Visitors to Rio de Janeiro, one of the world's most violent cities, will soon be hearing messages at the airport and in hotels warning them not to carry their passport, to leave their jewels at the hotel and never take valuables to the beach.
The warnings are part of a campaign by the Brazilian Hotel Association to reduce crimes suffered by tourists. The campaign includes the distribution of 300,000 cards with advice in English, French, Spanish and German on how to avoid becoming a victim.
A hot line will also be activated for Rio residents to provide police with anonymous tips about crime against tourists.
Between January and November of last year, 2,985 crimes against tourists were reported, according to the Rio de Janeiro state security secretary's office. But that may be an undercount, as visitors frequently fail to report robberies because they can only be registered at a single police station dedicated to protecting tourists.
