Now in Rio is a travel and culture website that provides comprehensive information about Rio de Janeiro for both tourists and anyone interested in travel or Brazil.

Our aim is to be the largest travel and culture site about Rio de Janeiro. We aim to be the source of information that people turn to and depend on when they want reliable advice about Rio. We aim to entertain, inspire and inform our readers about the quirks and curiosities in this city that drive our passion to embark on this venture.

Check out below to read more about how and why we started this project and what our core values are.

Why We Began This Project

Five million travellers visit Rio de Janeiro every single year and yet there still doesn’t exist a comprehensive travel guide to the city that goes beyond the main tourist spots. Tourism is known to provide jobs, spur businesses and connect many industries, but the relationship between traveller and local tourism has yet been fully actualised in Rio.., until now! Through the use of captivating videos, stunning photography and expertly written articles, Now in Rio invites readers to explore another side of Rio de Janeiro, famously known as the marvellous city. It will not only provide essential information about the city, but also share engaging, inspirational and informative stories about the people, music, culture, and history of Rio. It seeks to change perspectives, shatter stereotypes and introduce the world to the real Rio de Janeiro: its vibrant communities, delicious local cuisine, thriving underground culture and unbelievably beautiful scenery.

Now in Rio is putting small businesses on the digital map for travellers who are accustomed to searching online for travel plans. It has the potential to bring tourism dollars to companies outside of the major resorts and boost local economies while giving travellers a more authentic Rio de Janeiro experience. It aims to connect tourists and readers to SMEs, NGOs, organisations and social enterprises in and around Rio de Janeiro; it is about connecting travellers and locals around a common interest. At Now in Rio we encourage people to go local & buy local.

We support the three pillars of sustainable development:

• ECONOMIC RESPONSIBILITY

At Now in Rio we believe in a human-centred model for development; in the idea of caring for people, cultures and nature; a key of truly sustainable development. We support economic sustainability, focusing on building linkages and reducing leakages – essentially, keeping the money local. 

Fair trade principles are at the core of our social business model. Travellers pay a fair price for the high quality and unique products and services they receive from the organizations we work with. And we ensure that as much money as possible remains in the local economy by working with and writing about local suppliers, local food, and family owned accommodation or homestays. 

We want tourism dollars to go straight to local people and communities, while also negotiating the best price and experience for travelers. Small businesses in Rio use tourism to generate a positive social and environmental impact on the ground. The local communities and organisations in our network are redistributing income from tourism to create decent jobs and implement sustainable, long-lasting solutions to the problems they face. For local communities, tourism is a complementary source of income that they use to improve their standard of living and to preserve their culture and environment. 

Our platform is designed to help responsible and discerning travellers to find authentic, experience-rich experience in Rio de Janeiro. Through Now in Rio, travellers come into direct contact with local people, in a low-volume way, based on mutual respect. They eat traditional, natural food and take part in cultural and ecotourism activities. 

• ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

In terms of tours or itineraries that we write about and promote, we give priority to public transport (where available) and optimize the itineraries to reduce the carbon footprint. Now in Rio also partners with different local NGOs that have their own environmental programs.

Local communities promote environmental sustainability (artisan fishing, organic agriculture, natural wine, land and ecosystem conservation, etc.) and live in harmony with nature. Now in Rio strives to promote activities that respect the environment and are designed for a low volume of participants, giving priority to eco-friendly, family-run B&Bs, pousadas, boutique hotels and locally run businesses. We also provide suggestions and guidelines for travellers to minimise the negative impact on the environment and use resources, in particular water, responsibly.

• SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 

Now in Rio supports socio-cultural sustainability, minimizing negative impacts [of tourism] and focusing on more positive ones, such as promoting cultural exchanges and preserving local traditions. We wants travellers to buy high quality and unique products and services from local communities and tour operators here in Rio de Janeiro which will directly improve local people’s living standards, income redistribution, job creation and help environmental preservation. Now in Rio strives to constantly increase the number of local communities and partners we work with, and connecting them within our network, which means we facilitate multinational collaboration. So we are nurturing responsible travel to Rio de Janeiro, but also setting up a system of best practice and knowledge exchange between sustainable tourism providers.