Skift Take
Rio’s reputation is currently on the rise and will reach its pinnacle in 2016, but the city has a number of skeletons to clean out its closet before it’s ready to safely welcome in the world.
Rio de Janeiro will have global exposure during the 2016 Olympic Games. Martine Ainsworth-Wells explains why it could be a platform that lures swathes of future tourists, or one that makes them determined to stay away entirely.
Rio de Janeiro, the self-styled “Cidade Maravilhosa” - Marvelous City. Mention it to friends who have visited and they’ll wistfully recall caipirinhas on the Copacabana, or possibly mention being robbed. Not every city can be known for such opposed experiences and still appeal as a holiday destination – but Rio pulls it off.
With 55 miles of beaches, excellent restaurants, attractive colonial architecture, well-regarded nightlife and that Carnival, Rio has all the necessary ingredients of a world-class tourist destination. The city clearly has a lot going for it, but the focus on Rio is set to increase dramatically. The World Cup arrives in Brazil in 2014 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games take place in Rio in 2016 - do tourism autho
