700.000 people are expected for the music festival Rock in Rio and the hotel occupancy during the event is projected to exceed 80%.
A massive festival with majestic numbers. About 700.000 people are expected in the traditional venue, the City of Rock, about 100.000 a day. The music festival promises to transform the carioca landscape between September 27 and 29 and October 3 and 6.
According to a study conducted by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), the impact on Rio de Janeiro’s economy will be greater than in the previous edition. The estimate for 2019 is R$ 1.7 billion during the event’s seven days. In 2017, the revenues reached R$ 1.4 billion. The secretary of Economic Development, Employment and International Relations, Lucas Tristão, states that the festival is very important for the entire state, not only for the capital or the venue, the City of Rock.
“Rock in Rio is an important event for Rio de Janeiro: it attracts thousands of tourists from other Brazilian states and also from abroad, creating countless job opportunities. This boosts our economy. Tourism is crucial for Rio de Janeiro and we will encourage this large number of visitors to get to know the beauties and attractions of the state and the cities,” said the secretary.
The vice-president of the festival Roberta Medina emphasizes that this is an important moment for the state. “We cooperate with the authorities. An example is a partnership we established with the State Government, along with the tourism trade, which offers discounts for those who visit the festival and intend to visit cities outside the capital.”
The hotel occupancy in Rio de Janeiro should exceed 80% during Rock in Rio. Data published by Hotéis Rio - Sindicato dos Meios de Hospedagens do Município states that, in the first week of the festival (September 27 to 29), 78% of the rooms will be occupied on average. The neighborhoods of Ipanema and Leblon are the most sought after by tourists, accounting for 88% of the reservations.
In the second week (October 3 to 6), the forecast points to 84% of hotel occupancy in the capital. The regions of Flamengo/Botafogo (92%), Barra/São Conrado (85%) and Ipanema/Leblon (85%) are the most sought after by those who want accommodation in the capital.
“Rock in Rio is a strategic and well-known event. We took this opportunity to launch TurisRock, which allows tourists to visit other attractions and destinations within the state, before, during or after the concerts. It’s a moment when Rio de Janeiro reveals all its tourist potential,” the Secretary of State for Tourism, Otávio Leite, revealed. He mentions that 173 hotels and inns have subscribed to the State Government’s program, which offers a 30% discount for those who have festival tickets.
Also according to Sindicato dos Meios de Hospedagens do Município, the majority of tourists are Brazilian, coming from the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Bahia. The Americans are the most represented nation among foreign visitors, followed by Argentineans and French.
“The festival is one of the main events of our calendar, along with the New Year’s Eve and Carnival. We predict that hotel occupancy will grow by at least 50% on the two weekends of the event”, added Alfredo Lopes, president of Hotéis Rio.
According to the event’s organization, 60% of the audience comes from outside Rio de Janeiro. Visitors from 73 countries bought tickets, including Russia, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Norway, Chile, Denmark, and Canada. In relation to Brazilians, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, and Brasília are the most represented states.
To respond to the demand of visitors from outside the state, the airline Latam strengthened the number of flights to Rio de Janeiro. With 76 extra flights to the Galeão international airport, they depart from Brasília, Belo Horizonte (Confins), Florianópolis, Fortaleza, São Paulo (Guarulhos), Goiânia, Porto Alegre, Recife, and Salvador. According to the company, this represents an increase of 14.000 seats in the airline.