Category:
Rio de Janeiro City Hall: Shakira's concert is expected to have an economic impact of approximately R$ 800 million for the city.
Published on 27/04/2026 - 11:07 | Updated
Study estimates crowds at Copacabana Beach of around 2 million people - Gabriel Monteiro / Riotur Shakira's concert on Copacabana Beach on May 2nd is expected to boost the city's economy by approximately R$ 800 million. The estimated audience is around 2 million people. This data comes from the study "Potential Economic Impacts of 'Todo Mundo no Rio' 2026 – Shakira," prepared by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall through the Municipal Secretariat of Economic Development (SMDE) and the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Tourism Company – Riotur. 'Todo Mundo no Rio' is part of Rio de Janeiro's event calendar, with concerts in May until at least 2028.
– “Todo Mundo no Rio” has become an event that attracts people to the city, even those who aren't coming to see the show in Copacabana. The city's occupancy increases in the weeks leading up to the event. People frequent restaurants, stay in hotels, and shop in the city's businesses. This is reflected in the numbers, with an impact of almost R$ 800 million. And this number only increases year after year because the date becomes more relevant to the calendar. In this way, it expands job creation, stimulates various sectors, and reinforces Rio as a global capital for major events,” says Eduardo Cavaliere, mayor of Rio de Janeiro.
The study estimates that “Todo Mundo no Rio 2026 – Shakira” has the potential to generate R$ 776,2 million in the Rio de Janeiro economy, considering public spending. Of the expected two million people, the projection is that 13,9% will be domestic tourists (278), 1,6% international tourists (32), and 84,6% residents of Rio de Janeiro and the Metropolitan Region (1,7 million). The estimate follows the same distribution observed in previous events, according to the Rio de Janeiro Tourism Observatory (SMTUR-Rio). The calculation also takes into account the average daily spending of R$ 547,30 for Brazilian tourists (with a three-day stay), R$ 626,40 for foreign tourists (four days), and R$ 141,75 for the local public.
According to the president of Riotur, Bernardo Fellows, the key difference lies in the destination's unique ability to combine scale, scenery, and experience: – Copacabana offers a rare combination in the world: infrastructure, iconic landscape, and the experience of hosting millions of people. This strategically positions Rio on the international circuit of major shows and increases tourist interest throughout the year.
The impact of the "Everyone in Rio" concerts also generates spontaneous international promotion for the city. Shakira's show should reinforce Rio's image in the global market, just as happened with Madonna in 2024 and Lady Gaga in 2025. For 2026, the expectation is that international exposure will reach approximately US$250 million (approximately R$1,3 billion, considering the average exchange rate during that period), in line with the results of previous years. Combined, the last two concerts generated approximately US$500 million in spontaneous international media coverage—equivalent to approximately R$2,7 billion in free visibility for the city.
According to the municipal secretary of Economic Development, Osmar Lima, the numbers reflect the consolidation of the municipality's strategy of investing in large-scale events, reinforcing the city's vocation:
– The economic impact goes beyond the event itself. It translates into increased revenue, job creation, and the revitalization of strategic production chains, with effects that extend throughout the year and across the entire city's economy.
Beach concerts boost tourism and revenue in May.
According to data from the Rio de Janeiro Tourism Observatory, of the Municipal Tourism Secretariat of Rio (SMTUR-Rio), there was a strong increase in the number of tourists in the month of May in the years with shows (2024 and 2025), compared to 2023 — the last year without performances on Copacabana Beach during that period. In 2024, the growth in the total number of visitors on Labor Day (regardless of whether they went to the show or not) was 34,2% compared to the previous year. In 2025, the increase was 90,5% compared to 2023.
In May 2025, driven mainly by the "Everyone in Rio" campaign, the city collected R$ 66,8 million in taxes on services related to tourism, events, municipal transport, airport/bus station, and artists. This amount represents a real growth of 23,2% — adjusted for inflation — compared to May 2023, when Rio did not yet host major international concerts during that period. In absolute terms, the increase was R$ 12,6 million (the total collected in ISS [municipal service tax] in May 2023 was R$ 54,3 million).
Comparing May 2025 to May 2024 — the year of Madonna's concert — the real growth was 8,2%, with an additional revenue of R$ 5,1 million, since in May 2024 the total had been R$ 61,8 million.
According to the Rio Heritage of Humanity Institute (IRPH), since 2012, UNESCO has recognized the Rio de Janeiro Site: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea as a World Heritage Site. Copacabana Beach — the stage for concerts by Madonna (2024), Lady Gaga (2025) and Shakira (2026) — was chosen not only for its beauty, but for being an essential element of this urban cultural landscape, where nature and human intervention are uniquely integrated.
The full study is available at the Rio Economic Observatory, at the link economic observatory.rio and on the Riotur website – riotur.rio.
News
