UN Tourism Celebrates 1st Regional Congress of the Tourism Law Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean in Punta Cana

UN Tourism successfully held the First Regional Congress of the Tourism Law Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean, under the theme "Legal perspectives towards sustainable tourism," on 15 and 16 July Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The event was organized by UN Tourism, in conjunction with Grupo Puntacana and Quiroz Advisors – QA Legal, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic. It brought together dozens of legal professionals, government representatives, international organizations, and key players in the tourism sector, from both the public and private spheres.

Over two days, experts and authorities discussed the main challenges and opportunities facing tourism in the region from a legal perspective. Issues such as sustainability, governance, land use planning, short-term tourism rentals, accessible tourism, and access to green investments were analysed with the aim of formulating concrete recommendations to strengthen the legal framework for the sector.

At the opening ceremony, Alicia Gómez, Director of the Department of Legal Affairs and International Standards at UN Tourism, stressed the importance of clear and transparent legal frameworks, inclusive governance models, and a cross-cutting approach to economic, social, and environmental sustainability. She added that Tourism Law should be used as a key tool to build more resilient and sustainable tourism destinations.

One of the highlights of the Congress was the formation of a working group on Governance and Land Use Planning, where representatives of Member States, under the direction of UN Tourism and experts in Tourism Law, developed legal recommendations on land use planning and land management as a tourism resource. These conclusions will serve as a basis for developing good practice guidelines and future actions by the LAC Observatory in this area.

In parallel, specialized training was provided to the private sector, focusing on the application of international standards for accessible tourism. In addition, with the participation of the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a post-conference on green investments was held, where financial mechanisms to promote a more inclusive and sustainable tourism economy were explored.

The Congress was attended by prominent international guests, including the Minister of Tourism of Ecuador, Mateo Estrella, and the Vice- Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, Carlos Peguero, as well as representatives from the business, academic, and financial sectors of the region.

This conference marks a milestone in the consolidation of a regional legal approach to sustainable tourism development and reinforces the commitment of UN Tourism and its partners to creating more sustainable and competitive destinations.

For more information on the Tourism Law Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean, visit: The Tourism Law Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean | The Observatory