LATA Hall of Fame

Every year at LATA’s prestigious Parliamentary Reception, LATA inducts a maximum of 2 people to the LATA Hall of Fame. Nominated by LATA members, and voted by the LATA Executive Committee, the inductees are recognised for:

A significant contribution to the promotion of tourism and travel to Latin America
Contribution to the growth and development of LATA
The respect, gratitude and admiration of the Latin American Travel Community

2026 - David Horwell

David Horwell was one of the early promoters of tourism to Latin America, with a career spanning over 40 years and has been a member of LATA almost since its inception. He founded Galapagos Adventure Tours in 1985, the first UK tour company to specialise exclusively in tours to the islands, which was rebranded as Select Latin America in 2004. Horwell was also one of the earliest licensed naturalist guides in the Galapagos Islands, where he spent two years at a time when tourism was only just emerging and his reflections were published in The Sunday Times Magazine. He has authored two books on the region including Bradt Guides’ Galapagos Wildlife, which after 25 years and four editions remains a definitive reference guide. His contributions to the Latin American travel industry – spanning guiding, writing, photography, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and industry service – make him a truly deserving candidate for the LATA Hall of Fame.

2025 - Alfredo Ferreyros

Alfredo Ferreyros is widely considered to be the father of adventure tourism in Latin America, a title that traces back to 1974, when a group of German travellers asked him to guide them along a then-unknown route: the Inca Trail. That experience sparked a lifelong passion. In 1975, Ferreyros founded Explorandes, giving adventurers a way into the wonders of the Peruvian highlands. He later founded the Peruvian Association of Adventure and Ecotourism (APTAE), serving as president for over a decade and establishing the safety standards that continue to protect travellers today.

By the 1990s, Ferreyros was thinking further ahead, recognising that tourism’s economic benefits for Andean communities came with real costs to local environments and ways of life. In 2000, he made a bold, ahead-of-its-time decision: eliminating single-use plastics from Explorandes’ operations entirely. Now 75, Ferreyros is stepping back from Explorandes’ daily operations. But his legacy of exploration, sustainability and professional excellence continues to inspire the global tourism industry.

Pictured collecting the award from Martin Johnson is his son Joaquin as Alfredo was unable to attend.

2024 - Chris Pickard

Chris Pickard is an experienced, well-connected, commercially minded and creative editor, journalist, writer, producer, communications and public affairs specialist with a particular interest and expertise in the areas of travel and tourism, entertainment and the arts. He served on the LATA Committee for many years, including as chair and deputy chair, as well as being a trustee and former chair of the LATA Foundation. Pickard is a leader with an international track record of transformational and sustainable change, having worked on projects in the UK, Latin America, the US, St Helena, South Africa, the Caribbean, and across Europe. The author of several best-selling books, he has helped develop and produce several films and television programmes including most recently “Cannes Uncut” and “Ronnie Biggs: No One is Innocent” in both of which he also appears on camera.