Tourism in the city of São Paulo stands out more for its business tourism than recreational tourism. However, cultural tourism is also important for the city, especially due to the several international events that take place in the region, such as the Art Biennial, the International Film Festival and the different performances with foreign celebrities that normally only happen on the Rio de Janeiro-São Paulo axis. The city has an average of one event every six minutes and between 410 and 550 hotels, offering visitors a total of between 42,000 and 50,000 rooms.

Despite its economic vitality, tourism is still a sector that exposes the severe socio-economic inequalities present in the place, given that, according to critics and scholars, a large part of São Paulo's cultural and tourist circuit excludes the city's own population from enjoying it, since it is located in the central metropolitan region.

In 2010, tourism in São Paulo reached a new record, receiving 11.7 million visitors. In 2012, there were 12.9 million tourists during the year, of which 10.8 million were domestic (Brazilian) and 2.1 million foreign, who spent R$10.2 billion in the city, according to the Ministry of Tourism. Of the domestic tourists, 25% are from São Paulo, followed by those from Minas Gerais. Among foreign tourists, North Americans and Argentinians visit the city the most.

In 2016, in order to simplify tourist visits to São Paulo, the Circular Turismo SP, a double-decker tourist bus that travels around the city's main landmarks (Municipal Market, República, Pacaembu, MASP, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Cultural Center, Pátio do Colégio and Municipal Theatre), was implemented in the city, guaranteeing passenger comfort and safety. At a cost of 40 reais, visitors can board and disembark unlimited times along the route and receive information about the history, architecture and culture of São Paulo.

Overview The local authority responsible for public projects and partnerships with private entities in the tourism sector in the city is SPTuris, which was known as Anhembi Turismo until 2005. The city receives an average of 11.3 million visitors; among these, 9.7 million are domestic, who stay in the city for around three days and spend between R$1,600.00 and R$3,500.00 on their trip; the 1.6 million international tourists stay in the city for around five days and spend between R$2,000.00 and R$5,000.00. People of more than 70 nationalities can be found in São Paulo.

São Paulo is the largest financial center in the country and has a vast amount of cultural facilities and leisure activities. There are 280 cinemas, 180 theaters, 110 museums and more than 90 cultural centers, which leads many people to say that "there's always something to do in São Paulo". The city's nightlife is also a benchmark and one of its highlights. It has more than 45 shopping malls and dozens of specialized shopping streets. In terms of gastronomy, there are more than 12,000 restaurants, with 52 types of cuisine, such as Japanese, Indian, Brazilian and Mexican.

Transportation

Considered one of the main gateways to Brazil, the city of São Paulo has the country's busiest airport, São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport, with around 21.6 million passengers moving through in 2009, and Congonhas Airport, with 13.6 million passengers traveling through in 2009. By land, the city has ten state and federal highways, as well as the Rodoanel Mário Covas connecting them.

The main point of arrival and departure for those arriving by bus is the Tietê Bus Terminal, the largest in Latin America and the second largest in the world. Other terminals are Barra Funda, which serves the interior of the state of São Paulo, and Jabaquara, responsible for the circulation of those arriving or leaving the São Paulo coast.

Zero Milestone of the city of São Paulo

Formerly known as Largo da Catedral, the Zero Milestone of the city of São Paulo, designed by Dr. Américo Netto, was inaugurated on September 18, 1934, but only approved when it was given to the São Paulo branch of the Touring Club of Brazil.

In the square in front of the São Paulo Cathedral, there is a hexagonal totem made of marble and with a granite base; on the top, there is a bronze plaque with a partial map of the city of São Paulo with a symbol and the logo Touring Club do Brasil; on its sides, there is a marker indicating directions to 6 important points in Brazil, each with an indicative illustration. In the southwest, the city of Santos is represented by a steamship, in the south, Paraná by an Araucaria tree, in the northeast, Rio de Janeiro by a banana tree and the Sugar Loaf, in the north, Minas Gerais by a mining equipment, in the northwest, Goiás by a drum used in mining, and in the southwest, Mato Grosso by the clothing of the bandeirantes.

In 2017, in addition to being restored, the Zero Milestone was definitively listed by the municipal authority responsible for the city's historical heritage.

Jaraguá Peak

The Jaraguá Peak, located on Antônio Cardoso Nogueira street, in the northern part of the city of São Paulo, is the highest point in the city, with a view of up to 55 kilometers, reaching an altitude of 1,135 meters. The site was heavily explored for its large quantities of gold. After the resources were drained, it became a "traveler's landmark". It was also the scene of wars between bandeirantes and natives.

In 1946, the site was converted into a tourist attraction, and 15 years later, the Jaraguá State Park was created to give visitors access to the historic part of the place, such as the mansion of the bandeirante Afonso Sardinha, the area's oldest inhabitant. In 1983, it was recognized by the Council for the Defense of Historical, Archaeological, Artistic and Tourist Heritage (Condephaat), and in 1994 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The peak can be reached in two ways: via a paved road, the Estrada Turística do Jaraguá, which starts at kilometer 18 of the Anhanguera highway, and via the Pai Zé Trail, a two-kilometer hike. At the top, visitors can take advantage of the small snack bars and use the local parking lot, as well as enjoying the best view of the city.

