ISTO collaborated in the organisation of the Congress which took place on 16 and 17 April 2021 in the framework of the World Leisure Day.
The 2nd Ibero-American Virtual Congress on Leisure and Inclusive Tourism, organised by the Ibero-American Institute of Inclusive Tourism in collaboration with the ISTO Americas Secretariat, aimed to promote leisure and tourism as a right for all, and in particular for people with disabilities, the elderly and people with accessibility needs.
The opening speech and ceremony, which was broadcasted online, was attended by over 7,000 people. Eighteen different countries were also represented at the event.
The exchanges and collaborations that took place during the Congress led to the elaboration of the "Declaration for Inclusive Leisure and Tourism in Ibero-America" (document available in Spanish). ISTO is one of the signatory organisations of this declaration. And it invites all its partners to consult it and to integrate its recommendations as much as possible.
Verónica Gómez, Director of ISTO Americas, underlines that "the declaration is a new forum through which ISTO reaffirms its commitment to leisure and tourism as a social right, and for which all key stakeholders must work and implement actions aimed at breaking down the barriers that exist in access to these activities".
ISTO's participation in the Congress was also an opportunity to celebrate World Leisure Day, organised for the first time by the World Leisure Organisation, with which ISTO has been working together for several years.
