Latin American tourism summit meets for the first time in São Paulo
Latin American tourism summit meets for the first time in São Paulo
Eight Ministers of Tourism of Latin America, including Brazilian Minister Gustavo Feliciano, meet for the first time in Sao Paulo, on the 14th. They will be welcomed by Bianca Pizzolito, director of WTM Latin America, for the first edition of the Ministers’ Summit, a closed meeting that takes place under the theme “Latin American Tourism: Responsible and Regenerative for the Future.”
The meeting is part of the agenda of the fair, the largest B2B tourism event in the Latin American region, which begins on the 14th itself and continues until Thursday, 16th, at Expo Center Norte, in São Paulo.
Conceived and organized with the aim of stimulating the exchange of knowledge between the countries of the region and proposing an integrated long-term agenda, the Ministers’ Summit includes the participation of Harris Whitbeck, Minister of Tourism of Guatemala; Cristian Pos Damás, National Director of Tourism, representing Minister Pablo Menoni, of Uruguay; Gloria de León, Minister of Tourism in Panama; María Paz Lagos, Vice-Minister of Tourism of Chile; Josefina Rodrigues Zamora, Minister of Tourism of Mexico, and Arianna Cristina Cevallos, Undersecretary of Tourism Development and Competitiveness, representing María José Reshuan Landívar, Vice Minister of Tourism of Ecuador, as well as the Brazilian Minister Gustavo Feliciano. José María Arrúa, the listening representative of the Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Sports of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Interior of Argentina, Daniel Scioli, is also participating in the meeting.
“We are very honored and happy to receive the tourism leaders from these countries. They pave the way for new discussions and reinforce the importance of integration in Latin America,” Bianca Pizzolito, Event Leader of WTM Latin America says.
Integrated into the debate, the first edition of the Ministers Summit will also feature the presentation of the study “Shaping Sustainable Tourism – The Role of Observatories in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Prepared by the International Development Bank (IDB) and UN Tourism, the document states that sustainability in tourism also depends on continuous data collection and the adoption of monitoring routines to support decision-making.
The study will soon be available on the institutions' websites and was presented for the first time during the event. It presents the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO, a collaborative network that connects 40 tourism observatories worldwide, 12 of which are in Latin America and the Caribbean). It also details practical case studies to show how these observatories support evidence-based tourism management.
In Brazil, the Center for Intelligence in the Tourism Economy (CIET) of the State of São Paulo is one example, cited for expanding tourism monitoring through environmental and social sustainability indicators. Another Brazilian highlight is the Brazilian Network of Tourism Observatories, focused on the standardization and integration of data from its more than 70 members. Cases from other destinations, such as Buenos Aires (Argentina), Bogotá (Colombia), Guanajuato (Mexico), Galapagos (Ecuador), Mallorca (Spain), Yukon (Canada), and South Tyrol (Italy), are also included in the publication, presenting different possible approaches regarding the selection and monitoring of tourism sustainability indicators.
The study reinforces that observatories are not just information instruments, but true governance tools to improve tourism management. By generating and organizing evidence, they contribute to strengthening integrated planning, monitoring the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of destinations, and guiding decision-making based on data and evidence.
At the end of the meeting, at 5 pm, in the Mezzanine, the Ministers will have a few minutes available for photos and/or interviews.
At the end of the meeting, at 5 pm, in the Mezzanine, the Ministers will have a few minutes available for photos and/or interviews.
Service – WTM Latin America Accreditation 2026
WTM Latin America 2026 will start charging a fee for issuing access credentials for Trade Visitors and students. Prices vary according to category and registration completion date.
Trade visitors
2nd batch R$ 170 (for registrations made between April 1st and 13th)
Trade Visitor credentials are valid for all three days of the event, and, additionally, they grant access to the WTMLAT Meet fair networking tool.
Important: Travel agents and qualified buyers are exempted from the entrance fee. Complete your accreditation at this link.
Information for the press: Communica Hub
Marcia Leite – (11) 9-4334 3017 – [email protected]
Luciana Gonçalves Frei (11) 9-5134 9665 – [email protected]
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