Observatory Sections

Turismo Lex is a database jointly created by UNWTO and IDB, focusing on legislation applicable to the tourism sector in the LAC region. Its purpose is to gather, categorize, and systematize the regulations relevant to tourism in the region, providing a comprehensive source of information on Tourism Law for both public and private stakeholders in the tourism industry.

The Turismo Lex database covers various sources of Tourism Law, including international treaties and agreements, national and subnational legislation, jurisprudence, recommendations, and other non-binding regulations such as codes promoted by UNWTO. This database is organized by thematic areas, types of regulatory instruments, geographic scope, and the stage in the regulatory cycle. Users have direct access to summaries, document categorization, and, in most cases, complete texts of the documents within the database.

The resources and reports contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the UNWTO and IDB Observatory. They serve as a significant means to analyze the current state of tourism legislation, both in a general sense and on specific topics, in the LAC region.  

While some of these resources are intended to inform the general public, others provide specialized knowledge and recommendations to Latin American and Caribbean countries aimed at optimizing the process of drafting, implementing, and reviewing tourism legislation.  

The various analyses, diagnostics, recommendations, and best practices all share the common purpose of contributing to the progressive harmonization of regional legal matters and/or areas of common interest. 

In the "Media" section, you can find the latest news, events, and initiatives of the Observatory related to Tourism Law taking place in the LAC region. 

Additionally, there is an interactive space dedicated to blogs and a forum where you can study and analyze novel or necessary issues regarding Tourism Law. You can also participate in discussions, proposals, and debates with others interested in the topics covered by the UNWTO and IDB Observatory.  

Anyone interested in participating in the blogs and forum can do so in an atmosphere of respect and courtesy. To participate, you only need to register with the Observatory and wait for the moderators to open the corresponding topics for discussion. 

The UNWTO and IDB Observatory aims to be a knowledge development center in the field of Tourism Law, promoting the participation of tourism stakeholders in the processes of development, review, and improvement of tourism legislation throughout the regulatory cycle. 

To achieve this, the Observatory provides an interactive space consisting of: 

• Virtual Classroom: In this section, the Observatory offers educational materials and free courses in the field of Tourism Law. It also provides the opportunity to access academic activities offered by collaborating institutions of the Observatory and its researchers. 
• Community of Practices: Within this community, tourism stakeholders in the LAC region, whether public or private, can participate in working groups and thematic discussions by invitation. This allows for the exchange of priorities, knowledge, and best practices among participants.