Minas Gerais generates R$5 billion a year in faith tourism, says state government

Data from the Minas Gerais Tourism Observatory – an entity linked to the state government – ​​reveals that religious tourism generates around R$5 billion per year throughout the state.

According to the department, 36% of travelers arriving in the state of Minas Gerais’s main focus is to visit places and festivals with historical and cultural richness, including religious goods and events.

According to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), Minas Gerais remains at the forefront of tourism growth, exceeding the national average by 15 times in February this year.

In 2024, the second edition of the Minas Santa program, one of the drivers of faith tourism in the state, generated a tourist movement of 500 thousand people during the Holy Week period. The 660 actions had the participation of around 600 municipalities, positioning Minas Gerais as the country’s main tourist destination for the holiday.

There are currently 11 routes of faith registered in the state: Pilgrimage Route, Religious Path of Estrada Real, Path of Light, Path of Faith, Path of Nhá Chica, Paths of Padre Victor, Paths of Padre Libério, Sanctuary of the Mother Queen, Rota Nos Passos de Dom Viçoso, Caminho das Capelas and Caminhos Franciscans.

The Ore Comigo Music Festival, considered the largest music and prayer festival in Latin America, emerges as one of the main events in the state, capable of boosting the creativity and entertainment economy and hotel occupancy in Belo Horizonte.

The second edition of the faith and song event is scheduled to take place on June 22nd at the Mineirão stadium.

In 2023, the festival generated around 1,000 direct jobs, collected more than 16 tons of non-perishable food for donation and brought together approximately 60 thousand people. The expectation is that the number will be surpassed this year. In more than 12 hours of programming with the main names of the Brazilian gospel scene.