The first thematic office of UN Tourism will be based in the region of the Americas and will focus on legal issues. With the signing of the Collaboration Agreement between the Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and UN Tourism for the opening of the first thematic office of the Organization, the head office of the Tourism Law Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean has been inaugurated at the United Nations House in Montevideo, Uruguay. The ceremony was attended by His Excellency the President of Uruguay Luis Lacalle Pou, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the country Pablo Ruiz, the Minister of Tourism Eduardo Sanguinetti, Senator and former Minister of Tourism Tabaré Viera, and the Director General of the Ministry of Tourism Ignacio Curbelo. In attendance on the part of UN Tourism were Gustavo Santos, Regional Director for the Americas and Alicia Gómez, Legal Counsel of the Organization, along with Julio Facal, member of the UN Tourism World Committee on Tourism Ethics. Also participating were the Minister of Tourism of Brazil, Celso Sabino, the Lead Tourism Specialist of the Inter-American Development Bank, Juliana Bettini, academic collaborators of the Observatory and prestigious jurists from Spain, Chile, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico and other authorities of the Americas.
The Observatory is a project jointly developed by UN Tourism and the Inter-American Development Bank. It will deploy a pioneering digital tool, which includes a database, "TurismoLex", that compiles the tourism legislation of the LAC area, as well as a virtual classroom, a community of practices and regulatory quality indicators. The Observatory will represent an interactive forum where the public, private and academic sectors will be able to exchange best practices and discuss legislative trends in tourism in the region.
The Observatory represents a valuable resource that will help governments, policymakers and public and private entities in the sector to improve and implement more harmonized, coherent and effective legal frameworks for tourism. In addition, the Observatory establishes a framework for collaboration with prestigious higher education institutions in the area to carry out studies, technical reports and create working groups that deal with Tourism Law, responding to the needs that States and operators in the sector may present.
With this background, the Observatory, which will begin its operations at the beginning of 2025, will have as its main objectives the improvement in the quality of tourism regulations. It will also serve as a technical forum that promotes appropriate regulation for the area, issuing reports and studies through which the Administrations, mainly, can develop legislation appropriate to the interests of the sector, thus facilitating regional regulatory cooperation, improving cross-border relations and the harmonious development of tourism legislation.
Uruguay's proposal to host the head office of the Tourism Law Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean obtained the support of all Members of the Americas region at the last meeting of the Regional Commission held last April, in Varadero, Cuba. It was then approved within the framework of the 121st session of the Executive Council held in Barcelona on 11 June of this year and will subsequently be submitted for ratification at the 26th session of the UN Tourism General Assembly.
Under Uruguay's leadership, the Tourism Law Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the legal landscape of the tourism sector, addressing regulatory challenges and identifying opportunities for growth and innovation.
UN Tourism is leading the promotion and coordination of investments in the sector throughout the Latin America region.
Tourism is increasingly emerging as a fundamental pillar for development in the region, offering ample opportunities for economic growth and community empowerment. To harness this potential, UN Tourism has confirmed its plans to expand its series of Investment Guides and Investment Forums, each focused on a specific country in the region. The guides identify key competitiveness factors to build an attractive value proposition for investors, including information on green and sustainable investments, underlining a commitment to environmental responsibility.
According to UN Tourism Executive Director Natalia Bayona: "Investments in the tourism sector are critical to driving economic growth and job creation. Through these investments, destinations can develop sustainable infrastructure and improve the quality of life of local communities, promoting inclusive and resilient development".
Between 2019 and 2023, the tourism sector attracted 1,983 announced foreign direct investment (FDI) greenfield projects, with a total of US$106.7 billion in capital investments. This flow of capital has created nearly 260,000 potential jobs worldwide, underscoring the sector's significant role in economic development and job creation.
Between 2019 and 2023, 212 tourism investment projects were announced in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a total of US$20.5 billion in capital expenditure, expected to create more than 73,000 potential jobs.
