El turismo: Un aliado invisible en la proteccion de los derechos humanos

The economic contribution tourism brings to the GDP of a country are well known today. It is as well-known its contribution for improving productivity at work;although the link is not as strongly recognized. Particularly once we do the direct association with the emotional wellbeing of workers. While its role as invisible ally for the protection of human rights is hardly call, perhaps, as up to now it is not seen the “Power Tourism has” for contributing to its protection.Nevertheless, today, several of the social and cultural rights of the person have refered directly or indirectly to the role tourism has for their accomplishment. For example, through or by supporting the implementation of the international conventions on the right of the child (1989), for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003), the rights of persons with dissability (2006), and for the protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (2016), among others. Under this umbrella, Iberoamerican countries as Brasil, Costa Rica, España, Portugal, Peru and Uruguay have significantly reinforce the accomplishment of one or some of these rights by means of the definition and implementation of laws and/or public policies in tourism. Having as well inspired public policy developments at regional or sub-regional level in the Americas Region and worldwide level. This, in terms that the rights of tourists (personal protection and its belongings) has reinforced the universal protection of the habitants of a country. The same as the safeguard of our intangible cultural heritage at international global level. All the abovementioned represent important contributions for the protection of human rights, but unfortunately the current lack of formal recognition of the link between tourism and human rights brings up the question why this is happening.