Beyond local entrepreneurs’ role in project financing, the sector has benefited from development banks, which have been key in a high-interest-rate environment.

The surge in hotel demand in agribusiness regions has surprised French hotel group Accor.

“We operate with a highly structured approach, mapping around 100 key cities along Brazil’s so-called agribusiness corridor. We are already present in more than 30 cities like those and continue to expand,” Thomas Dubaere, CEO of Accor Americas for the premium, midscale, and economy division, told Valor.

One standout region is Matopiba, which spans the Brazilian cerrado biome across the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia. “This is a region experiencing strong agricultural expansion and attracting investment,” Dubaere said.

In Brazil, Accor opened ten new hotels last year, including two in agribusiness regions: ibis Styles Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul) and ibis Primavera do Leste (Mato Grosso). It also signed agreements for five additional hotels in locations such as Chapadão do Sul and Bonito.

The group currently operates 30 hotels in agribusiness cities, totaling 4,135 rooms across states including Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, Bahia, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Goiás. A decade ago, it had 18 hotels and 2,388 rooms in these markets.

Accor draws on experience from mature markets such as Europe, where it has long operated in smaller cities, many linked to agriculture and industry.

“One key lesson is the importance of combining reach with brand consistency. Outside major urban centers, travelers value predictability even more—knowing exactly what to expect regardless of the location,” Dubaere said, noting that demand in these regions is primarily corporate.

The growth of agribusiness hubs has also led Marriott to introduce its City Express brand in Brazil, aimed at secondary and tertiary cities.

“It is one of our most important brands and the one we plan to scale most aggressively in terms of volume,” said Paulo Mancio, Marriott’s vice president of development in Brazil.

The company is currently evaluating projects in cities such as Bebedouro in São Paulo state and Sinop in Mato Grosso.

“City Express was designed with the Brazilian market in mind,” said Renato Carvalho, senior development manager at Marriott International in Brazil.

In the country, the brand will offer rooms ranging from 15 square meters to 20 square meters in properties with up to 140 rooms.

Marriott has signed seven new City Express contracts in Brazil—three with Fábrica de Hotéis and four with Justa & Utg Empreendimentos—adding about 945 rooms to its pipeline.

The three contracts with Fábrica de Hotéis are in the Northeast and add to the seven announced in March 2025 as part of a long-term agreement to develop 30 properties in the region over 15 years.

The deal with Justa & Utg will expand the brand’s footprint in the Southeast, including projects in Holambra (120 rooms), Araras (120 rooms), and Piracicaba (140 rooms)—all in São Paulo—, as well as Passos (140 rooms), in Minas Gerais.

In agribusiness regions, City Express’s strategy has focused on building new properties. Executives noted that conversions are possible but less likely due to the limited existing hotel supply.

Carvalho added that agribusiness has helped drive broader economic diversification in some cities. “Ribeirão Preto was once heavily tied to agribusiness and today has a significant services sector,” he said.

Growth in agribusiness regions is also evident at Atlantica Hospitality International, which has a strong presence in the Central-West, South, and Southeast. The company now operates 48 properties in these regions, totaling 6,631 rooms. In 2016, it had 27 hotels and 3,680 rooms—an increase of about 80% in room supply over a decade.

“These figures are central to Atlantica’s reach strategy, representing 25% of our total portfolio and 27% of our room supply,” said CEO Eduardo Giestas.

Part of the company’s strategy in these markets is to diversify hotel categories. Of its pipeline, 29% is in the luxury and upscale segment, 52% in the midscale segment, and 19% in the economy segment.

“In terms of financial performance, we recorded 17% growth in ADR [average daily rate] and 18% in RevPAR [revenue per available room] year over year in agribusiness regions,” Giestas said.

In less than a decade, Atlantica tripled its presence in the Central-West, a key grain-producing region, especially soybeans, corn, and cotton. In 2016, it operated four hotels in Mato Grosso and Goiás, totaling 613 rooms. Today, it has 15 hotels and 2,144 rooms.

“Including the Federal District, a key connectivity hub, the portfolio expands to 20 properties and 2,834 rooms—an increase of 275% in hotel count and 250% in room supply,” Giestas said.

The group currently has a pipeline of 16 signed hotels in agribusiness regions, scheduled to open between 2027 and 2031, totaling 2,602 rooms and about R$1 billion in investment. These projects account for 29% of our total hotel pipeline and 31% of our room pipeline.

“Currently, 31% of hotels under negotiation are located in these regions, reinforcing our confidence in the sector’s continued growth,” said the CEO.

At Atrio Hotel Management, the country’s third-largest hotel operator, agribusiness regions currently account for about 5% of revenue. The goal is to raise that share to 20% by 2030, CEO Beto Caputo said.

Atrio currently operates 82 hotels and has 15 signed for the next two years, including three in agribusiness regions.

Caputo noted that financial backing from traditional agribusiness families has helped move projects forward. Due to the limited existing hotel supply, conversions are rare, making new construction necessary.