Montevideo promotes smart tourism through sustainable and accessible experiences

Montevideo welcomed 876,317 travelers in 2025. Now the Uruguayan capital wants to make each visit better by building a tourism model around sustainability, accessibility, innovation and data.

After receiving Smart Tourist Destination certification last year, the city is taking on the task of professionalizing the sector. This week, Montevideo will host the third edition of Tourism 360, an international fair for smart tourist destinations. One day will focus on training, while two others will be open to the public.

The model combines technology, data analysis, innovation and sustainability to improve the experience of travelers and the quality of life of residents. “Tourists are not going to come to Montevideo because of a certificate, but they come, and come in greater numbers, and enjoy it more if their experience is better,” Karina Fortete, director of the Montevideo municipal tourism division, told EFE.

Fortete said the city wants to distinguish itself by offering experiences that show greater respect for the environment and for people, while ensuring that visitors with disabilities can also enjoy Montevideo. From Friday, Sept. 4, through Sunday, Sept. 6, Tourism 360 will address sustainability, accessibility, innovation, technology and governance.

The program includes workshops on integrating sustainability into everyday management and tourism businesses, as well as historical walking tours, winery visits, bus excursions and routes linked to literature. Montevideo has been a UNESCO Literary City since 2015, making it the only city in Latin America to hold that designation.

The tourism division also wants the fair to create opportunities for exchange, improve the sector’s quality and competitiveness, and bring residents closer to tourism. Earlier editions showed that people become better hosts when they feel closer to tourism experiences, Fortete said. Increasing visitor numbers matters, but the city also wants to build loyalty through quality experiences.

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Tourists are not going to come to Montevideo because of a certificate, but they come, and come in greater numbers, and enjoy it more if their experience is better.