There are also two other trails that lead to the peak: the Bica Trail and the Silence Trail (designed for walks with senior citizens and people with special needs).

Events Due to its position as both a financial and cultural center for Brazil, São Paulo is responsible for hosting events of different content with an international dimension. The São Paulo Art Biennial, the Lollapalooza, São Paulo Fashion Week, the São Paulo Carnival, the Brazilian Grand Prix at the Interlagos Circuit, the São Paulo International Film Festival, the Motor Show, the LGBT Pride Parade, the March for Jesus (organized by the Reborn in Christ Church), the Prova Ciclística 9 de Julho, New Year's Eve on Paulista Avenue, among others, are examples of this type of event. The city also hosts fairs, congresses and exhibitions, such as Couromoda, the largest specialized fair in Latin America and the most important event for business and fashion launches in the footwear and leather goods market, Fenatran, Hospitalar, Francal, Equipotel and Adventure Sports Fair.

São Paulo Art Biennial

The São Paulo Art Biennial is a cultural event that has been held every two years in the city of São Paulo since 1951. In 2008, the 28th edition welcomed around 1 million people. Forty artists of 20 different nationalities were selected for the exhibition in the 25,000 m2 pavilion designed by Oscar Niemeyer. Since its creation, 32 Biennials have been produced with the participation of more than 170 countries, 16,000 artists and 10 million visitors.

LGBT Pride Parade

The LGBT Pride Parade is a tourist event in the city that attracted around 3.1 million people in 2009, surpassing large metropolises such as New York, which gathered 2.9 million people at its peak. Normally, the event is launched by the mayor and the gathering starts at Paulista Avenue, with dispersal in the city center. Along the route, there are electric trios from organizations linked to the LGBT movement and from commercial establishments (such as nightclubs), which play different types of music. Every year, the parade brings together several personalities. In 2015, global actresses Natasha Lyonee, Uzo Aduba and Samira Willey, from the famous series Orange is the New Black, attended the event. In 2016, the cast of Sense8 recorded scenes at the parade with their own electric trio.

According to SPTuris, the LGBT Pride Parade occupies first place in the ranking of events that attract the most tourists to the city, followed by Virada Cultural, the Art Biennial, the International Motor Show and Formula 1.

Prova Ciclística 9 de Julho

The Prova Ciclística 9 de Julho was created in 1932 by journalist Cásper Libero to honor the Constitutionalist Revolution that took place in the state of São Paulo. The route covers some of the city's main streets and avenues, starting and finishing at Lineu de Paula Machado Avenue, in front of the São Paulo Jockey Club. The riders pass through parks such as Ibirapuera, Mário Pimenta Camargo and Villa-Lobos, as well as the Cidade Universitária and Cidade Jardim bridges.

Since 1933, the event, which is also part of the UCI America Tour calendar, has been held on a single day, in the elite men's, elite women's and overall categories. From 1941 to 1946 (during the World War II era), from 1952 to 1954 and from 1966 to 1968, the race ceased to be held; in 1985, women were included in the competitions.

São Paulo Fashion Week

São Paulo Fashion Week, created in 1996 under the name Morumbi Fashion Brasil, is one of the most important fashion weeks in the world and is the largest and most important fashion event in Latin America. Some international models have had their careers projected through this event, such as Rhaisa Batista and Emanuela de Paula. Currently, the event takes place twice a year, with an edition in January presenting the winter collection and another in July with the summer collection.

Over the years, the event has grown in terms of investment, participating brands and designers, and attendance. Currently, it has gained even more prominence with the presence and participation of international personalities, such as American socialite Paris Hilton, actor Ashton Kutcher and actress, Demi Moore. Singer Christina Aguilera also attended the event for the new C&A collection.

Today, the event is considered the fifth largest fashion week in the world, behind only Paris, London, Milan and New York. After more than ten years of success, São Paulo Fashion Week has established itself as a great opportunity for Brazilian fashion brands to enter the fashion world, as well as being a great opportunity for investment not only in the sector economically and industrially, but in the city of São Paulo and its cultural sector as a whole.

Carnival

The São Paulo samba schools parade takes place on Friday and Saturday of Carnival week at the Anhembi Sambadrome, designed by renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer, who also designed the Marquês de Sapucaí Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro. One of the great attractions of Carnival in the city are the bloquinhos, popular carnival manifestations that happen on the streets. In 2017, the City Hall registered a total of 500 bloquinhos, which are spread across the South, North and West zones.

Christmas

Every year, São Paulo is decorated for Christmas. Tourists from all over the world visit the city for the holidays. According to Mayor Gilberto Kassab, R$5 million was invested in decorations in 2008, with 2.3 million points of light, making it the most illuminated Christmas in the world. There are several different types of decorations on different avenues, buildings, bridges and tourist attractions in the city.