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| Brazil's favelas offer alternative budget accommodation for World Cup fans | Brazil's favelas offer alternative budget accommodation for World Cup fans |
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| By the time the World Cup is over, Mary Santos da Silva hopes she can afford to build an extra floor on the roof of her house. A resident of Alto de Ondina, a neighbourhood overlooking the ocean in the city of Salvador, Mary is one of an increasing number of favela dwellers renting out their homes, apartments or rooms to football fans travelling to the tournament. | By the time the World Cup is over, Mary Santos da Silva hopes she can afford to build an extra floor on the roof of her house. A resident of Alto de Ondina, a neighbourhood overlooking the ocean in the city of Salvador, Mary is one of an increasing number of favela dwellers renting out their homes, apartments or rooms to football fans travelling to the tournament. |
| "This business helps me in two ways," she says. "It is great to make some money for my family, and it will mean I can build an extra floor where my daughter can live. But secondly, both my daughters are learning English. They love the opportunity to practise speaking and broaden their horizons through this cultural exchange." | "This business helps me in two ways," she says. "It is great to make some money for my family, and it will mean I can build an extra floor where my daughter can live. But secondly, both my daughters are learning English. They love the opportunity to practise speaking and broaden their horizons through this cultural exchange." |
| Mary, like others from her favela, is renting her property with the help of non-profit organisation Football Beyond Borders. The organisation – which uses football as a means to break down prejudice and inequality – has been working with a small group of families to set up "accommodation hubs" for fans staying in the city during the World Cup, to help spread some of the gains resulting from the influx of tourists. | Mary, like others from her favela, is renting her property with the help of non-profit organisation Football Beyond Borders. The organisation – which uses football as a means to break down prejudice and inequality – has been working with a small group of families to set up "accommodation hubs" for fans staying in the city during the World Cup, to help spread some of the gains resulting from the influx of tourists. |
| With Tripadvisor reporting a match day increase on room rates of 212% in Salvador, the price of rooms in Rio increasing by 600% and the average price of a hotel room in Rio now at £289, the favelas, with rooms at around £17-20 per night – offer a more affordable alternative for fans already struggling to keep their trip within budget. The project, and other favela accommodation businesses across the country, also offer an opportunity for visitors to experience a very different side of Brazil. | With Tripadvisor reporting a match day increase on room rates of 212% in Salvador, the price of rooms in Rio increasing by 600% and the average price of a hotel room in Rio now at £289, the favelas, with rooms at around £17-20 per night – offer a more affordable alternative for fans already struggling to keep their trip within budget. The project, and other favela accommodation businesses across the country, also offer an opportunity for visitors to experience a very different side of Brazil. |
| "We hope that our accommodation project will challenge the prejudice that still exists around favelas and their residents," says Paul Kell, who has been working in Salvador for Football Beyond Borders since January. "The neighbourhood is an amazingly warm, vibrant place with an incredibly strong sense of community. It's far from the stereotype of violence, danger and drugs which is often shown around the world, and we look forward to people visiting and realising this." | "We hope that our accommodation project will challenge the prejudice that still exists around favelas and their residents," says Paul Kell, who has been working in Salvador for Football Beyond Borders since January. "The neighbourhood is an amazingly warm, vibrant place with an incredibly strong sense of community. It's far from the stereotype of violence, danger and drugs which is often shown around the world, and we look forward to people visiting and realising this." |
| Still, Kell admits that many people interested in staying have expressed safety concerns. "We cannot guarantee an individual's safety," he says. "What we can say is that we feel much safer here than in any other part of town. Alto de Ondina is a bustling neighbourhood with the strongest sense of community we've ever seen; everyone seemingly knows everyone and looks out for their neighbours. Our sense is that there is much less risk of crime here than in Salvador's more touristy areas – any crimes we've seen with tourists being robbed have taken place [in the old town of] Pelourinho, and [the beach suburb of ] Barra." | Still, Kell admits that many people interested in staying have expressed safety concerns. "We cannot guarantee an individual's safety," he says. "What we can say is that we feel much safer here than in any other part of town. Alto de Ondina is a bustling neighbourhood with the strongest sense of community we've ever seen; everyone seemingly knows everyone and looks out for their neighbours. Our sense is that there is much less risk of crime here than in Salvador's more touristy areas – any crimes we've seen with tourists being robbed have taken place [in the old town of] Pelourinho, and [the beach suburb of ] Barra." |
| So far visitors from Scotland, France, Germany, Brazil, Finland and America have booked to stay in the Salvador favelas, which have already hosted some visitors earlier this year. Guardian journalist Josh Strauss stayed in one of the apartments co-ordinated by Football Beyond Borders during a holiday to Salvador in April. He describes the welcome he received as "incredible". | So far visitors from Scotland, France, Germany, Brazil, Finland and America have booked to stay in the Salvador favelas, which have already hosted some visitors earlier this year. Guardian journalist Josh Strauss stayed in one of the apartments co-ordinated by Football Beyond Borders during a holiday to Salvador in April. He describes the welcome he received as "incredible". |
