Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Rio de Janeiro plans to expand its hotel space by one third to make room for an expected surge of visitors when Brazil hosts the World Cup of football in 2014 and Summer Olympics in 2016, a tourist official said Tuesday.
Municipal authorities in the Marvelous City, as Brazil's top tourist venue is dubbed, plans to build 9,000 new hotel rooms to add to its existing 28,000, the city's tourism secretary Antonio Pedro Figueira de Mello told a press conference.
The official also highlighted Rio's efforts to stem endemic violence that spreads from the city's sprawling favelas (slums), and noted that in last month's Carnival there were 26 percent fewer tourist complaints about criminal activity than in 2009.
Figueira de Mello said Rio was also working to upgrade its public transport system and its port and airport facilities, as promised to the International Olympic Committee.
cdo/fgf/sg
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments