Brazil is back at the centre of the map. After years of diplomatic isolation and deterioration of its international image, the country has reclaimed its role as a global destination, and Rio de Janeiro has been one of the main vectors of this reinvention. This keynote examines how the hosting of major international events, the modernisation of urban infrastructure and the projection of Brazilian culture abroad combine to reposition Brazil as one of the world’s most desirable and relevant destinations. The discussion draws on the concrete experience of a city that hosted the 2016 Olympic Games, welcomed the G20 summit in 2024, and consolidated a permanent agenda of global-scale events. In a multipolar world, tourism emerges as an instrument of soft power.