Tourism has a huge impact in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).
The sector is of vital importance in LAC, generating one in 10 jobs and attracting 5% of investment. As the number of visitors increases, Latin American and Caribbean countries require new tourism infrastructure to meet the growing demand. However, tourism development requires a strong social and environmental base from which to grow.
Challenges and Opportunities
The World Tourism Organization forecasts sustained growth of tourism until 2030. Smaller Latin American and Caribbean countries will benefit the most since the sector's contribution to their economies accounts for, on average, 18% of GDP and 15% of employment. It must be emphasized that tourism has great potential for creating inclusive and sustainable economic growth, for example, as a source of employment for women who occupy 59% of jobs in hotels and restaurants.
In order for the region's tourism development to succeed, it must not only seek the satisfaction of visitors. Indeed, Latin American and Caribbean countries face a major challenge: they must develop tourism infrastructure that can accommodate domestic and international tourists while improving the living conditions of host communities and protecting the environment and biological diversity.
Our Strategy
We add value to the integral development of projects in the tourism sector in the region.
We work with companies across the entire tourism and accommodation spectrum with a strong focus on social and environmental sustainability. We help them create an ambitious agenda around equality, gender, and sustainability issues. We promote the inclusion of vulnerable groups, such as young people, women, and indigenous peoples. We finance sustainable hotels and climate change resilient infrastructure.
Latest projects
Panama
Guyana
Regional
Peru
Colombia
Panama
Regional
Regional
Ecuador
Guyana
Publications
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November 2023How New Technologies Are Transforming Tourism in Latin America and the Caribbean
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November 2023(Executive Summary) How New Technologies Are Transforming Tourism in Latin America and the Caribbean
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June 2022Tourism facing modern slavery: Challenges and opportunities for the hotel sector in Mexico
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September 2020Fighting Food Waste in the Tourism Sector Challenges and Opportunities for Latin America, the Caribbean, and Beyond
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September 2018DEBrief: The Economic Impacts of Private Tourism-Related Investments in Jamaica
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October 2021(DEBrief) The Effect of COVID-19 on Firms and Employment in Central America
Daniel is a Senior Investment Officer and Tourism Investment Coordinator at IDB Invest, based in Panama City. He joined the organization in 2019 and leads the institution's tourism investment agenda across Latin America and the Caribbean, overseeing business development, transaction execution, and strategic engagement with leading private sector companies, financial institutions, and governments.
Throughout his career, Daniel has led and participated in a wide range of corporate, structured finance, project finance, and equity transactions, with a particular focus on tourism, infrastructure, and sustainable development.
Prior to joining IDB Invest, he spent more than five years at the Corporación Interamericana para el Financiamiento de Infraestructura (CIFI), where he originated and structured infrastructure and energy transactions across the region.
Daniel holds an MBA from The George Washington University School of Business and a bachelor's degree in Economics and International Business from Xavier University.