UN Tourism International Forum – Quintana Roo “Tourism and Culture: A Picture-Perfect Relationship”
Quintana Roo and UN Tourism highlight the potential of audiovisual tourism: Current trends point to the greater dynamism of destinations that promote their cultural and tourism offerings through audiovisual content.
Organized by UN Tourism and the Government of the State of Quintana Roo through the Tourism Promotion Council of Quintana Roo – an entity that is an Affiliate Member of UN Tourism – the International Forum "Tourism and Culture: A Picture-Perfect Relationship" has put the spotlight on the potential of audiovisual tourism to boost the product offerings of destinations and its suitability for tourism marketing and promotion. Participants discussed the creation and implementation of public policies for promotion through audiovisual content, raising awareness among tourists about environmental and cultural protection through on-screen content, as well as the broader relationship between tourism, culture and creative industries.
"As part of the diversification of tourism offerings, audiovisual content can foster relationships and cultural affinity between different countries and communities. Both tourism and the audiovisual sector celebrate and promote culture, foster employment and offer opportunities for growth," said Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism.
Mara Lezama, Governor of the State of Quintana Roo, said: "I am proud to share that we are moving decisively towards a new era in tourism. We have consolidated public policies that promote the diversification of our tourism offerings, including the cultural segment as one of the fundamental pillars. Our Mexican Caribbean, with its paradisiacal landscapes, its cultural wealth and first-class tourism infrastructure, is positioned as an ideal setting to strengthen our offerings and position Quintana Roo as a leading player in the audiovisual field."
Both tourism and the audiovisual sector celebrate and promote culture, foster employment and offer opportunities for growth
The event was held within the framework of the 11th edition of the Xcaret Platino Awards for Ibero-American Cinema, the largest gathering of the Spanish-speaking audiovisual industry, and brought together experts from the world of tourism and culture.
In the framework of this event, UN Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Xcaret Group – an Affiliate Member of the Organization – that lays the foundations for collaboration aimed at jointly promoting good practices in the preservation of cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, and the welfare of local communities.
UN Tourism, working for the development of audiovisual tourism
UN Tourism has been expanding its work in the field of audiovisual tourism to respond to the increased demand for recommendations and guidance regarding the development of public policies and the sustainable development of this tourism segment. The recent joint UN Tourism – NETFLIX study "Cultural Affinity and Screen Tourism – The Case of Internet Entertainment Services" offers policymakers and tourism sector actors valuable information and recommendations to develop and implement policies that make their destinations attractive to audiovisual producers. Likewise, it aims to help in the formulation of strategies focused on promoting tourism and the consumption of local culture, and investing in training and education to develop the film sector and local creative industries, in order to ensure a high level of talent, infrastructure and production capacity.
The State of Quintana Roo continues to strengthen its position as a tourism destination, thanks to large-scale projects such as the launch of the Mayan Train. Quintana Roo received a record number of tourists in 2023, with more than 20 million, and is taking actions to safeguard its cultural and natural heritage, in line with its Quintana Roo 2030 Sustainable Tourism Master Plan.
11th edition of the Xcaret Platino Awards
With the aim of promoting, disseminating and bringing Ibero-American culture and film-making closer together, the Xcaret Platino Awards for Ibero-American Cinema annually brings together the most prominent figures of the Latin American audiovisual industry and recognizes the best audiovisual productions in Spanish and Portuguese.
