U.N Bets on Tourism for Latin America’s Embattled Economies

Latin America aims to make tourism a key economic driver, a move supported by Natalia Bayona, Executive Director at the United Nations Tourism Organization.

She emphasizes the importance of education and a solid governmental strategy for this shift.

From 2017 to 2021, tourism significantly boosted Mexico’s GDP and employment, mirroring Uruguay’s, Argentina’s, and Chile’s benefits.

Nearly 28 million people in the region relied on tourism for income by 2018.

ECLAC’s 2023 fiscal data indicates rising hydrocarbon revenues, suggesting a strategic pivot to tourism could be fruitful.

Transitioning to a tourism-led economy requires at least 15 years, as evidenced by France and Spain’s success stories.

A focused governmental policy and collaboration across ministries are crucial.

Bayona advocates for integrating tourism into local and national governance, using Spain’s model for inspiration.

She also calls for improved tourism education at the regional level, where a gap in expertise exists.

Countries like Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica are making strides toward sustainable tourism development.

Bayona praises efforts in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, highlighting the sector’s potential for growth.

Education is key, with a need for more technical schools to support various industry roles.

Bayona points out the challenges of education and job creation in tourism, noting the prevalence of informal businesses and low-quality employment.

She urges for strong education policies in tourism to enable youth to start formal businesses and build long-term careers.

Highlighting a talent shortage in areas like data science and coding, Bayona suggests expanding the focus beyond hospitality.

The goal is to develop a formal business sector with regional support to facilitate these changes in Latin America, ensuring the tourism industry’s robust growth and sustainability.