UN Tourism Executive Director Natalia Bayona says: "Foreign direct investment is crucial for the development of tourism in our member countries. These investments not only provide the necessary capital for infrastructure and services, but also bring innovation, technology and best practices that strengthen the competitiveness of the sector at a global level".
The UN Tourism Investment Guides, part of the "Tourism Doing Business" series, are comprehensive documents designed to provide strategic support and information for potential investors and policymakers in the tourism sector.
The guides address new innovation and sustainability topics, such as debt-for-nature swaps, green and thematic bonds, national climate change adaptation plans, sustainable financing mechanisms, investments in renewable energy applied to tourism, smart infrastructure development, regenerative tourism, and the promotion of community-based tourism. These approaches underscore the commitment to more sustainable and resilient tourism, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
These guides are essential for several reasons:
In addition to the guides, UN Tourism organizes an official launch for each guide within a forum dedicated to tourism investment. During these events, investment opportunities are presented directly to potential investors, serving as a platform to showcase prospects and facilitate valuable connections between investors and project proponents. The forums also encourage informative discussions about the investment landscape and the latest trends in the tourism industry. In addition, these events offer meaningful learning opportunities for host countries, enhancing their ability to attract and manage tourism investment more effectively.
The investment guides include a chapter dedicated to green and sustainable investments, highlighting countries' strategies and commitments to sustainability. This chapter covers national climate change adaptation plans, along with the climate adaptation and investment programs implemented. In addition, green finance, such as thematic bonds and other sustainable financial mechanisms applied to tourism, are explored. Examples of innovative operations, such as the debt-for-nature swaps, are presented, demonstrating how to finance conservation and sustainability initiatives.
Ecuador, for example, with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), has implemented an innovative financing system through the largest debt conversion in the world, aimed at marine conservation in the Galapagos Islands. This operation, which includes an IDB guarantee of USD 85 million and a political risk insurance from the DFC of USD 656 million, will allow the reallocation of more than USD 323 million to finance the preservation of biodiversity in the Galapagos marine reserves over the next 18 years. This effort not only contributes to environmental sustainability, but also strengthens tourism and the local economy, demonstrating how debt management can drive investments in conservation and sustainable development.
In the last year, UN Tourism has presented ten specific guides for different countries around the world and is working on the preparation or updating of another 18 editions. These efforts are supported, among others, by the Cooperation Agreement with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), signed in January 2024. This agreement, focused on promoting the green transition and sustainable investments, aims to prepare tourism investment guides for Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Argentina and Peru, adding to the initial five for Ecuador, Uruguay, Barbados, Panama and El Salvador.
The guides launched in Latin America have highlighted more than 70 projects seeking investment, with the potential to attract an estimated investment of US$5.2 billion in capex. These projects include a wide range of initiatives, such as tourism master plans, resorts, hotels, visitor centres, wellness retreats, interpretation venues, and conservation centres. In addition, UN Tourism intends to expand its focus beyond traditional tourism investments, promoting projects that improve all types of enablers, such as power distribution projects, ports, cable cars or civil engineering infrastructure.
In Latin America, incentives for investment in the tourism sector include a variety of measures designed to attract foreign capital. Most countries in the region have specialized investment promotion agencies, bilateral investment agreements, free zones with special tax conditions, and specific foreign investment promotion laws.
In addition, many countries offer tax exemptions on tourism projects, tax benefits in specific areas, and VAT exemptions for tourism activities. Special visas have also been implemented for investors, digital nomads, and pensioners. These incentives demonstrate the region's commitment to promoting tourism development and attracting investments that drive economic growth.
Investment Guides in Latin America:
In partnership with:
Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic
15 – 22 April 2024
Dominican Republic
Develop a sustainable tourism policy in the Dominican Republic to promote responsible tourism practices that minimize negative environmental impacts, preserve cultural heritage, and contribute to the socio-economic development of local communities
We're thrilled to announce the successful completion of our assessment mission for the development of a sustainable tourism policy in the Dominican Republic. Our team embarked on this crucial endeavor to lay the groundwork for a comprehensive strategy that will promote responsible tourism practices and foster economic growth while prioritizing the well-being of local communities.
