Rio Carnival 2026 Forecast to Match R$5.7 Billion Windfall as Hotel Bookings Climb

Overview

• Riotur projects economic activity of about R$5.7 billion for this year’s festivities, in line with or slightly above 2025.
• Liesa estimates roughly 50,000 jobs tied to the carnival period, with the new Copacabana Fan Fest alone expecting about 800 hires.
• Hotel occupancy has already surpassed 73% for the holiday period, with HotéisRio citing peaks that could reach about 98.62% across the city.
• Current booking leaders include Centro at 83.7% and Ipanema/Leblon at 81.1%, reflecting demand concentrated near blocos and key tourist areas.
• Transport operators forecast sharp increases, including 535,000 passengers through the city bus terminal between Feb. 12–23, 1,862 buses on carnival Saturday, and a 72% jump in Buser trips that day.