The 2026 Assembly will address tourism as a driver of regional development
The 2026 ORU Fogar Annual Assembly will be held in Cuenca, Azuay, Ecuador, from the 2nd to the 4th of July. The Assembly will focus entirely on toyrism as an economic factor. Hosted by the Provincial Government of Azuay, the Assembly will include a Forum entitled “Tourism and Regional Economic Development”, bringing together experts from around the world and a broad representation of regional governments from different continents.
The celebration of ORU Fogar Assemblies has traditionally served as a platform to address a wide range of issues, including food security, migration, cooperation, and the fight against climate change. Despite being a major economic resource, tourism was incorporated relatively late into the organisation’s agenda. At the Third Regional Forum on Local Economic Development for Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Barranquilla, Colombia, in 2018, ORU Fogar opened the door to collaboration with the Institute of Responsible Tourism and presented the Biosphere certifications. From 2021 onwards, a partnership was established with GLOCAL (Forum of Tourism and Economic Development), which made it possible to address tourism issues in 2021—at the height of the pandemic—during the 5th World Forum on Local Economic Development, and again in 2025 at the 6th Forum. Now, in Cuenca, ORU Fogar and the Provincial Government will once again collaborate with GLOCAL in organising the Forum.
The aim of the event is to get together regional governments and experts to discuss the role of tourism as a driver of territorial development, social cohesion, and the enhancement of cultural and natural heritage. The Prefect of Azuay, Juan Cristóbal Lloret, is leading the organisation of the event, with the intention of presenting, from his territory, a model of sustainable, community-based and inclusive tourism that generates economic opportunities, protects the environment, and strengthens local identity.
In this context, the Prefect also seeks to position Azuay’s tourism offering as an authentic, safe and responsible destination, open to both national and international tourism. This offering highlights the province’s extraordinary natural, cultural and heritage diversity. Azuay combines Andean landscapes, protected areas, rivers and mountains with a vibrant living culture, expressed through its traditions, gastronomy, handicrafts, and the historical heritage of cities such as Cuenca, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This international gathering in Azuay will also provide the opportunity to inaugurate the Inca Trail project, or Qhapaq Ñan, which showcases an ancestral heritage and strengthens the link between sustainable tourism, identity and regional development.
