Uruguay is set to become the home of the first thematic UN Tourism office in the Americas, with a special focus on legal matters. This office, established through a partnership with the Uruguayan Ministry of Tourism, will house the Tourism Law Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean. Located at the United Nations House in Montevideo, the Observatory aims to play a crucial role in shaping a coherent legal environment for the tourism sector across the region.
The launch event was attended by prominent figures, including Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou, UN Resident Coordinator Pablo Ruiz, and Tourism Minister Eduardo Sanguinetti. The Observatory, developed in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank, will introduce a pioneering digital tool known as ‘TurismoLex’. This tool will compile tourism legislation from across Latin America and the Caribbean, providing a valuable resource for policymakers, industry professionals, and researchers.
In addition to the digital tool, the Observatory will also feature a virtual classroom and a community of practices, fostering dialogue and collaboration among government bodies, the private sector, and academia. This platform will serve as a hub for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and working towards harmonizing tourism regulations across the region.
The Observatory, which is scheduled to begin operations in early 2025, will provide technical support and regulatory insights to stakeholders in the tourism industry. It will also promote collaboration on cross-border legal frameworks, addressing regulatory challenges and identifying opportunities for growth and innovation within the sector.
This initiative received support from all member states of the Americas during the Regional Commission meeting in Varadero, Cuba, and was approved at the 121st Executive Council session in Barcelona. With Uruguay as its base, the Observatory is poised to become a vital resource for addressing legal complexities and fostering a more robust and sustainable tourism industry across Latin America and the Caribbean.
