<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The second edition of the Ibero-American Tourism Forum, held this week in Santa Marta, Colombia, called for a “more humane, resilient, and collaborative tourism” that takes into account the role of local communities and indigenous populations and contributes to the revitalization of historic centers.</strong></h4> On May 14 and 15, Santa Marta hosted the second edition of the Ibero-American Tourism Forum, the most important meeting for the public and private sectors in the region. The forum, held under the theme “From Social Innovation to Sustainable Competitiveness: The Pathway to Change,” was promoted by the Ibero-American Business Council (CEIB), the Ibero-American Federation of Young Entrepreneurs (FIJE), PROCOLOMBIA, and UN Tourism. The event also had the support of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), the International Organization of Employers (OIE), ICEX Spain Export and Investment, and the Colombian Hotel and Tourism Association (COTELCO). At the meeting, business leaders, government representatives, local communities, multilateral organizations, members of the Academy, and cooperation agencies agreed that "the future of tourism lies in the balance between what is shared and what is protected" and that "there can be no smart tourism if it is not also humane and ethical," according to the CEOE in a press release. The forum brought together important leaders from the Ibero-American space, such as the Vice Minister of Tourism of Ecuador, Silvana Ramírez; her counterpart in Colombia, Juan Manrique Camargo; the Permanent Secretary of the Council of Ibero-American Entrepreneurs (CEIB) and Director of Relations with Ibero-America of CEOE, Narciso Casado; the President of the Ibero-American Federation of Young Entrepreneurs (FIJE), Matías Fernández; the president of PROCOLOMBIA, Carmen Caballero; and the executive director of UN Tourism, Natalia Bayona. Those attending argued that tourism must evolve toward "a more sustainable, inclusive, and innovative model, where local development and regional cooperation play a central role." In this regard, Narciso Casado emphasized the power of tourism to transform territories through dialogue and collaboration, while Matías Fernández argued that tourism is a transversal and dynamic industry, key to youth employment generation and sectoral innovation. For her part, Carmen Caballero, president of PROCOLOMBIA, emphasized the country's commitment to sustainable tourism, and Natalia Bayona, executive director of UN Tourism, called for a rethinking of the role of tourism in the new global economic order, highlighting Colombia as an emerging model and advocating for non-tax incentives that contribute to promoting education and community empowerment. From Ecuador, Vice Minister Silvana Ramírez emphasized the importance of placing people at the center of tourism strategies and strengthening the role of local communities within the value chain. Finally, her counterpart in Colombia, Juan Manrique Camargo, presented record figures for the sector in the country, reiterating the urgency of territorializing the benefits of tourism and promoting a responsible and sustainable model, in line with Colombia's vision as the "Land of Beauty." <h5><strong>Historic centers, local and indigenous communities</strong></h5> One of the forum's highlights was the debate on the role of Ibero-American historic centers as drivers of urban revitalization and cultural sustainability. According to the speakers, tourism is a powerful tool for the revitalization of historic centers, provided it is managed in a coordinated manner with the public sector, the local community, and businesses. The panelists also emphasized that heritage restoration requires major investments that can only be sustained if tourism becomes an economic driver. Regarding the community approach, Silvana Ramírez, Ecuador's Vice Minister of Tourism, discussed the need to transform local communities into protagonists of tourism, and the other panelists agreed that communities should not be seen solely as beneficiaries of tourism, but as protagonists who contribute value with their culture, knowledge, and territory. Indigenous tourism also received special attention. In a panel featuring Eduardo Gil (Wiwa community), Judith Nuvita Coronado (Kogui), César H. Cotacachi (Kichwa), Gilberto Alemancia (Guna Yala), and Wandy Robles (Santo Domingo), participants asserted that Indigenous tourism represents a sustainable alternative for preserving the natural environment, strengthening identity, and promoting economic empowerment. The panelists also emphasized that tourism in their territories must be built from within, respecting their worldviews and organizational structures. <h5><strong>Social and environmental responsibility</strong></h5> In another panel, moderated by Juan Cierco (Iberia) and bringing together representatives from the private sector, the speakers discussed how to make tourism an economically profitable activity without renouncing their social and environmental responsibility. Topics covered included sustainable aviation, the circular economy, youth employment, accessibility, and digitalization. The speakers agreed that tourism should be seen not only as a service industry, but as a platform to improve quality of life, foster entrepreneurship, and preserve diversity. The forum also devoted a key space to discussing financing and governance as drivers of the sector's progress. In this regard, Lorenzo Amor (vice president of CEOE and president of the National Federation of Self-Employed Workers' Associations, ATA) highlighted the importance of turning tourism into state policy, beyond rhetoric, with planning, execution, and consensus. "In this way, Santa Marta bid farewell with a renewed vision and left behind a common roadmap: continuing to advance toward humane, intelligent, inclusive, and sustainable tourism, where local communities, Indigenous peoples, entrepreneurs, governments, and tourism promoters as a whole share a future perspective based on respect, innovation, and collaboration," the press release concludes.
