OMPT announces the nominees for the 2027 Open Passport International Prize on World Tourism Journalist Day

Marking World Tourism Journalists Day, observed annually on September 5, the World Tourism Journalism Organization (Organización Mundial de Periodismo Turístico, OMPT)) has released the nominees for the 13th Premio Internacional Pasaporte Abierto (Open Passport International Award). The award ceremony will take place in Uruguay in March 2027.

The date offers an opportunity to recognize the work of those who communicate tourism from different perspectives and to highlight the role of tourism journalism as a tool for bringing territories, cultures, communities, experiences and issues related to tourism development into public view.

The Premio Internacional Pasaporte Abierto (Open Passport International Award) honours publications, initiatives and individuals making meaningful contributions to tourism and tourism‑related communication. Its categories include socially relevant works, cross‑cultural recognition, originality and journalistic research, as well as projects from specialized media, events, tourism proposals and emerging tourist destinations.

This year’s nominated entries feature works and proposals from Latin America, Europe and Asia. Participants comprise journalists, media outlets, enterprises, institutions, tourist destinations and civil‑society organizations.

Publications

Social relevance

• El Salvador: when a city comes back to life. By Yazmín Jiménez. Panama.

• The university that turned knowledge into scientific‑cultural tourism: UANL’s innovative model. By Elena Mosquera. Panama.

• Sea turtles, allies of sustainable tourism in Panama. By Yelina Pérez. Panama.

• Lanna Kingdom: the kingdom of a million rice paddies. By Mary de Aquino. Brazil.

Recognition of the other

• Hermitages of Tilcara. By Mariana Otero. Argentina.

• Between drums and flavours: two days in Portobelo, Panama. By Rapha Aretakis. Germany.

• Threads of memory: when tourism brings communities together. By Ilse Martínez and Pedro Campusmana. Colombia and Peru.

• Mennonites: Portraits of Identity. By Katerina Mandrygina. Mexico / Europe.

Originality

• Chronicle of a trip to San Luis: living history in every corner (Part One and Part Two). By Debora Ruiz. Argentina.

• Honduras in a cup: the coffee route that conquers the world. By Karla Villalta. Honduras.

• Rarámuri: Portraits of Identity. By Katerina Mandrygina. Mexico / Europe.

• From digital screen to real‑life journey. By Hải Ngân. Vietnam.

  
  

  Journalistic esearch

• Behind closed doors on cruise ships. By Elisa Perrigueur. France.

• Destination of pain: child sexual exploitation in all‑inclusive resort paradises. By Karla Alcántara. Dominican Republic.

• Tourists and social media: the new image‑washing for countries in crisis. By Pau Garrido Solé.

Experiences

5.Out‑standing specialized tourism media

• https://destinypty.com. Panama.

• www.raphanomundo.com. Germany.

• www.timeout.com. United Kingdom.

• www.travelandtourworld.com/. India.

• https://travelindustrytoday.com. Canada.

• www.unvaleroo.com. Venezuela.

• www.wanderlustmagazine.com. United Kingdom.

6.Event of the Year

• 9th Ecuadorian Ornithology Meeting REO 2026. Argentina.

• Coffee Lovers Expo. Panama.

• The Passion of Madariaga. Argentina.

7.Best tourism proposal

• 50th Anniversary of the Provincial Tourism Board. Spain.

• Birdwatchers of Quijos Valley. Ecuador.

• La María Technical Educational Institution. Colombia.

• The Bricks of Ecuador. Ecuador.

• My Mother Turned Into a Bird. Spain.

• Siloé Tourist Route. Colombia.

• Wine and Dinosaur Routes. Mexico.

• Te Pacha. Argentina.

8.Emerging tourist destinations

• Caxias do Sul. Brazil.

• Portobelo. Panama.

• Tuluá. Colombia.

Persons

9.Committed tourism entrepreneurs

• Eco‑hotel Santa Bárbara. Colombia.

• Hotel Boulevard del Río. Colombia.

• Jamao Ecotours. Dominican Republic.

• Rolando Luna. Ecuador.

• Sevilla Travel. Colombia.

• Viviane Vignoli. Brazil.

• William Rivera. Colombia.

10. Teamwork

• BEC Panamá. Panama.

• El Callao. Peru.

• El Refrigerio. Colombia.

• García, Nuevo León. Mexico.

• Hotel Campestre La Aldea. Colombia

• Hotel Westin Playa Bonita. Panama

• Jacarandá. Colombia.

11. Collaborating organization

• Mayor’s Office of Circasia. Colombia.

• Santa Marta Chamber of Commerce for Magdalena. Colombia.

• Hotel and Gastronomy Business Chamber of Villa Gesell. Argentina.

• Portobello Tourism Chamber. Panama.

• Central Unit of Valle del Cauca (Unidad Central del Valle del Cauca, Uceva). Colombia.

12. Career achievement

• Amelia Old. United States.

• Anurag Mallick. India.

• Cristian Robles. Panama.

• David Moralejo. Spain.

• Eduardo Tijerina Araiza. Mexico.

• Emilio Antonio Calderón. Mexico.

• El Chimi Santafesino. Argentina.

• Ivo Ivanov. Bulgaria.

• Joseph Zárate. Peru.

• Michel Jorge Millares. Spain.

• Rafael Müller. Brazil.

13. New special categories “The Best of 2026”

Smart tourist destination 2026

• Montevideo. Uruguay

• Asunción. Paraguay

• Arequipa. Peru

• Tequila. Mexico

• Gramado. Brazil

• Bucaramanga. Colombia.

14. Thermal‑tourism destination 2026

• Salinas del Almirón. Uruguay

• Termas del Río Hondo. Argentina

• Termas Geométricas. Chile

• Termas Santa Rosa de Cabal. Colombia

• Caldas de Prata Thermal Park. Brazil

• Termas del Dayman. Uruguay

15.Accessible tourism 2026

• Accessible Expo. Argentina‑Spain

• Adapted fishing. Argentina

• Hiking for Everyone. Uruguay

• National Federation of Ecuadorians with Physical Disabilities (Federación Nacional de Ecuadorians con Discapacidad Física, Fenedif). Ecuador.

• Promoting Committee for Accessible Tourism. Bolivia.

• Senatur. Paraguay.

Open Passport Grand Award

• It may be won by any of the nominees.

Uruguay will host the next edition

The award ceremony for the 13th Open Passport International Award will take place in Uruguay in March 2027, as part of OMPT’s new international agenda.

Activities will begin with participants arriving in Maldonado Department on March 13 and 14. On March 15, the 19th International Congress of Tourism Journalists and Professionals will be held in Punta del Este.

The programme will continue on March 18 in Colonia del Sacramento, venue for the Open Passport International Award ceremony. Afterwards, the delegation will travel to Montevideo for institutional activities and a surprise event, alongside tours in Canelones Department.

The tour will move on to Rocha Department, where a farewell dinner and gift‑ex change session are scheduled. Fampress Uruguay activities will run through March 23.

The Open Passport Grand Prize may be awarded to any nominee across all categories. It represents the highest honour of this edition, bringing together voices, projects and experiences linked to tourism journalism and destination development.

By releasing these nominations, OMPT marks World Tourism Journalists Day, reaffirming the value of tourism communication that goes beyond mere promotion, delivering information, reflection, a sense of identity and fresh perspectives on territories and their communities.

This September‑5 observance once again places at its heart those tasked with narrating tourism through journalism, who strive from diverse backgrounds to foster a broader, more responsible and human‑centred vision of this sector.