Pura Aventura named Tour Operator of the Year at the LATA Excellence Awards 2026

Pura Aventura has been named Tour Operator of the Year (Small) at the 2026 LATA Excellence Awards, recognising our commitment to creating tailor-made holidays across Latin America that place genuine cultural connection and local communities at the heart of every journey.

The Latin American Travel Association (LATA) is the leading trade association dedicated to promoting travel across Latin America, bringing together specialist tour operators, tourist boards, airlines and travel partners from across the region. To be recognised by its judges is an honour that means a great deal to us.

The judges described Pura Aventura's 2025 programme as exactly the kind of bold, purposeful travel the award celebrates. They highlighted five ambitious new itineraries - Rio & Beyond, Bahia to Rio, Altiplano Adventure, Chile Bolivia & Peru and Winter in Chile – all designed around meaningful cultural immersion rather than a checklist of famous sights.

They also recognised our commitment to working directly with small, family-run businesses throughout Latin America, ensuring that more of the value created by tourism stays within local communities. One guest review captured the spirit of our approach perfectly:

"Bespoke, detailed. The real culture, not a tick box of experiences."

The judges also noted something that has always been fundamental to who we are: almost every member of the Pura Aventura team has travelled extensively in the destinations they help clients discover. First-hand knowledge isn't a nice extra; it's the foundation on which every itinerary is built.

That philosophy extends across everything we do. We build our journeys around local communities and the families, guides, cooks, drivers and storytellers who give Latin America's extraordinary landscapes their deepest meaning. And we design them for curious travellers who want to go beyond the obvious, connect with people and places, and return home with a richer understanding of the world they have explored.

This award belongs as much to our partners as it does to us. They are the people who welcome strangers like old friends and share the traditions, histories and everyday moments that make travel memorable. It also belongs to our clients, whose curiosity, trust and willingness to embrace new experiences bring every journey to life.

To everyone who has travelled with us, worked alongside us or supported us over the years: muchas gracias, obrigado and thank you.

And thank you to the Latin American Travel Association and the judges for this wonderful recognition. We couldn't be prouder.