The Brazilian tourism sector is preparing for a carnival of financial records in 2026. According to projections by the CNC (National Confederation of Commerce in Goods, Services and Tourism), the festival should generate more than R$14 billion in revenue, representing a real growth of 3.8% compared to the previous year. The significant volume should also generate approximately 40 thousand temporary job vacancies.
According to Fabio Bentes, the sector has already overcome the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemiccurrently recording revenue 13% higher than pre-pandemic levels. “In fact, we can say, yes, that tourism has already left the trauma of the pandemic behind,” he stated. He recalled that the biggest impact on the sector occurred in 2021, as the health crisis began shortly after the 2020 carnival, when the sector lost two thirds of its revenue volume.
Change in consumption patterns
Relevant research data shows that the bar and restaurant sector should capture around 40% of the total revenue generated during the carnival period. This phenomenon reflects a trend of change in the habits of revelers, with more people choosing to enjoy the local carnival. “What we have observed in recent years is that large urban centers – Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, other capitals too – began to invest a lot in the local carnival. Many people sometimes even stop traveling, which doesn’t mean they don’t spend on tourism”, explained Bentes.
Another factor that contributes to this concentration is consumer purchasing behavior. While expenses for accommodation and air transportation are usually made in advance, food services are consumed during the party itself. “When we take a picture of the tourism sector’s revenue on the biggest holiday in the national calendar, what we notice is that in this segment, revenue generation occurs in conjunction with the provision of the service”, detailed the economist.
International tourism on the rise
The CNC projection indicates the arrival of 1.42 million foreign tourists for Brazilian carnival. Bentes highlighted that Brazil is becoming an increasingly frequent destination for international visitors, having received more than , a historic record. “This tourist who comes from abroad is a tourist who comes with strong currency, and ends up spending more than the national tourist”, he highlighted.
also plays an important role in this scenario, as Argentines represent approximately half of the flow of foreign tourists who visit Brazil annually. “When our neighbor’s economy recovers, the tourism sector here ends up celebrating too”, he added.
The expectation of generating 39,200 temporary vacancies for this year’s carnival it is only lower than the number recorded in 2014, the year of the World Cup in Brazil, when more than 55 thousand vacancies were created. The economist highlighted the importance of the sector for the economy as a whole: “The tourism sector is a very labor-intensive sector. It is not possible to replace, at least not yet, a maid or a waiter with artificial intelligence.”
