Events have experienced exponential growth this year as business travel returns to normality after the pandemic. As a result, event tourism in Ceará has risen steadily throughout 2023 and is set to grow by 30% in 2024. The travel sector in the state has welcomed the increase, particularly as business travellers spend twice as much as regular visitors and boost employment in the tourist industry.
Strong demand for events tourism in Ceará
2023 has been an excellent year for events tourism in Ceará, with consistent demand for space at the Fortaleza Events Centre. October has registered record figures for congresses and attendees. One weekend brought around 20,000 people to Fortaleza.
By the end of this year, the Events Centre will have hosted 115 events, with a particularly busy autumn season. If 2024 sees the same rate, events tourism will see 30% growth in 2024.
Events tourism boosts employment
The tourist sector forms an essential pillar in the Ceará economy and within it, events are responsible for most job creation. “Events take place over several days,” explained Yrwana Albuquerque, Director of Tourism in Ceará, “and require people from all sorts of sectors including logistics, equipment, translation and travel agencies. As a result, it’s one of the biggest drivers of employment”.
Albuquerque expects events tourism in Ceará to consolidate its position within the sector, adding diversity to the state’s long list of tourist attractions. She pointed out that the Events Centre hosts several key congresses in Brazil every year, such as the Brazilian Ophthalmology Congress and Expolog. It will also welcome G20 delegates next year, with at least four top-level meetings within the facility.
Event tourists spend more
In terms of revenue, business and events tourism is always higher. In Ceará, for example, business travellers spend an average of R$700 a day. The amount is double the R$350 spent by visitors on holiday.
As a result, business tourism in Brazil has made a full recovery since the pandemic, with higher revenue than in 2019. In August, the sector took R$1.2 billion, 21% more than the same month in 2019. Car hire saw the most substantial income injection, with a 104% increase, while hotel revenue rose by 34%.
Furthermore, event tourists are likely to revisit Ceará with friends or family at a later date. According to a survey from the Ceará Tourism Department, 90% of business travellers to Ceará express interest in returning to the state for a holiday.
(Source: Diario do Nordeste)
