Tourist Destination in Serra da Mantiqueira, Brazil's "Switzerland", to Charge Environmental Fee to Visitors

Tourists arriving from July 1 in Monte Verde, a district of Camanducaia (MG), in the Mantiqueira mountain range, will have to pay an Environmental Preservation Fee. The charge was regulated by a decree published by the city government in May, based on a municipal law approved in December 2024.

The district, with 4,132 residents, was described as the "Switzerland of Brazil" in a 2022 publication by the Booking platform because of its cold climate and European-influenced architecture. Monte Verde was founded in 1938 by Latvian immigrant Verner Grinberg.

The fee will be charged per vehicle, regardless of length of stay, and license plate reading will be automatic. According to current rates, motorcycles will pay R$4.60 ($0.90); passenger vehicles, R$9.20 ($1.7); utility vehicles, R$13.80 ($2.6); vans and tour vehicles, R$32.20 ($6.20); minibuses and trucks, R$46 ($9); and buses, R$73.60 ($14.12). Payment can be made online starting July 1, as well as at physical service points.

Under the law, 35% of the funds will go toward solid waste collection, while the remainder will be used for urban maintenance, green area cleaning and sustainability projects. Exemptions apply to vehicles from Camanducaia, Extrema, Itapeva and Cambuí, as well as residents, workers and priority categories. Tourist transportation and ride-hailing vehicles are not exempt.

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