Abrasel: Commerce should earn 15% more with extended holidays

The long Corpus Christi holiday, combined with the March for Jesus and the 2026 LGBT+ Pride Parade in São Paulo, should generate an average increase of 15% in the revenue of bars and restaurants in the city compared to regular weekends.

The projection is from Abrasel (Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants) in São Paulo.

In the vicinity of the places where events take place, growth can be even more significant. In an interview with CNN Money, Gabriel Pinheiro, executive leader of Abrasel in São Paulo, states that the increase could reach up to 50% in establishments located in the regions where the attractions are concentrated.

Tourists as the main drivers of consumption
The flow of visitors from other cities and states is identified as the main factor behind the expected positive performance.

"These specific events bring many tourists from all over Brazil", said Gabriel Pinheiro.

According to him, tourists take advantage of their stay to visit different establishments, moving the entire sector chain.

"When a person comes, whether for the March for Jesus or the LGBT+ Pride Parade, they will have breakfast at the bakery, lunch at a restaurant, go to a bar", he highlighted.

Gabriel Pinheiro also highlighted that São Paulo, contrary to what happens on other holidays, does not empty during this period. The movement is the opposite: the city receives a significant volume of people from outside, which differentiates this long holiday from others.

Abrasel: Commerce should earn 15% more with extended holidays | MARKET CLOSURE

Guidelines for establishments
Given the expected increase in customer flow, Abrasel recommends that establishments adopt measures to ensure operational efficiency.

Gabriel Pinheiro recommends that bars and restaurants work with leaner menus, speed up service and consider creating combos or themed decorations in line with events.

"Hospitality is universal. We need to serve all types of customers", he said.

Challenges for the rest of the year
Despite the optimism for June - which also includes Valentine's Day and World Cup games -, Gabriel Pinheiro warned of a challenging scenario for the rest of the year.

According to him, the sector faces increasingly tight margins, debt remaining from the pandemic and pressure from inflation on food prices.

"The businessman is very tight in this equation: I need to increase the price, but I can't, because otherwise I will reduce traffic", he explained.

Another point of attention mentioned was the proposal to change the 6x1 work schedule, which is still being processed and whose impacts on the sector, according to Gabriel Pinheiro, need to be discussed with the government.

"We need to have a conversation to understand what the real impacts will be within the sector and what the government will bring in return for this effort", he concluded.

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Source: CNN