Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Within the framework of the 26th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), held in Riyadh with historic participation from countries around the world, Gustavo Santos, Regional Director for the Americas, took a few minutes to share with ABC MUNDIAL his vision for the future of tourism and the strategic role of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Santos, who served as Argentina’s Minister of Tourism and now leads the region for UNWTO, emphasized that this assembly not only marks the transition to the new Secretary-General, Shaikha Nasser, the first woman to hold the position, but also reflects the growing global relevance of Latin America. “Today we are facing a strategic assembly. The term of a great leader like Zurab Pololikashvili ends, and Shaikha Nasser’s term begins. It is a milestone,” he explained.

The presence of Latin America at the assembly is significant. According to Santos, “Argentina has played an important role, Brazil chairs the Executive Council, and Costa Rica leads the Sustainability Committee. All 27 countries of our region are taking the stage in the world of tourism.”

For Santos, the region not only possesses biodiversity but also unique human value. “We are only 15% of the world’s territory, but nearly 45% of the planet’s biodiversity. We are the world’s sustainability reserve, but much more than that, we are the reserve of emotions,” he stated. He added, “The world to come, in the framework of the new paradigm and artificial intelligence, will value the human, the authentic, and the emotional. Latin America is that: a collection of hugs, sharing meals, dancing, loving each other, and sharing life. That will be the new luxury.”

Throughout his career, Santos has witnessed tourism evolve from a leisure-only activity to a key economic driver. “When I was Minister of Argentina, I always argued that tourism should be moved from the social section to the economy section. It is a productive activity, the most human, and the most important in terms of job creation. One in ten jobs worldwide is already generated by tourism,” he explained.

The UNWTO Regional Director also emphasized the sector’s future impact: “One in four new jobs being created is related to our sector. In the new paradigm, where we will coexist with technology, the human aspect, represented by tourism and interpersonal relationships, will be the most important.”

Santos recalled how his passion for tourism was established early on. “My first boss sent me to do a master’s in public tourism management in Spain. I thought he wanted to fire me, but he said, ‘Go, study, the world will live off this.’ Thirty years later, I tell everyone that the world will live off this.”

For Gustavo Santos, Latin America and the Caribbean have a strategic role: to be the epicenter of authentic and human tourism, where sustainability, culture, and emotion combine to create unique experiences. “Let us defend tourism, which defends the human space of productivity. We will work being human, enjoying life, connecting with people, and promoting peace,” he concluded.