The celebrations for the 87th anniversary of the Iguazú National Park officially began on Friday, January 9 with the reception of authorities and guests at the Visitor Center. At the event, Urbia+Cataratas, tourism manager of the park, and ICMBio presented “Park 2030”, a plan that includes R$ 600 million ($111,815,160) in investments and that will position the Iguazu Falls – one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in the world – as one of the best experiences of connection with nature on the planet, further enhancing its essence of preservation and charm.
Iguazú National Park 2030
The program seeks to expand the vision that the park, birthplace of one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature; is a reference of responsible tourism, with actions focused on the conservation of biodiversity, innovation and regional development.
Since Urbia+Cataratas took over the management in 2022, it has invested in new attractions and experiences. And now with the “Park 2030” plan, the concessionaire has committed to investing R$ 600 million in the park. The investments of the first three years focused on making the area more inclusive, offering experiences that go beyond the Iguazu Falls. The Falls Cycle Path, the São João Circuit, the Usina Space and a set of reopened and revitalized trails were built, in addition to new routes that allow tourists to contemplate the Falls at sunrise, sunset or dusk; and two new restaurants.
For the coming years, the planned innovations include the Adventure Circuit, with suspended trails, zip lines, sleds and observation towers along the banks of the Iguazú River; the new Waterfalls Trail, which will be completely revitalized with new viewpoints, duplicated sections and an expanded walkway overlooking the Devil’s Gorge; the revitalization of the traditional area of Porto Canoas, which will feature a renewed architectural concept, a panoramic terrace and spaces for events. In addition, visits to other areas will be expanded, providing infrastructure and opportunities to municipalities such as Capanema, São Miguel do Iguaçu and Céu Azul, located around the park.
The Iguazú 2030 National Park also has social and environmental initiatives that go beyond providing experiences and infrastructure, such as the total neutralization of carbon emissions, obtaining unprecedented environmental certifications and actions to strengthen the local economy. Currently, 74% of the park’s suppliers of products and services are local, which encourages regional development. It also invests in institutions and equipment for the research and preservation of fauna and flora.
Several teams of the ICMBio, the Military Environmental Police, the Federal Police, among other entities, dedicate many hours of work to the care of the National Park. Collaboration is essential to support this work. “For the Park 2030 project, we involve the communities of the municipalities that encompass the unit to understand the socioeconomic impacts, ecotourism and the attractions of the surrounding area. We work to implement a different tourism model that values the deepest experiences and the connection with nature. We trust in the power of the Falls to attract these visitors and further expand the preservation through research and studies,” explained the director of the Iguazú National Park, José Ulisses dos Santos.
The presentation of “Park 2030” was attended by the mayor of Foz do Iguaçu, General Joaquim Silva e Luna; the interim general manager of the Brazilian side of the Itaipú hydroelectric power plant, Luiz Fernando Ferreira Delazari; Representatives of the concessionaires of the Iguazú National Park, Helisul and Macuco Safari, and the Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel.
87 years old
Created on January 10, 1939, the Iguazú National Park has become an international reference in environmental conservation and management of protected areas. The ceremony commemorated this story and highlighted the recent achievement obtained at the end of 2025, where the park registered more than 2,058,000 visitors, the highest figure in its history, with an increase of 8.7% compared to the previous year and exceeding the pre-pandemic figures.
“This result reinforces the relevance of the destination for national and international tourism and the strategic role of the park in regional development. Thousands of people pass through here daily thanks to the work done for 87 years, which contributes to fulfilling the purpose established then: to preserve this environment, promote knowledge and environmental education,” explained the executive director of Urbia+Cataratas, Mario Macedo.