The 5th World LED Forum focuses on sustainable tourism

In none of its five previous editions has the World Forum on Local Economic Development addressed the tourism sector as a factor for development. Only during the III Forum on Local Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Barranquilla, Atlántico (Colombia) in May 2019, ORU Fogar organized a seminar with the Responsible Tourism Institute to present the Biosphere Certificates. In view of the success of that event, ORU Fogar wanted to insist on that line of work and during the V World Forum, hosted by Córdoba (Argentina), has promoted the celebration of a space for debate entitled "Sustainable tourism with territorial basis: strategies for recovery".

In the presentation of the event, which will take place on May 26, it is explained that, since tourism has a great capacity to create employment, it is entirely appropriate to devote great attention to this possibility at a time when the pandemic may begin to subside. Tourism, it is explained, is an important support to the primary and more traditional secondary sectors, especially in poor contexts. Every territory, on the other hand, has some kind of resource that, if well promoted, can become a tourist attraction. Who does not have a historical past, a landscape, a gastronomy or unique traditions. A glacier and a desert can be attractive. At this point, regional governments must have a strategy to take advantage of these resources.  

The secretary of ORU Fogar, Carles Llorens, who is part of the International Committee that organizes the World LED Forum, has explained the reason for focusing this forum on tourism. "If at other times we should have already devoted great attention to these possibilities of creating employment, wealth and development, at this time of pandemic this attention should be even greater. Certainly tourism, in all its extension, is one of the economic sectors that have been most affected by the restrictions imposed by COVID-19. From tourist agencies to hotels have been paralyzed and, in most cases, with doors closed for months. Activity has often dropped to zero. It remains to be seen how all these assets will be recovered and put back into operation. As certain as this is that the constraints of 2020 and the remainder of 2021 will cause travel to ramp up as soon as possible. Thus, individuals and families who have been able to stay afloat will revive tourism, as soon as health conditions allow. We must take advantage of the strength of this upturn to generate employment, boost sectors and radiate dynamism".

This space of the 5th World Forum will be attended by local and regional governments, but also by officials from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the International Tourism Organization. All of them will display the best public policies in this field.

Registration here: https://5editioncordoba.ledworldforum.org/en/inscripcion-evento/