The possibility of working and living on an idyllic beach, with year-round sunshine, fuels many foreigners' dreams of opening a small hotel on the Brazilian coast.
On the coast of the country, especially in the Northeast, there is a strong presence of gringos in the hotel sector, although it is impossible to quantify how many they are and where they come from.
"Our coast has been region of great interest among foreign businessmen since the 1980s and 1990s", says Simone Scorsato, CEO of the Brazilian Luxury Travel Association (BLTA).
The favorable exchange rate also attracts foreigners, and Europeans are able to use their own resources to invest in Brazil.
"With stronger currency, foreigners are able to set up businesses here that would not be able to do so in their own countries," says Juliana Parmiggiani, a professor of tourism at Senac.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, there are 6,183 small hottels in Brazil. The nationality of the owners, however, is not on the records, and the Brazilian Association of the Hotel Industry does not know how many establishments are in the hands of foreigners.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon