In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of services in Brazil increased 1.1% in October against September.  With this result, the services sector renewed the peak of the time series and it is 17.8% above the pre-pandemic level (February 2020). The rise this month was mainly leveraged by transportation services, which grew 4.1%, with positive rates in their four modes: road (1.6%), water (0.7%), air (27.1%) and storage, support activities for transportation and mailing (2.6%).

Professional, administrative and complementary services (1.6%) was another sector that rose. The other three economic activities showed negative rates: information and communication (-1.0%), other services (-1.4%) and services rendered to families
(-0.1%).

Rodrigo Lobo, Manager of the Monthly Survey of Services, notes that "air transportation exerted the major positive impact this month, due to the drop noticed in the prices of airfare."

In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of services grew in 22 out of 27 Federation Units. The most important positive impacts came from São Paulo (1.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (5.1%) and Paraná (2.1%). On the other hand, Rio de Janeiro (-1.8%) exerted the major negative influence this month, followed by Amazonas (-4.2%) and Piauí (-3.5%). The manager of the IBGE´s PMS reminds that "the drop in volume of services in Rio de Janeiro is correlated with the strong rise registered in September in the segment of theater and musical shows, due to Rock in Rio."

Twenty-two out of 27 Federation Units rose against October 2023. The most important positive contribution came from São Paulo (8.6%), followed by Paraná (9.3%), Santa Catarina (12.7%) and Rio de Janeiro (2.5%). On the dropping side, Rio Grande do Sul (-3.8%) stood out, followed by Mato Grosso (-2.9%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (-4.1%).

Compared with the same period a year ago, the cumulative index in the year rose in 20 out of 27 Federation Units. The major positive impact came from São Paulo (4.9%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (3.5%), Santa Catarina (6.5%), Paraná (4.1%) and Minas Gerais (1.9%). The most important negative influences came from Rio Grande do Sul (-7.3%) and Mato Grosso (-9.0%).

Tourism activities grow 4.7% and have a new record level

Volume of tourism activities in Brazil grew 4.7% in October 2024 over September. As a result, the tourism segment is 12.9% above the pre-pandemic level (February 2020) and renews the peak in the time series, surpassing by 4.4% the month of June 2024, the old peak.

Still in the seasonally-adjusted series, these activities grew in 16 out of 17 places surveyed, highlighted by São Paulo (8.5%), followed by Pernambuco (8.7%), Bahia (4.8%), Ceará (10.8%) and Federal District (6.6%). In contrast, only Rio de Janeiro (-6.5%) retreated in the tourism activities.

Compared with October 2023, volume of tourism activities in Brazil grew 8.5%, the fifth positive figure in a row. In this comparison, the highlights were companies that work in the sectors of air transportation of passengers, restaurants, catering services, theater and musical shows, and travel agencies.

In regional terms, 14 out of 16 Federation Units in which the indicator is investigated advanced their tourism services, highlighted by São Paulo (9.6%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (9.0%), Santa Catarina (19.0%), Paraná (12.7%) and Bahia (8.3%). On the other hand, Rio Grande do Sul (-12.9%) exerted the major negative impact this month, followed by Mato Grosso (-5.3%) and Alagoas (-0.6%)

According to Rodrigo Lobo, "the strong rise in the tourism activities in October is correlated with the increase in the revenue coming from air transportation and restaurants."

October faces rise in passenger (8.7%) and cargo transportation (1.5%)

In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of passenger transportation in Brazil grew 8.7% in October over September, lifting this segment to a level 10.9% above the level of February 2020 (pre-pandemic), though 14.4% below the peak in the time series, hit in February 2024.

Cargo transportation grew 1.5%, standing 5.6% below the peak of the time series (July 2023) and 35.8% above the pre-pandemic level (February 2020).

Compared with October 2023, passenger transportation grew 19.4%, the highest figure since September 2022 (22.8%). Cargo transportation advanced 1.5%, interrupting a sequence of five negative rates.

In terms of the cumulative index in the year, transportation of passengers increased 0.8% against the same period in 2023, whereas cargo transportation retreated 2.2% in the same period.

More about the survey

The Monthly Survey of Services produces indicators to monitor the short-term behavior of the services sector in Brazil. The survey investigates the gross revenue from services in formal enterprises employing 20 or more persons, in which the main activity is a non-financial service, excluding the areas of health and education.  It produces results for Brazil and all the Federation Units. The results are available on Sidra.

This is the 20th release of the new time series of the survey, which updated the sample of enterprises and its methodology, which are scheduled and periodically implemented by the IBGE. The next release of the Monthly Survey of Services, related to November, will be on January 15.