Labor Day, a national holiday celebrated on May 1st, which falls on a Thursday this year, significantly boosted the demand for bus tickets across Brazil. According to data from ClickBus, the largest bus ticket sales app in Brazil, there was a 177% increase in ticket demand for departures between April 30th and May 7th, compared to the same period last year when the holiday fell midweek.
The numbers show a trend in the sector: long weekends remain one of the main drivers of domestic tourism, especially when bus travel is the most affordable choice for short and medium-distance trips.
“Holidays increase Brazilians’ desire to travel, as they become the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy a few days off without straining the budget too much. When the break allows for three or four consecutive days, we see a significant movement of departures, especially to destinations like major urban centers,” says Elbert Leonardo, Commercial Vice President of ClickBus.
The most sought-after destinations for this holiday include cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, already known as major tourist hubs year-round, this year with even more prominence due to singer Lady Gaga’s concert on Copacabana Beach. Belo Horizonte and Curitiba, which usually receive a significant flow of visitors during holidays for their cultural centers, museums, and good gastronomy, and Londrina, which offers cultural events and various outdoor activities, plus being right next to Cambé, a neighboring city hosting the Labor Day Festival and the traditional May 1st sports tournament.
During seasonal peaks like this, bus travel proves increasingly competitive due to its diverse schedules, more affordable prices, and ease of connection to smaller destinations, off the radar of major airlines. The sector expects this positive trend to repeat in the upcoming long weekends of the year, confirming the recovery and continuous growth of road transportation.
