Rio’s favelas become hot tourist destination as visitors seek cultural immersion

As record numbers of tourists descend upon Rio de Janeiro, many are looking beyond the city’s iconic landmarks, seeking instead local tours in the city’s favelas to learn more about the often-stigmatized territories that are also beacons of urban culture and art.

The influx of curious visitors has inspired residents of the low-income communities to turn to tourism to generate cash, among them local guide Vitor Oliveira.

Oliveira, formerly a motorcycle taxi driver in Rocinha — Rio’s most populated favela — said he started to offer tours after noticing an increase in international visitors. Tourism, he said, is now his main source of income.

Rio welcomed 12.5 million tourists in 2025, including 2.1 million international visitors, according to Rio City Hall. The number of international tourists jumped by 44.8% compared to 2024, generating 7.8 billion reais ($1.5 billion) for Rio’s economy.

On a busy weekday in late January, Rocinha was