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 An
estimated 600,000 foreign tourists are expected to travel to Brazil
in June, when the country hosts the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Most hotels
rooms have already been booked, and cheaper options, such as hostels,
in Rio de Janeiro are charging as much as $450 for a bed during the
tournament. To accommodate the influx of visitors, it has been reported
that residents of slums are opening their homes to soccer fans.
Maria Clara Dos Santos, a resident of Rocinha (pronounced ho-SEEN-ya),
said she is planning to let up to 10 visitors stay in her three-bedroom
home. Even though the streets smell of sewage and there are steel
bars on her windows to prevent break-ins, her home offers stunning
views of Ipanema, one of the most popular beaches in Rio. And, she is
offering guests a place to stay for just $50 a night. “We can provide
a level of human warmth that places below cannot,” said Ms. Dos Santos,
commenting on the popularity of slums for their musical scenes, cheaper
prices, and rich culture.
 In Rio, which
will host the final match of the tournament, there are just 55,400
hotel beds for an expected 300,000 visitors. For those who cannot
afford (or are unwilling) to pay the city’s high hotel rates, slum
lodgings are becoming desirable options. “I wanted to learn more about
the heart of Brazil,” said Isom Hightower, who pays $11 a night for
a bunk bed in Rocinha.
This option is becoming increasingly popular, especially as crime
in the slums is decreasing. Although security challenges persist,
basic services have been introduced in some slums, and in some areas,
crime rates have fallen sharply. |
Staff
reporter Jessica Kim
(jessicakim@timescore.co.kr)
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