Permanent Secretary of SELA: Sustainable tourism can be an engine for the development of our communities

With the participation of more than 110 people, the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) successfully concluded the “Virtual training seminar for the design of public policies aimed at the regional tourism sector,” held on Thursday with the purpose of promoting public policies to strengthen the region as a tourist destination.

During his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of SELA, Ambassador Clarems Endara, said “the tourism sector is fundamental for the economic growth of our countries, since it not only drives the generation of employment and investment in infrastructure, but also promotes the diversification of the economy and the preservation of our cultural and natural heritage.”

“Sustainable tourism, when properly managed, can be a driver for the development of our communities, boosting business opportunities and protecting the environment,” he noted. He added that there is a “great opportunity” for “sustainable, rural and family-friendly” tourism to be showcased to the world through major digital mechanisms and facilities.

He explained that by this year, tourism is expected to account for 10% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), up from the 2023 figure of 9.1 %. “Hopefully this growth can be steady and thus help countries that depend specifically on the promotion and implementation of tourism activities for their sustainability,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary, in his speech, emphasised the need to revive the region's economy through tourism and the communities involved in this sector. “It is imperative that we recognize and strengthen the strategic value of tourism in improving the quality of life of our communities," he noted.

“From SELA, it is our duty to promote the development and implementation of public policies that help face the challenges of the tourism sector, with access to opportunities that promote well-being and development for all,” he added.

Over three sessions, the “Virtual training seminar for the design of public policies aimed at the regional tourism sector” addressed the Challenges of Tourism in the digital era, Investment and Infrastructure as opportunities for development in the region, Community Tourism and Economic Development; with a panel of experts made up of: Sira Puig, Director of Tourism of Sitges; Thyago Albuquerque, PhD in Tourism from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte; Rocío Rojas, Director of Innovation and Communications of the Latin American Federation of Tourist Cities (FLCT); Gustavo Santos, UN Tourism Regional Director for the Americas; Oscar Rueda, Director of Tourism at CAF–Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean; Raúl Santos, General Coordinator of Territorio Rural Inteligente - OAPRural Cantabria; Wilson Hoyos, Director of Planning and Territorial Development of the Ministry of Tourism, Ecuador; Marieloz Bonilla, Member of the Steering Committee at the Ibero-American Institute of Rural Tourism; and Dr. Aline Noyola, CEO of Komuni Mx.

The aim of the activity was to promote public policies that enhance the region as a tourist destination; as well as to foster the well-being of the communities in the aforementioned regions, promoting the exchange of experiences that generate positive social impact, highlighting the obstacles that have been faced during their development, and recognising the economic, cultural and social benefits of tourism activity.