WTM Latin America brings together discussions and awards responsible tourism initiatives

On the second day of WTM Latin America, spread across the event's three theaters, the debates progressed from a more structural view of distribution and destination regeneration to practical discussions on sustainability, loyalty through technology, and trend analysis applied to sales—a selection that connected impact, data, and commercial strategy in sequence. The afternoon also featured the awarding of 26 trophies to outstanding initiatives in the sixth edition of the Responsible Tourism Award.

One of the highlights of the Technology & Innovation theater was "From Inventory to Impact: How Travel Distribution Can Regenerate Destinations," a panel that brought together Mariana Aldrigui, Alexandre Oliveira, Emilio Inés, and Gisela Blok. The panelists advocated for a distribution system that is sustainable at all stages, capable of connecting companies, destinations, and experiences, while simultaneously strengthening small entrepreneurs and the diversity of communities. Alexandre warned that seemingly small decisions can widen inequalities when made without awareness, and that tourism needs to generate development with local leadership, while Emilio and Mariana emphasized that regenerative tourism only gains scale with indicators, data intelligence, and supply chain integration.

“Challenges on the Path to Sustainability: Stories of Impact in Adventure Destinations” took a frank approach to resource limitations, governance, and management, with the participation of Marianne Costa, Douglas Simões, Nicolás Caram, and Anna Carolina Lobo. The speakers shared lessons learned and warnings, such as the need to place communities and biodiversity at the center and the statistic that the reduction of fauna and flora since the 1970s has reached 95% in Latin America and the Caribbean. There was also a call to balance project expectations with monetization and investment in order to generate real economic development in the destination.

Another topic with good reflections was "From reservation to bond: how technology is redefining loyalty." Melanie Teixeira, Guilherme Padilha, and Cinthia dos Santos took the stage to argue that loyalty has ceased to be a mere points program and has become a relationship sustained by data, continuous personalization, and real-time experiences. For them, the bond begins with pricing and distribution, that is, long before the reservation, and technology enables a hyper-personalized delivery.

In an analytical tone, Mariana Aldrigui took to the stage once again to address “Global trends with a Latin accent: what matters for our markets.” The professor and tourism researcher from USP translated international insights into the regional commercial reality, stating that price alone is no longer the deciding factor and that destination choice is driven by identity. She pointed to four vectors of opportunity in Latin America: the search for identity, bleisure, the 50+ traveler, and technology as a reorganizer, provoking the assertion that agents do not compete on price or platform, but on scenario analysis.

Heading towards the top 5:
Mexico's adoption of the electronic visa is already producing concrete economic effects on Brazilian demand for travel to the country. Miguel Aguíñiga, head of the Innovation, Sustainability and Tourism Professionalization Unit of the Mexican Government's Ministry of Tourism, stated that, since February 5th, the volume of visas approved for Brazilians has grown by 460%, totaling approximately 12,000 authorizations in one month. He highlighted that Brazil is the only country authorized to issue this e-Visa, a measure presented as part of the effort to deepen ties and investments between the two markets.

By relating the initial effects of the electronic visa to medium-term goals, Aguíñiga projected a rise in Brazil's position among the main sources of tourists to Mexico. He recalled that, in 2025, Mexico received 47.7 million foreign tourists and occupied the sixth position among the most visited countries in the world, with a declared ambition to reach fifth place by 2030. In the period he cited, Brazil was in eighth place as a source market, but the data obtained between January and February of this year already indicated progress in the ranking. If the trend continues, the estimate is that Brazil will be among the five most important sources of tourists for Mexico by 2027.

According to Aguíñiga, the expansion of the flow reinforces the agenda of air connectivity: he cited existing routes and connections and said that, if the new volume of visas translates into departures, the potential would require between 15 and 20 additional flights to accommodate the demand. "There are ongoing discussions with Embratur and the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism to discuss, together with Brazilian and Mexican airlines, ways to increase connectivity between the two countries," he stated.