Our upcoming efforts will center on developing a robust strategy by actively involving key stakeholders and acquiring crucial insights into local priorities and challenges. This process will enable us to craft the initial framework of the policy, which will be further refined through consultations and by benchmarking against international best practices. Our next steps involve the formalization of the policy, integrating it into existing frameworks to ensure its long-term effectiveness.
Stay tuned for further updates as we continue our journey towards a more sustainable future for Dominican tourism.
UN Tourism has reaffirmed its commitment to innovation to enhance the evolution of the sector with a seminar on community-based tourism in Cuba.
The Seminar “Enhancing Tourism Development through Innovation in Community-Based Tourism” was held within the framework of the 69th meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for the Americas. The meeting served as a prelude to the institutional event and brought together leading players in the sector to address challenges, strategies and good practices in this tourism segment. The aim of the Seminar was to promote the development of community-based tourism through the empowerment of and investment in local populations, as well as the promotion of innovation in their products.
It is necessary to continue exploring models that promote the autonomy and participation of communities in the tourism management of their territories. Creativity, collaboration and commitment to local traditions are fundamental pillars in this journey towards more inclusive and responsible tourism.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, said: "Community-based tourism in the region of the Americas shows great diversity and opportunities for the sustainable development and economic inclusion of local communities. It is necessary to continue exploring models that promote the autonomy and participation of communities in the tourism management of their territories. Creativity, collaboration and commitment to local traditions are fundamental pillars in this journey towards more inclusive and responsible tourism.”
After the opening, Natalia Bayona, Executive Director of UN Tourism, highlighted: "Community-based tourism is a great opportunity for social innovation and allows us to be creative with the tourism product itself. In 2022, the global market for this type of tourism amounted to USD 575.9 million. Latin America and the Caribbean, with their natural resources and great nature areas where local communities flourish, announced 80 greenfield projects between 2018-2023 representing USD 3.89 billion."
The topic of “Challenges, Strategies and Good Practices for Sustainable Tourism Development through Empowerment and Investment in Community Tourism”, was discussed by a panel including the Cuban Minister Juan Carlos García Granda and the Vice-Ministers of Tourism of Panama, Magda Durán; of Peru, Madeleine Burns, and of Colombia, Arturo Bravo. Gustavo Santos, Regional Director for the Americas of UN Tourism acted as the moderator of the discussion, as the participants outlined the current situation, shared experiences and expressed their proposals for the future of the sector.
A second panel consisted of a discussion involving both the private sector and representatives of the academic field. On this occasion, with the title “Promoting Social Innovation in Tourism through Impact Investments in Community Tourism, Human Capital and Business and Territorial Strategies”, the debate focused on investments.
Two startups belonging to the UN Tourism ecosystem participated in the last of the seminar's debates. On the one hand, the company Quantum Temple, dedicated to the application of new technologies to conserve the cultural and natural resources of communities in Indonesia, and on the other, SmArt for Sustainability, from Panama, which incorporates cutting-edge technology and integration practices to move towards sustainability.
In addition to these meetings, local communities also had their space to publicize their work and showcase success stories, including the Women's Association 'Weaving Dreams and Flavours' of Mampuján, Colombia, which has been an example of transformation for more than two decades. This group of women, including victims of sexual violence and displaced persons, has been able to weave suffering and transform it into a hymn to peace and a historical testimony.
The conference reflected UN Tourism's efforts to promote the evolution of community-based tourism, among others, through its innovation network that includes a wide variety of startups and projects that promote this segment, as well as innovation challenges, which strengthen tourism initiatives in local communities, while helping to develop new strategies and give visibility to these projects at a global level.
The Seminar concluded with a final panel in which Antonio López de Ávila, coordinator of the Programme of Tourism for Rural Development, shared the activities carried out by UN Tourism in this field. He was joined by representatives of Raqchi (Perú) y Oyachí (Ecuador), both members of the Best Tourism Villages Network. They have shown how sustainable and inclusive tourism can significantly support development, create jobs, retain rural populations, generate extra income, and add to the general wellbeing of communities.
