Would tourists want to get any closer to favelas?

The video “‪Social Entrepreneurs: Pioneering Social Change” correctly stated: “social entrepreneurs see opportunities where people see failures”. “Favelas” in Rio have carried extremely negative connotations and have been associated with the term “violence”, “danger”, “poverty” and “hopelessness”. However, an outsider named Elliot Rosenberg has surely seen the opposite perspective. Not only has he found a way to bring in money to the biggest Favela “Rocinha”, but he has also found the solution to remove the negativity that surrounds the place.

Rosenberg found a niche! He will be renting out places in the favela for tourists to stay for the upcoming sportive events in the country. The 2016 Olympics will surely need room for the millions of people who will come from around the globe. Living in a favela will not only give them a place to stay, but also allow them to be around what the majority of Brazil is like. Often tourists come to a city and get a relatively “ideal” perspective of the city, however this will give them a “realistic” view of what Rio is actually like. Eventually giving tourists a better understanding of the Brazilian culture!

What will Rosenberg do to convince tourists that it is a safe environment? How will he erase all the stereotypes ?

Field, Anne. “Helping Tourists Go Native In Brazil.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 13 Oct. 2013. Web. 26 Oct. 2013.

“Life in Favela of Rocinha, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.” : Kay Fochtmann- Germany. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013.

“Social Entrepreneurs: Pioneering Social Change.” YouTube. YouTube, 18 Feb. 2009. Web. 26 Oct. 2013.