Shaping Sustainable Tourism. The Role of Observatories in Latin America and the Caribbean

This publication examines the expanding role of sustainable tourism observatories in strengthening evidence-based governance, planning and management across destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Drawing on the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) framework, it analyzes how observatories collect, harmonize and disseminate data on economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism. The report highlights the importance of participatory and multistakeholder processes, robust indicator systems and institutional continuity to support long-term sustainability goals. Through case studies in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Spain, Canada and Italy, the report illustrates how observatories enhance local capacities, inform public policies, promote data-driven decision-making and facilitate international knowledge exchange. It identifies lessons learned, emerging challenges, including resource constraints, data standardization and public visibility, and outlines future actions needed to integrate tourism observatories more deeply into sustainable development strategies. By linking localized tourism intelligence with global sustainability agendas, the publication underscores observatories potential to catalyze more resilient, inclusive and environmentally responsible tourism pathways in the region.