Carnival: Hotel occupancy rate exceeds 91% in Rio
A survey released on Thursday (Feb. 12) by the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Hotel Association (HotéisRIO) and the Brazilian Association of the Hotel Industry of Rio de Janeiro (ABIH-RJ) reveals that hotel occupancy rate for the Carnival period exceeds 91 percent in the capital and 80 percent in the interior of the state. Last year, occupancy rate reached 98.62 percent.
The highest occupancy rates occur in the South Zone and the city center, home to Copacabana and Ipanema beaches and major Carnival parades. Last year, hotel occupancy during Carnival reached 98.62 percent.
During February 20–21, when the champion samba schools parade, average hotel occupancy rate in the capital is also expected to be high, at 85.13 percent.
The president of HotéisRIO, Alfredo Lopes, emphasized that Carnival is Rio de Janeiro’s main festival due to guests’ longer stays compared to New Year’s Eve. “This longer stay results in full hotels and strong results for the tourism sector - bars, restaurants, and shopping malls - benefiting the city’s revenue. Our expectation is to surpass last year’s figures. The growth in international tourists will certainly contribute to this,” he said.
Beyond the capital
In the interior of the state, ABIH-RJ’s research for Carnival 2026 reveals an average occupancy rate of 80.71 percent, mainly in beach towns such as Arraial do Cabo (93.40%) and Angra dos Reis (90.30%).
The association’s president, José Domingo Bouzon, highlighted that the high demand from tourists during Carnival also has repercussions for the hotel sector outside the capital. “Throughout the state, hotels and guesthouses offer visitors first-class infrastructure, with diverse leisure options and programming geared toward the festivities, which attracts many tourists.”
