologists and drones through 2027 to monitor compliance with Ibama regulations, which require a minimum distance of 100 meters from the animals and limit observation time to 30 minutes.

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