April holidays increase ISS Tourism collection in Rio

The Tax on Services of Any Nature (ISS) for tourism may close the month of April with a collection of R$ 16.6 million in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. The estimate by the Municipal Secretariat for Economic Development, Innovation and Simplification and the Tourism Company of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro (Riotur) is based on the number of holidays in the month: Passion Friday (7) and Tiradentes Day ( 21), which are national, and Saint George’s Day (23), a state holiday.

According to calculations by the secretariat and Riotur, the estimated total is 15% higher than the collection obtained in 2019, the last year before the covid-19 pandemic. The special study Economics of Tourism in Rio, developed by the secretariat, indicates that the month is important for the economy of the municipality and represents 8.9% of all ISS Tourism collection throughout the year.

“The arrival of tourists to Rio has an incredible impact on the economy. We are talking here of almost R$ 17 million in April alone with ISS collection. This represents almost 10% of the year’s collection of ISS from tourists. Rio de Janeiro already has a geography that helps this attraction a lot, and Riotur has played a role in enhancing and helping to publicize the things that happen in Rio de Janeiro”, said the company’s president, Ronnie Costa, to Brazil Agency.

The data indicate that, in April 2019, Rio collected BRL 14.4 million with taxes related to tourism. The value fell in the following two years, when the economy suffered the impacts of the pandemic, mainly in the tourism sector. In 2020, the collection reached BRL 7.2 million and, in 2021, it was BRL 5.5 million, much lower volumes than estimated for this year.

For the Secretary of Economic Development, Innovation and Simplification, Chicão Bulhões, in addition to foreign and national tourists, the city’s residents themselves help move the economy on holidays, which are important periods for Rio, which receives thousands of Brazilian and foreign tourists. . In addition, holidays offer cariocas the opportunity to circulate a little more around the city, says a note from the secretariat. “All this helps to move the economy of our city, which has a strong vocation in tourism”, adds the text.

Last year, the situation was different. With the incidence of covid-19 more controlled, there was an out-of-season carnival, with the transfer of the samba school parades to April. Data collected on Passarela do Samba, for publication data carnival, prepared by the secretariat, in partnership with the João Goulart Foundation and Riotur, showed that the profile of the public at the parades was composed mostly of Brazilians. Among them, 68.8% residents of the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, 25.4% national tourists and 5.8% foreign tourists.

Year-round attractions

For Ronnie Costa, holidays are essential to keep the tourism chain active. For this reason, Riotur has been actively working to publicize the city with a focus on these periods, presenting the program, offers and seeking to attract tourists who are in nearby cities and states. According to Costa, the most frequent visitors are from the interior of São Paulo

“Past the New Year’s Eve and carnival, Rio de Janeiro continues thriving, thank God. First year of post-pandemic recovery, and Riotur is very happy to be able to contribute to people continuing to come, attend and visit Rio de Janeiro”, said Ronnie Costa.

The president of Riotur highlighted that the city has attractions and activities throughout the year, not only during Carnival and New Year’s Eve. “The city has many events and many attractions and, through the city hall and Riotur, we are helping to show that Rio de Janeiro remains prepared to receive all tourists throughout the year.”