Headlines in the recent build up to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil next year have been decidedly mixed of late. Stadium closures, fan riots, and infrastructure delays have all caused concern, but Breaking Travel News here finds the private sector may yet save the day.

With the London 2012 Olympics over, the spotlight has started to shift to Brazil, which will be hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Brazil reported increases of 9.9 percent in revenue per available room (RevPAR) for the first seven months year to date, led by 14.5-percent increase in average daily rate (ADR) in local currency, according a recent report.

Rio de Janeiro in Brazil has become the first city to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Urban Cultural Landscape category. So far sites listed in the category have included rural areas, traditional agricultural systems, historic gardens and places of religious significance.

This June, more than 4.5 million partygoers are expected to come together for the world’s largest gay pride festival hosted annually in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The city was recently named the fourth most LGBT-friendly destination in the world, ahead of both London and Madrid.

Embratur, the Brazilian Tourist Board, has announced it is creating two new travelling tools – an interactive Brand Channel website and ‘Brasil Quest’, a video game app. The launch of these tools is part of an ongoing initiatitive to promote various destinations and cultural offerings travelers can experience in Brazil.

Brazil is Latin America’s fastest growing tourism economy, according to new research, with the sector’s direct contribution to GDP forecast to grow 7.8 per cent in 2012. Research released by World Travel & Tourism president David Scowsill at Fórum Panrotas revealed the sector contributed US$79 billion to GDP in 2011.