Uruguay’s Image Stands Out in Brazil and Points to Tourism and Business Opportunities

Beauty, the economy, tourism, Montevideo, and meat are among the top associations Brazilians have with Uruguay. Culture and quality of life also rank among the country’s most widely recognized strengths.

These findings come from a study by Bloom Consulting, which identified Uruguay as the highest-rated country brand among the five countries analyzed. With a score of 3.46 on a scale of 0 to 5, Uruguay narrowly surpassed Germany and ranked ahead of the United States, Chile, and Argentina.

The study surveyed 250 people in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Rio Grande do Sul in March 2026. Participants included Brazilians who had traveled internationally in the previous two years, as well as people with investor or internationally oriented business profiles. The research examined overall perceptions of Uruguay, its performance across 13 attributes, and whether these audiences would consider visiting the country, investing there, moving there for work, or buying Uruguayan products.

An Image Gaining Ground

Uruguay’s overall score fell just short of 3.5, the threshold Bloom Consulting calls the “Love Mark” and uses to assess the strength of a country brand. However, all 13 specific attributes evaluated exceeded that benchmark. Nature received the highest rating, at 4.26, followed by culture, heritage, and the arts; products and services; and society and values.

When asked about Uruguay’s main strengths, respondents highlighted its culture, tourism offerings, economic performance, and quality of life.

The results also point to an improving image. Fifty-seven percent of respondents said their perception of Uruguay had improved recently, while 40% saw no change and 3% reported a decline. The reasons cited included improvements in the economy and infrastructure, as well as technological advances. In addition, 64% said they had encountered information about Uruguay during the previous year, a share that rose to 71% in São Paulo.

Interest in Uruguayan Products, Tourism, and Investment

Uruguay’s positive image is especially evident in purchase intent. Ninety percent of participants said they would consider buying Uruguayan products—the second-highest share among the countries evaluated, behind only the United States. Wine generated the most interest, accounting for 60% of mentions, followed by dulce de leche, dairy products, and beef.

Tourism followed a similar pattern: 87% said they would consider visiting Uruguay. Montevideo was the most popular destination, followed by Punta del Este. Colonia del Sacramento and José Ignacio were also among the places mentioned.

In investment, Uruguay was the highest-rated Latin American country included in the study and ranked second overall, behind Germany. When respondents were asked whether they would consider investing, however, Uruguay ranked third: 67% said they would do so, behind the United States and Germany.

Among those interested in investing, the stability and resilience of Uruguay’s economy were the most frequently cited factors. Respondents also highlighted infrastructure and connectivity, political stability, and the development of the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The study also examined Uruguay’s ability to attract talent. Fifty-four percent of participants said they would consider moving to the country for work, a lower share than for the United States and Germany but a higher one than for Chile and Argentina.

São Paulo Gives Uruguay Its Highest Rating

In the regional analysis, São Paulo gave Uruguay its highest overall rating, at 3.57. Rio de Janeiro followed at 3.41 and Rio Grande do Sul at 3.40. Uruguay ranked first among the countries compared in Rio de Janeiro and second—narrowly behind Germany—in the other two regions.

São Paulo also recorded the strongest interest in visiting Uruguay, with 93% of respondents saying they would consider doing so. Rio de Janeiro, meanwhile, registered the highest investment intent, at 76%.

Overall, the findings portray Uruguay as a recognizable and well-regarded country brand in Brazil, associated with nature, culture, quality of life, and its products. Interest in visiting the country, buying Uruguayan goods, investing, or moving there for work shows that this perception extends across several dimensions of the relationship between the two countries.

The findings also underscore Brazil’s importance as a market for Uruguay’s tourism, trade, and investment outreach. In this context, Uruguay XXI will hold a new edition of Uruguay Day in Brazil | Rio de Janeiro Edition on August 11. The event will bring together business leaders, investors, government officials, and representatives of Brazil’s business community to showcase opportunities in Uruguay across trade, investment, tourism, and culture.