| "Mama, the head of the family, took us in as one of her own – making sure we had everything we needed, were well fed, knew where to go and how to get there," he says. "She would even escort us to bus stops, stop the bus and have stern words with the driver to look out for us when we needed to get off. She and her family completely changed the feeling and experience of our trip – knowing that we had Brazilians as surrogate family made us feel welcome and safe in a way only locals can." | "Mama, the head of the family, took us in as one of her own – making sure we had everything we needed, were well fed, knew where to go and how to get there," he says. "She would even escort us to bus stops, stop the bus and have stern words with the driver to look out for us when we needed to get off. She and her family completely changed the feeling and experience of our trip – knowing that we had Brazilians as surrogate family made us feel welcome and safe in a way only locals can." |
| Strauss also found the experience far more supportive than staying in a conventional guesthouse. "Staying at subsequent pousadas, we felt a real absence of that warm and friendly intimacy, and found the simple and basic aspects of travelling far more challenging without that inside knowledge and support," he says. "This is also more pronounced as a British traveller, since we found very few people speak English in Salvador." | Strauss also found the experience far more supportive than staying in a conventional guesthouse. "Staying at subsequent pousadas, we felt a real absence of that warm and friendly intimacy, and found the simple and basic aspects of travelling far more challenging without that inside knowledge and support," he says. "This is also more pronounced as a British traveller, since we found very few people speak English in Salvador." |
| This is one of the positive aspects being used to promote favela holiday accommodation by Brazil tourism company Favela Experience who promise an "immersive" and "authentic" stay. | This is one of the positive aspects being used to promote favela holiday accommodation by Brazil tourism company Favela Experience who promise an "immersive" and "authentic" stay. |
| "People have a desire to see a side of Brazil they wouldn't otherwise have access to, at a time when Brazil will be at its most crowded and commercial," says Elliot Rosenberg, a 24-year-old American who founded the social enterprise last February. Favela Experience offers accommodation in Rio de Janeiro that is far cheaper than regular hotels. Prices start at around £60 for a private room and £120 for an entire flat, which could sleep three to six guests. Like Football Beyond Borders' project, the company is aiming to increase the incomes of the people in the favelas, with 75% of the money going to the accommodation owners, while also fostering a meaningful cultural exchange. | |
| "People in the favelas are very eager to rent out their apartments," says Rosenburg. "We have a lot of interest and a lot of bookings for the World Cup, and are increasing our properties with the demand. Just before the draw, we launched an IndieGoGo campaign for people to book rooms during the World Cup and we sold out all 100 rooms in just 60 days. We've since added more capacity and have been selling that as well." | "People in the favelas are very eager to rent out their apartments," says Rosenburg. "We have a lot of interest and a lot of bookings for the World Cup, and are increasing our properties with the demand. Just before the draw, we launched an IndieGoGo campaign for people to book rooms during the World Cup and we sold out all 100 rooms in just 60 days. We've since added more capacity and have been selling that as well." |
| The business has benefited from the Brazilian government's crackdown on violent crime in Rio's favelas in recent years, as part of the "pacification" process. The Favela Experience only operate in favelas with permanent police units stationed there during the World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games. Hosts are recruited through "trusted personal networks" and all family members are interviewed in person. | The business has benefited from the Brazilian government's crackdown on violent crime in Rio's favelas in recent years, as part of the "pacification" process. The Favela Experience only operate in favelas with permanent police units stationed there during the World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games. Hosts are recruited through "trusted personal networks" and all family members are interviewed in person. |
| Airbnb also features a number of independently posted holiday rentals in Brazil's favelas. Rooms in the Rocinha neighbourhood – an enormous and well-developed favela which is among those receiving 24/7 policing in the run up to the World Cup – can be found from £13 per night. Meanwhile, guesthouses already situated in the favelas are benefitting from the spike in trade. Even with their prices hiked for the World Cup, the cost per night is still around £60 – far less than hotels in the more popular tourist areas. | Airbnb also features a number of independently posted holiday rentals in Brazil's favelas. Rooms in the Rocinha neighbourhood – an enormous and well-developed favela which is among those receiving 24/7 policing in the run up to the World Cup – can be found from £13 per night. Meanwhile, guesthouses already situated in the favelas are benefitting from the spike in trade. Even with their prices hiked for the World Cup, the cost per night is still around £60 – far less than hotels in the more popular tourist areas. |
| Other less conventional accommodation options being sought by budget-conscious fans during the World Cup include camping and staying in one of Brazil's many "Love Hotels". World Cup Camping is a British property development company that has developed a purpose-built campsite on the outskirts of Rio to cater for football fans , with prices set at £35 per person per night. Love Hotels – traditionally rented to amorous couples by the hour – have been restructuring to accommodate advanced bookings. Six-hour blocks (just enough for a decent night's sleep) cost between £50-£100. | Other less conventional accommodation options being sought by budget-conscious fans during the World Cup include camping and staying in one of Brazil's many "Love Hotels". World Cup Camping is a British property development company that has developed a purpose-built campsite on the outskirts of Rio to cater for football fans , with prices set at £35 per person per night. Love Hotels – traditionally rented to amorous couples by the hour – have been restructuring to accommodate advanced bookings. Six-hour blocks (just enough for a decent night's sleep) cost between £50-£100. |