Motorhomes boost road tourism in São Paulo state

On July 19, the Brazilian city of Nova Santa Rosa (Paraná state) will host an exhibition of motorhomes and caravans as part of the 3rd stage of the Circuito Caminhos do Paraná. About 40 participants on 20 vehicles will gather at Praça da Bíblia.

A couple from Curitiba, Brazil, plans to travel from Brazil to Japan in their own vehicle. The route includes crossing South America, shipping the car by sea to Europe from Panama, driving overland through Russia, then by sea to South Korea and finally to Japan. The Toyota Hilux is being converted into a motorhome, with completion targeted for November 2026. The journey is expected to take two to three years, with the couple working remotely and documenting the trip.

In Rio de Janeiro, a couple of entrepreneurs recovered a snack trailer that had been stolen and found in a condominium in Barra da Tijuca. After celebrating, they discovered the trailer had not been stolen but sold without authorization by a renter. Police identified the fraudster, and after payment to the first owner, the couple managed to regularize the documents and resume their activities.

In Brazil's Federal District, over 25,000 kiosk and trailer operators await the implementation of Complementary Law 1056/2025, aimed at providing legal stability. The SINTS union secured an extension of concession terms to up to 30 years but fears that new bidding processes will push out small entrepreneurs in favor of larger players. About 80% of the sector is in debt due to retroactive fees, and the union is pushing for debt forgiveness until the law takes effect.

A food trailer belonging to vendor Priscila de Souza was stolen in Madureira, Rio. She paid a ransom but was scammed. The trailer was later found in a luxury condominium 20 km away.

Starting June 15, 2026, the Brazilian city of Porto Seguro (Bahia state) will charge an environmental protection fee (TPA) for incoming vehicles. The measure was approved by Mayor Jânio Natal in November 2025 and applies to the main urban area as well as the tourist districts of Trancoso and Arraial d’Ajuda. The fee is collected via automatic license plate recognition, without toll booths. Vehicles staying less than 8 hours are exempt, except rental cars. Residents of Porto Seguro and neighboring municipalities (50% discount) are also exempt. Non-payment results in a 50% surcharge. In 2025, the city received about 1.4 million tourists.