The Minas Santa 2024 program surprised positively in its tourist flow during the Holy Week period, surpassing the projections of the State Tourism Observatory. With about half a million people traveling through Minas Geraisthe number was 20% higher than estimated, highlighting the state as the country’s main tourist destination during the religious holiday.
The second edition of Minas Santa provided 660 events in approximately 600 participating citiesboosting not only tourism, but also hotel occupancy.
According to the Brazilian Association of the Hotel Industry of Minas Gerais (ABIH-MG), the main accommodation facilities recorded 100% occupancy from Friday (29/03) to Sunday (31/03) in 10 municipalities in Minas Gerais:
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL JOIN OUR TELEGRAM GROUP
- Black gold;
- Mariana;
- Tiradentes;
- Lavras Novas;
- São João del Rei;
- Congonhas;
- Santa Barbara;
- Caeté;
- Diamond;
- Serra.
One of the highlights was the historic city of Black goldwhich received 35 thousand tourists.
“All expectations were exceeded. We had the Ouro Preto population as an active force during Holy Week, whether in planning the religious festival or in making carpets. This demonstrates the feeling of belonging to this important moment”, says the director of Tourism of Ouro Preto, Felipe Henrique Xavier.
Tourist movement in cities in Minas
Other cities in Minas Gerais, such as Mariana, Tiradentes, São João del Rei It is Diamond have also experienced a significant increase in tourist demand.
Caetéfor example, witnessed a notable increase in visitation, with the Basilica Nossa Senhora da Piedade Sanctuary receiving more than four thousand visitors.
“In the historic parishes and the sanctuary, we had the largest audience ever, in addition to the clear perception that many tourists, including foreigners, were attracted”, reports the technical coordinator of the Municipal Secretariat of Tourism, Culture and Heritage of Caeté, Pedro Silva Conceição.
The success of the program was also reflected in the Confins International Airportwhich offered almost 90 additional flights during Holy Week, meeting growing passenger demand.
The celebrations were publicized on Portal Minas Gerais, with the catalog tourists from Minas Gerais and across the country were able to plan their trips and take advantage of the state’s cultural and religious diversity.
The Secretary of State for Culture and Tourism of Minas Gerais, Leônidas de Oliveira, highlights the importance of Holy Week as a significant moment for tourism in the state, highlighting the variety of artistic and cultural manifestations that characterize this period.
“Holy Week is the great moment of tourist activity in Minas Gerais, it is the biggest celebration we have here with a great movement of domestic tourism in Minas. All our actions during Holy Week involve culture, from historical heritage to crafts. During this period, we have the union of arts: theater, music, dance, visual arts, sculpture and fashion”, he says.
*In internship, under editing supervision
