From Torres del Paine to Xochimilco: Projects from nine countries are competing for the Responsible Tourism Award at WTM Latin America

Initiatives from nine Latin American countries are competing in the sixth edition of the awards

With 191 entries received from 16 countries, the WTM Latin America Responsible Tourism Award is now in its sixth edition and has established itself as one of the region’s leading platforms for recognizing best practices in tourism. The organization has just announced the 26 finalists for 2026, representing initiatives from nine countries focused on sustainable development across a range of areas—from environmental conservation to social inclusion, community building, heritage preservation, and more responsible management models.

Brazil tops the list with 10 finalists across the seven award categories, followed by Mexico, with five initiatives, and Colombia, with four. Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Peru are also represented, reflecting the diversity of projects that are transforming tourism in Latin America.

Created to recognize initiatives that have a positive impact on the regions and communities where they operate, the Responsible Tourism Award is part of WTM Latin America’s strategy to promote more conscious and transformative tourism. The awards ceremony is one of the event’s most iconic initiatives and reflects the growing focus on sustainability within the industry. The award is curated by Pablo Menendez, an international consultant on sustainable tourism, and Aline Bispo, a tourism expert and member of the technical leadership team at BATUC Network – Community Tourism in Bahia.

In line with the theme of this year’s WTM Latin America, the awards feature a dedicated category for regenerative tourism—a concept that goes beyond simply mitigating impacts and seeks to restore ecosystems, strengthen communities, and generate lasting value for destinations. The initiative underscores the importance of this discussion within the event’s program.

According to Bianca Pizzolito, director of WTM Latin America, The awards reflect the transformation that is already underway in the industry. “The Responsible Tourism Award very clearly embodies the kind of tourism we want to promote: tourism that has a positive impact and contributes to the sustainable development of destinations.” “The diversity and quality of the finalist projects show that this movement is already taking place throughout Latin America,” he says.

The winners will be announced on the second day of WTM Latin America 2026 (April 15) during a ceremony held on the stage of the Transformation Theater. Check out the finalists for the 6th WTM Latin America Responsible Tourism Awards.

The finalists are:

The 2026 edition of WTM Latin America will take place from April 14 to 16 at Expo Center Norte in São Paulo (SP).

WTM Latin America 2026 will begin charging a fee for issuing access badges to trade visitors and students. The amounts vary depending on the category and the expiration date of the accreditation.

Travel agents are exempt from the registration fee.

Trade visitors

1st Release: Unavailable

2nd Release: R$170 (for registrations made between March 1 and 31)
3rd Release: R$400 (for registrations made between April 1 and 16)

Trade Visitor passes are valid for all three days of the event and also grant access to the WTMLAT Meet networking platform.

Students
Pass valid for April 14 and 15, 2026: R$ 60
Pass valid for April 16, 2026: Free for students
 

Press information: Comunica Hub

Marcia Leite – (11) 9-4334 3017 – [email protected]

Luciana Gonçalves Frei (11) 9-5134 9665 – [email protected]

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