Impact of tourism on the economy of the city reaches R $ 17.2 billion in the first half of 2026

Tourism continues to drive the economy of Rio!

Between January and June 2026, the activity moved R$ 17.2 billion in the city, a growth of 2.8% in relation to the same period of the previous year, the equivalent of R$ 465.5 million more in the Rio economy. In the same interval, Rio received 6.4 million visitors, consolidating its position as one of Brazil's main tourist destinations.

The data are part of a study of the Prefeitura do Rio, through the Riotur, the Municipal Secretariat of Economic Development (SMDE) and the Municipal Secretariat of Tourism (SMTUR-Rio), based on information from the Carioca Tourism Observatory. Of all tourists, 1.3 million were international (20%) and 5.1 million national (80%).

From the estimated economic impact for the period, R$ 11.3 billion (65.6%) were generated by national tourists and R$ 5.9 billion (34.4%) by international visitors.

Most of the tourists' expenses were for accommodation and accommodation, responsible for 40% of the economic movement (R$ 7.1 billion), followed by restaurants and bars (24.9%, or R$ 4.3 billion) and entertainment and leisure (15.9%, or R$ 2.7 billion). Transport and transportation (7.4%), purchases (4.5%) and other expenditures, such as food, fuel and telecommunications (7.3%), complete the positive impact of tourism in different segments of the city's economy.

The survey considers an average cost of R$ 2,212 per Brazilian tourist, updated to June 2026 values by the Institute of Research and Analysis (IFec RJ), and R$ 4,624 per international visitor, converted into dollar and updated by the exchange rate of June 2026. The estimate is based on data from the Carioca Tourism Observatory and the study Tourist Panorama – Domestic and International Tourism 2025, from the Institute of Research and Analysis (IFec RJ).

The performance reinforces the role of Rio as a tourist destination throughout the year, driven by a calendar of great events, natural attractions, cultural heritage, gastronomy and experiences that move the economy and strengthen the entire tourism chain.