Costa Rica and Mexico close the ninth edition of the Sustainable & Social Tourism Summit with key partnerships

The Sustainable & Social Tourism Summit 2025 concluded in San José, Costa Rica, after an intense day of reflection, learning, and regional collaboration. This ninth edition marked a milestone as it was the first time the event was held outside of Mexico, consolidating its truly Ibero-American character.

The event featured keynote addresses, high-level panels, practical workshops, and hands-on experiences focused on sustainable, social, and regenerative tourism.

The Summit addressed pressing issues such as the climate emergency, biodiversity conservation, gender equity, access to appropriate technologies, and the development of territorial governance with a participatory approach. The sessions demonstrated that social innovation in tourism is not only possible, but is also occurring in rural areas, in community kitchens, in grassroots projects, and in regional cooperation networks.

One of the most significant moments was the discussion with the winners of the 2025 Ibero-American Sustainable and Social Tourism Award, where the key figures shared their experiences transforming local realities through tourism. The stories from Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Mexico, El Salvador, and Ecuador left a mark of hope, commitment, and possibility.

Attendees participated in four simultaneous workshops on biodiversity, regeneration, responsible tourism products, and heritage management, with experts such as Jorge Moller, Carlos Tejada, and representatives from Iberostar, Peninsula Papagayo, JICA, and GIZ.

The event also saw important international agreements, such as the adhesion of new stakeholders to the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism, reaffirming the Summit's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and climate action.

In the afternoon, there were conferences on technology for communities and the presentation of a guide for sustainable destination management.

The event was recognized with the Blue Ecological Flag, a distinction that highlights the Summit's commitment to comprehensive sustainability. A discussion was also held with the winners of the 2025 Sustainable and Social Tourism Award, and the event concluded with a lecture by Sandra Abreu on behavioral science and a wine tasting session.

During his closing remarks, Fernando Mandri, President of the Summit, emphasized: “Communities must be at the heart of sustainable tourism. Tourism development cannot be done for communities, but with them, recognizing their knowledge, their voices, and their rights. Equity must be the cross-cutting theme. Community-based tourism is not a segment, it's a perspective. Sustainability is a collective journey.”

He emphasized that Costa Rica was the ideal setting for reflecting on this new paradigm and that what was experienced at this edition confirmed that social innovation in tourism is alive and well.

At the close of the event, it was officially announced that the tenth edition of the Summit will be held in Mexico City in 2026. This venue not only marks the event's return to Mexico but also promises to be the largest and most representative edition in its history, at a key moment for strengthening regional alliances, scaling sustainable solutions, and highlighting the community voices that are transforming tourism from the bottom up.

Source: Sustainable & Social Tourism Summit.