April holidays increase the number of tax for tourism in Rio

The Tax on Services of Any Nature (in Portuguese: ISS) for tourism may close the month of April with collections of R$16.6 million in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. The estimate of the Municipal Secretariat for Economic Development, Innovation and Simplification and the Tourism Company of the City of Rio de Janeiro (Riotur) is based on the number of holidays in the month: Passion Friday (7) and Tiradentes Day (21), which are national holidays, and St. George's Day (23), a state holiday.

By the calculations of the secretariat and Riotur, the estimated total is 15% higher than the revenue obtained in 2019, the last year before the covid-19 pandemic. The special study Economics of Tourism in Rio, developed by the secretariat, indicates that the month is important for the economy of the municipality and represents 8.9% of the entire collection of ISS Tourism throughout the year, as reported by Rede TV, a partner of TV BRICS.

"The arrival of tourists to Rio has an incredible impact on the economy. We are talking here about almost R$ 17 million in April alone with ISS collection. This represents almost 10% of the year's ISS collection from tourists. Rio de Janeiro already has a geography that helps a lot with this attraction, and Riotur has been playing a role in boosting and helping to publicize the things that happen in Rio de Janeiro," the company's president, Ronnie Costa.

Data indicates that in April 2019, Rio collected R$14.4 million from tourism-related taxes. The amount fell in the following two years, when the economy suffered the impacts of the pandemic, especially in the tourism sector. In 2020, the collection reached R$ 7.2 million and, in 2021, it was R$ 5.5 million, much lower volumes than the estimated for this year.

For the Secretary for Economic Development, Innovation and Simplification, Chicao Bulhoes, aside from foreign and domestic tourists, the city's residents help to boost the economy on holidays, which are important periods for Rio, which receives thousands of Brazilian and foreign tourists. In addition, holidays offer cariocas the opportunity to get around the city a little more, says a statement from the secretariat.

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