2023 sees the return of Carnival in Brazil for the first time since 2020. As a result, the country’s top carnival destinations are looking forward to a surge in visitors and revenue. Ceará tourist destinations are among them, including the state’s capital Fortaleza and beach hot spots, such as Flecheiras and Jericoacoara.
Higher Carnival revenue
According to the latest data from the Brazilian Confederation of Services and Tourism (CNC), Carnival in Ceará will inject substantial funds into the state. Revenue from Ceará tourist destinations is expected to reach R$233.7 million over the holiday period.
Significantly, this figure is well above earnings taken during the 2022 Carnival celebrations, when they reached R$194.9 million. The 20% increase shows that tourism in Ceará continues to get back on track to its 2019 levels. Not for nothing was Ceará the favourite holiday spot among Brazilians in 2022.
High hotel occupancy at Ceará tourist destinations
Carnival is one of the busiest times of the year in Ceará, a favourite among Brazilians for the celebrations. As a result, hotel occupancy ranges from 70 to 90% at key destinations in the state.
The Brazilian Association of Hotels in Ceará, ABIH-CE, expects occupancy rates of at least 70% in Ceará this February. “January was extremely positive,” said Régis Medeiros, President of the association, “and it reached 80% during the month.” He added that expectations are even higher for Carnival.
Some tourist destinations in Ceará will experience almost full occupancy. They include Jericoacoara, Icaraí de Amontada and Flecheiras, all popular holiday spots for visitors from Southeast Brazil.
Fortaleza top spot for Carnival in Brazil
The capital ranks as one of the most popular places to celebrate Carnival in Brazil, and 2023 promises to be no exception. The city’s Tourism Department estimates hotel occupancy of 70 to 80% during the celebrations.
Fortaleza continues to return to its status as one of the preferred holiday destinations in Brazil. In 2022, it was the third most popular for Brazilian tourists.
Data for Carnival 2020, the last pre-pandemic celebrations, shows that most tourists spent more than a week in the city, while 35% stayed for four or five days. The majority were Brazilians (88.44%), and over 91% were experiencing Carnival in Fortaleza for the first time.
(Source: ADIH-CE, Fortaleza Tourism Department)
