São Paulo – This year’s Carnival will generate 6.8 million tourists in Brazil during 13th to 18th February. The estimative includes Brazilians and foreigners and was released by the Ministry of Tourism, and also indicates that travellers should generate R$ 6.6 billion (US$ 2.47 billion), an amount that surpass the R$ 6.1 billion (US$ 2.29 billion) spent by the 6.6 million tourists that travelled around the country during the Carnival from 2014.
According to the Ministry of Tourism study, the amount spent this holiday means a 3% of the yearly revenue of the tourism and travel industry in Brazil. In the press release, the minister Vinicius Lages says that Carnival is a “strategic” date for the sector.
“It’s an extremely strategic party because it put us in a prominent position in the world, not only as organizers of large events but mainly by the enchantment of a genuine celebration of Brazilian culture. An experience originally ours, unique, which is only possible to experience here – and that is a strong attribute of competitiveness”, says Lages.
In the Ministry’s estimate, Rio de Janeiro state is the one that will receive more visitors and where they will spend the most. It should receive 1.3 million tourists with a spending estimate of R$ 1.2 billion (US$ 450 million). São Paulo should be the second most visited tourist destination, with 989,000 visitors and spending at R$ 970.4 million (US$ 364 million).
In Pernambuco, 871,000 tourists are expected, with spending estimate at R$ 858 million (US$ 322 million). Bahia should host 707,000 tourists, with an estimate of R$ 697 million (US$ 261 million). Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina and Ceará round up the list of states that will benefit the most of tourist flow this Carnival, as put it by the Ministry of Tourism’s estimate.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
