Brazil tourism board 'by mistake' shares tourist's social media post about being robbed

A tourist who was robbed in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro recently shared her experience in an Instagram post and Brazil's national tourism board posted the message to its official social media handle by mistake. The tourism agency, Embratur, typically focuses on the city's world-class beaches, samba-filled music scene and caipirinha-fueled parties, however, the crime is rarely listed among the attractions. 

The critical post shared by the Brazilian tourist board was soon taken down and in a statement, the authorities said that it was 'mistake' and added that it had worked hard to promote a nation-wide fall in crime in 2019. 

READ: Brazil To Evacuate Citizens Stuck In Wuhan

'Beautiful is not enough'

The Instagram post began with “Rio is such a beautiful city” and that is perhaps the only line that the Brazilian Tourist Board read before reposting it on their official social media account. The message, however, further read, “Beautiful is not enough. my family and I were robbed and my nine-year-old sister witnessed a violent robbery. I can't recommend a visit to a city where I felt afraid of even leaving the apartment”. 

The critical post shared by the tourist agency soon also went viral and the tourist, who reportedly identified herself as a Brazilian living in Europe, in another Instagram post said that she hopes that the person at Embratur doesn't get in trouble, further adding, “We all make mistakes”. However, she also defended her original post and said, “If I don't feel safe or comfortable somewhere, I'll share it”. 

READ: Poland FM: Brazil President To Visit Poland

Rio is the port entry for millions of tourists who visit Brazil every year. Rio is also known for the breathtaking beauty of its sun-soaked beaches and emerald mountains. However, it is also known for its violent crime as the city reportedly registered nearly 4,000 murders and 120,500 muggings last year. Although, there has been a reported drop in the two crimes by 19% and 8% respectively. According to international media reports, safety concerns along with inconvenient flights, poor infrastructure and high costs have also held Brazil's tourist industry back. 

(With PTI inputs)

READ: Brazil Indigenous Land Highlights Environmental Woes

READ: Brazil's Government Blasts Oscar-nominated Documentary-maker