this allows the development of a cult of hospitality, and a way to incentive people to travel and know the world in an affordable way and make new friends - there is a certain amount of background checking to guarantee the safety and enjoyment of the experience, albeit nothing is absolutely foul-proof, and the community built around the service is generally quite enthusiastic and loyal to the principles it represents.

rio de janeiro has an enthusiastic crowd of couchsurfing followers which while not being the largest in south america is still quite solid and one of the most active in the whole of brazil - they represent a different way of finding a place to stay in the city.

it is also complemented by the couchsurfing culture sharing side, as the stay is also seen as an opportunity for both the host and the tenant to share their cultural backgrounds and help in the development of each other as individuals.