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Brazil’s Carnival celebration is shaping up to be a historic milestone for the country’s tourism sector. An expected crowd of 65 million revelers will fill the streets, according to estimates from the Ministry of Tourism and Embratur, Brazil’s international tourism promotion agency, a 22 percent increase for February 2026 as compared with 2025.
More than 40 million people are expected to attend this week’s Carnival events in the country’s four main states — Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, and Belo Horizonte.
In Rio de Janeiro, home to the most iconic Carnival celebration, the traditional parades at the Sambadrome combined with the activities of 462 street blocos (organized street gatherings in specific neighborhoods where participants dress in costumes and sing and dance to Carnival music) are expected to attract 8 mililion participants, injecting $1 billion into the local economy. The strong momentum is evident in Rio’s hotel sector. which is operating at 98 percent of capacity.
Airline travel to Rio de Janeiro is also trending upward. The purchase of international airline tickets to Rio de Janeiro increased by nine percent during February 13–18. The top source markets are Chile, with a 41 percent increase in demand, followed by the United States (+11 percent) and Argentina (+8 percent). Nationwide, searches for international flights to Brazil rose 21 percent compared to the previous year.
Beyond Rio, other highly attended and celebrated Carnivals include:
- Bahia:International flight bookings and ticket sales to the state—home to one of the country’s most popular Carnivals—increased 43 percent.
- São Paulo:More than 16 million people are expected, along with the parade of 600 blocos.
- Belo Horizonte: Projects 6.2 million attendees and an economic impact of $190 million.
- Recife and Olinda:These cities in the northeastern state of Pernambuco are estimated to attract 3.6 million and 4 million people, respectively. Their Carnival features different musical rhythms—frevo and maracatu instead of samba—yet similarly draws millions to its street parades and open-air performances.
Embratur has established a strategic partnership with the global platform Beautiful Destinations to promote Brazil’s Carnival internationally, highlighting it as a showcase of cultural, gastronomic, and luxury experiences.
“We want to show that, beyond being a grand and technologically impressive celebration, Brazilian Carnival offers diverse experiences that include luxury, gastronomy, and deep cultural immersion,” said Marcelo Freixo, Embratur’s president. “It is a powerful tool to influence international travelers’ purchasing decisions for 2027.”
This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.
Contact My Journey Begins Travel to plan and book your trip for Brazil’s Carnival celebration.