Best Practices in Responsible Tourism in Latin America
Once again, the Transformation Theatre gave visibility and celebrated inspiring stories and projects from the travel and tourism sector that promote sustainable development in Latin America. In her opening remarks, Bianca Pizzolito, Event Leader of WTM Latin America, proudly celebrated the awarding of the 6th edition of the Responsible Tourism Award, highlighting that the award has become one of the most anticipated moments not only for the recognition, but also for symbolizing tourism as an agent of transformation. Her speech emphasized the diversity of projects from across Latin America—192 initiatives from 16 countries were submitted—and stressed that, more than concepts about the future of the sector, the award highlights real practices already underway.

In line with “Regenerate, restore, reconnect,” the theme of WTM Latin America 2026, this year's edition of the award featured a special category focused on regenerative tourism, with initiatives that generate lasting value for destinations. Bianca also thanked the Ministry of Tourism for its sponsorship of all themes related to diversity, the 22 jurors, Aline Bispo, and Pablo Menendez, curators of the Transformation theater program and the awards ceremony.

The winners are:
Category 01: Best initiatives to address climate change and conserve biodiversity (Supporter: Adventure Travel Trade Association)
BRONZE: São Sebastião Tourism Secretariat (Brazil)
SILVER: Amazon Emotions (Brazil)
SILVER: Terra Peninsular (Mexico)
GOLD: Recanto Ecológico Rio da Prata and Lagoa Misteriosa: Climate Positive Innovation and Biodiversity Conservation through Private Natural Heritage Reserves (Brazil)

Category 02: Best initiatives to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in tourism (Supporter: Muda! Brazilian Collective for Responsible Tourism)
BRONZE: TURISTEA – Inclusive Tourism (Brazil)
SILVER: Organización Tlachtli (Mexico)
SILVER: Caboclos House Ecolodge (Brazil)
GOLD: Café de las Sonrisas (Nicaragua)

Category 03: Best initiatives to promote socioeconomic impact and peacebuilding through tourism (Supporter: La Mano Del Mono)
BRONZE: Municipalidad Distrital de Capachica (Peru)
SILVER: Alagados Turismo Comunitário (Brazil)
SILVER: Fundación Travolution Colombia (Colombia)
GOLD: Colección Montes (Colombia)

Category 04: Best networking initiatives to promote responsible tourism in destinations (Supporter: Planeterra)
BRONZE: Unión de cooperativas Co'ox Mayab (Mexico)
BRONZE: Cartagena de Indias Convention & Visitors Bureau / Secretaría de Hacienda Distrital de Cartagena de Indias (Colombia)
SILVER: Rede de Turismo Sustentável de Brumadinho - Jornada de Inovação e Sustentabilidade - Company: Rede Terra 
GOLD: Asociación Civil Museo Comunitario Isla Maciel (Argentina)

Category 05: Best initiatives for indigenous tourism and/or traditional communities (Supporter: World Indigenous Tourism Alliance – WINTA)
BRONZE: Raíces Program – Impact Hub San José (Costa Rica)
BRONZE: Céu de Montanhas Association (Brazil)
SILVER: Quichwa Expedition Native Travel (Ecuador)
GOLD: Kíichpam K'áax Ecotourism Center (Mexico)

Category 06: Best initiatives for the preservation of memory and appreciation of historical heritage (Supporter: Allianza Yuluca)
BRONZE: Tours Mitote - Xochimilco (Mexico)
SILVER: Agência Agroturística Conociendo el Pacífico Nariñense SAS ZOMAC (Colombia)
GOLD: Museu da Gastronomia Maranhense – São Luis (Brazil)

Exclusive Category: Best Initiatives for Regenerative Tourism (Supporter: Global Regenerative Tourism Initiative)
BRONZE: Plantar Project - Minas Gerais (Brazil)
SILVER: Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve (Chile)
GOLD: Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve (Costa Rica)

Source: WTM Latin America.