"It is a program that will allow us to develop this festivity throughout the month of May and end with that great goal of extending the Flower Festival and allowing this extension to bring the same number of people [tourists] to Madeira from the beginning to the end of the month, in order to leave a very significant contribution from the sector to the regional economy," said the regional secretary. Eduardo Jesus was speaking at the presentation conference for the 2024 edition of the Flower Festival, in Funchal, one of the largest tourist posters in the autonomous region. The government official indicated that the expected hotel occupancy is 95% during all weekends in May, but the entertainment will take place daily between the 2nd and 26th, with a particular focus on the center of Funchal, namely on the central square of Avenida Arriaga, where the Flower and Regional Products Market will be installed. "From a phase in which Madeira had the Flower Festival only in a more restricted period, and I go back to the year 2015, when it was from April 16 to 22, the occupancy rate for that weekend was 72%. At the moment, we are at 95% and during all weekends in May," he stressed. The high point of the festivities occurs on May 5th with the Allegorical Flower Parade, which runs along the marginal avenues of the Madeiran capital, in which 1,800 extras participate, divided into 14 groups. On that day, in addition to the thousands of visitors already on land, there will be two cruise ships in the port of Funchal, carrying a total of 4,400 passengers and 1,600 crew members. Another highlight is the construction of the Wall of Hope, on May 4th, in Praça do Município, where around 700 children will place a flower as a sign of peace for the world. In total, 3,600 people are involved in this year's edition of the Flower Festival, marked by several initiatives, such as concerts, construction of floral carpets, exhibitions, a classic car parade and also a golf tournament with 100 participants from various countries. Read Also: Madeira: Political forces plan to spend around 950,000 on the campaign (Portuguese version)