To mark the National Samba Day celebrated on December 2nd, Embratur launched the Rota do Samba project with a big party at Portela’s samba school headquarters. It presented themed itineraries with interactive tools and actions that increase the visibility of areas marked by the historical power of samba, promoting the local economy and strengthening connections with international tourism in Oswaldo Cruz neighbourhood, in the northern part of Rio de Janeiro (RJ).
The party was attended by samba singer Marquinhos de Oswaldo Cruz, curator of the route, Portela’s president Fábio Pavão, Secretary of Culture Marcelo Calero, federal MPs Benedita da Silva and Jandira Feghali, as well as Tia Surica and her traditional feijoada, Velha Guarda da Azul-e-Branco de Madureira and many other proeminent samba names.
“We want tourists who come to Rio to see Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain and Maracanã to stay longer in the city to come to Oswaldo Cruz and understand where this wonderful thing called samba came from,” explained Marcelo Freixo, president of Embratur.
The creator of the famous Trem do Samba and the Feira das Yabás, Marquinhos de Oswaldo Cruz, was thrilled. “When I was little, I heard my father joke that no one looked at Oswaldo Cruz, no one knew where it was. Today we are here delivering public policy so that the whole world knows what Oswaldo Cruz is and what our people have done here”, said Marquinhos.
The Rota do Samba project promoted the qualification of guides and tourism students, who were trained to represent the routes and Afrotourism, reinforcing the cultural and economic role of samba and promoting the local economy.
In addition, interactive maps, audio guides and self-guided bilingual itineraries, and augmented reality applications were developed. And on Saturdays, there will be free guided tours for foreigners, allowing authentic experiences along the samba routes, with the support of audio guides and historical narratives accessible via QR codes.
The project’s first themed route – Caminho do Samba em Oswaldo Cruz – connects 10 emblematic points in the history of samba, such as Casa do Candeia, Feira das Yabás and Quadra da Portela. Curated by Marquinhos de Oswaldo Cruz, Diáspora Black and Karol Duarte (Guiadas Urbanas), the route celebrates the ancestry and cultural resistance of samba.
“The route is incredible and goes to places where very few people know the history, such as Bar do Nozinho, where no one imagines that Walt Disney had a beer with Paulo da Portela and found inspiration there to create the character Zé Carioca,” highlighted Marcelo Freixo.
ABOUT EMBRATUR
The Brazilian Tourist Board (EMBRATUR) is tasked with implementing the National Tourism Policy, focusing on promotion, marketing, services, and products within the international market. EMBRATUR aims to foster social and economic development by attracting international tourists to Brazil’s captivating destinations. For more information, please visit www.visitbrasil.com.
