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 ClickBus data, the largest bus ticket sales app in Brazil, there was a 177% increase in ticket demand with departures between April 30th and May 7th compared to the same period last year when the holiday fell in the middle of the week.
The numbers show a trend in the sector: extended holidays continue to be one of the main drivers of domestic tourism, especially when bus transportation is the most affordable choice for short and medium-distance trips.
“Holidays increase the Brazilian’s desire to travel, as it becomes the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy a few days off without squeezing 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,” states 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 throughout the year, this year with even more prominence due to the concert by singer Lady Gaga on Copacabana beach. Belo Horizonte and Curitiba, which usually attract a significant flow of visitors during holidays due to their cultural centers, museums, and good gastronomy, and Londrina, which offers cultural events and various outdoor activities, besides being right next to Cambé, a neighboring town where the Labor Day celebration and the traditional sports tournament First of May take place.
In such seasonalities, road transportation is increasingly competitive due to the variety of schedules, more affordable prices, and ease of connection to smaller destinations, off the radar of major airlines. The sector’s expectation is that the positive movement will be repeated in the upcoming extended holidays of the year, confirming the recovery and continuous growth of the road transport mode.
