RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Instead of commuting to work, Catia Santiago spent her Monday morning on the golden sands of Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach, soaking up the sunshine without a pang of guilt, thanks to the World Cup.
Between Carnival celebrations and a generous smattering of Catholic observances, Brazilians enjoy an extensive calendar of public holidays. But this year, workers are seeing even more time off because of the monthlong soccer tournament.
The extra holidays are helping clear commuters from Brazil’s perennially clogged roads to make it easier for fans travel to and from the stadiums. While many workers such as the sunbathing Santiago have embraced the measure, critics contend it’s detrimental for Brazilian businesses.
Fecomercio, a Sao Paulo-based industry group representing the goods, services, and tourism sectors, forecasts that those businesses may lose up to $13.5 billion due to lost productivity and the need to pay double salaries to people who work government-declared holidays. However, Brazil’s Tourism Ministry has said the Cup itself will inject that much money into the nation’s economy, offsetting any such losses.
With Rio’s City Hall declaring full- or half-day holidays on days with matches at the city’s famed Maracana stadium, and many businesses shutting down when Brazil’s national team plays, last week there were only two regular work days in this city of 12 million. This week will be much the same.