Grand opening of the 9th Sustainable & Social Tourism Summit in San José, Costa Rica

For the first time, the Summit leaves Mexico and chooses Costa Rica as its host, one of the most emblematic countries in the
promotion of responsible tourism.

May 21 marked the formal start of the meeting, although some participants had already made technical visits to exemplary sustainable tourism projects the day before. Today, the activities began with a specialized course on "Slow Tourism Strategies for Social Sustainability," taught by Francisco Pastor of CIFAL Málaga - UNITAR, which covered methodologies for conscious, inclusive tourism focused on the well-being of host communities.

In parallel, high-level private meetings were held, including a session of the Central American Tourism Council (CCT), the Yuluca Alliance meeting, and the ISTO-SITCA workshop on the design of sustainable tourism products. These sessions brought together key stakeholders from the public, private, and civil society sectors, strengthening regional cooperation for sustainable tourism development.

The culminating moment of the day was the Summit's opening ceremony, which was attended by Costa Rican and Mexican authorities, representatives from UNESCO, UN Tourism, and other international organizations. During the ceremony, the 2025 Sustainable and Social Tourism in Ibero-America Award was presented, recognizing exemplary projects that positively impact communities, ecosystems, and travelers.

Mandri also highlighted Costa Rica's role as a leader in sustainability, thanking it for its openness and commitment: "Thank you, Costa Rica, for being a beacon of sustainability and consistency, for showing us that it is possible to grow with respect for nature and social justice." 

This year's theme, "Tourism from the perspective of communities," was broadly explored by Mandri, who stated that "tourism must serve communities, not the other way around." In his speech, he called for a profound change in the way tourism development is conceived, urging us to put the people who inhabit the territories at the center and recognizing that "without community, there is no sustainable tourism destination possible." 

She also presented the four strategic pillars that structure this edition of the Summit: Tourism and society, tourism and territory, tourism and culture, and tourism and the environment. These pillars will address topics such as the inclusion of women and youth, respect for cultural heritage, regenerative tourism, and participatory governance.

Afterwards, attendees enjoyed a welcome cocktail, where the first exchanges, alliances, and collaborations were generated. The Sustainable & Social Tourism Summit 2025 has gotten off to a strong start, once again positioning itself as a platform for coordination between governments, businesses, academia, and civil society to transform tourism into a tool for sustainable development, inclusion, and resilience. 

In Mandri's words: "Tourism won't change the world on its own. But it can be one of the most powerful tools for building a more just, inclusive, and sustainable world, if we do it from, with, and for communities."

Source: Sustainable & Social Tourism Summit.