Santo Domingo.- The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) unveiled a joint “Tourism Task Force” today during the Plenary Meeting of the Business Dialogue of the Americas (BDA). The initiative aims to position travel and tourism as a key engine for economic growth throughout Latin America and the Caribbean by deepening ties between public and private stakeholders.
Facilitated by the IDB and spearheaded by private-sector leaders, the BDA fosters dialogue on regional policy priorities. By partnering with the WTTC, the new Task Force will develop a roadmap to produce public‐policy recommendations, mobilize investment, and scale solutions that benefit both communities and tourist destinations.
Comprising 22 major industry players—including Marriott International, Copa Airlines, Grupo Aviatur, The Leading Hotels of the World, Anato Colombia, Carnival Cruise Line, Cohep, and Grupo Puntacana—the Task Force will leverage these members’ on-the-ground expertise. “In collaboration with our private-sector partners and the WTTC, we’re working to generate more investment, new jobs, and regional economic growth,” said Fabrizio Opertti, manager of the IDB’s Productivity, Trade, and Innovation Sector.
According to WTTC’s most recent Economic Impact Research, the travel and tourism sector contributed $714 billion to the region’s GDP in 2024 and supported more than 28 million jobs. Building on these numbers, the Task Force will present a package of policy proposals at the Business Summit of the Americas, scheduled for December 3–4, 2025, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
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