Rio de Janeiro expects to attract 5 million people to its street carnival

Rio de Janeiro’s street carnival this year should attract five million people and move 1 billion reais (US$200 million), the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Tourism Company (Riotur) announced today.

At a press conference, the president of Riotur, Ronnie Costa, said that the 2023 street carnival would represent about 20 percent of the total that the Carioca carnival will move in commerce and the city, in the service sector.

“The carnival has already started. We already had some blocks and a technical rehearsal at the Sambadrome. Rio de Janeiro has a carnival that lasts three-four months. After two years without this great party, we have great expectations”, commented Costa.

According to Riotur’s president, a study by the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Investment Promotion and Attraction Agency (InvestRio) points out that the commercial movement provided by the entire carnival may reach 5 billion reais (about US$ 1 billion).

Rio de Janeiro’s carnival, the most famous in the world, comprises a series of festivities, such as the samba school parades in the Sambódromo and the popular street “blocos” (musical troupes) and private dances and parties.

In the case of the street carnival, the number of registered “blocos” already exceeds 60, according to Riotur, in a preliminary balance released on January 9 by the entity.