Zezinho featured in Forbes

Hey Zezinho - who's your promotions manager?  Good work landing the article in Forbes online. Nice!

That ought to drive some clients your way. Congratulations.

Favela Tourism Provides Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Rio
Posted by Felicity Clarke

Rio de Janeiro has long been the “face” of Brazil and is the most visited city in South America. Tourism represents a significant area of the city’s economy, and one which is only set to grow with the forthcoming World Cup 2014 and 2016 Olympics. In recent years, there has been a huge increase in visitors to the city, adding a favela tour to the traditional must-sees such as Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain.

While the vast majority of the tours are operated by companies outside the communities, the growth in favela tourism is an area of entrepreneurial opportunity for favela residents.

One of the most visited favelas in the city is Rocinha. Located close to tourist hot spots Ipanema and Leblon, it is the largest favela in the city with an estimated 250,000 residents living in the vertiginous, tight wall of brick and concrete housing that covers the entire hillside.

Zezinho da Silva, 48, is a Rocinha resident whose enthusiasm and pride in the “city within a city” is evident on sight, from his 100% Favela T-shirt to his extensive favela tattoos.

Born in Rocinha to a father from the northeast of Brazil and American mother, Zezinho grew up in the favela before living in the U.S. on and off until 2008, when he decided to return to Rocinha for good. He says: “I wanted to live somewhere with a sense of community, which is something I didn’t feel in the U.S.”

Read the entire article here.