Maria José Abuabara
Director
Maria José Abuabara is an international affairs and business strategist with 20 years of experience advancing sustainable economic growth, public–private partnerships, and climate-aligned innovation across the Americas. As Executive Director of Tourism for ProColombia USA, she led Colombia’s transformation into the #1 destination for U.S. travelers in South America and a global reference in regenerative tourism.
Her leadership has shaped high-impact collaborations with organizations such as The Explorers Club, Tourism Cares, the United Nations and the Daniels Family Sustainable Energy Foundation—bridging sustainability, science, and commerce to deliver measurable impact.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and French, Maria José holds a B.A. in Mass Communications from the Jorge tadeo Lozano University in Colombia and executive certifications in High Performance Leadership and Sustainable Tourism Management from Cornell University. She currently serves on the Global Advisory Board of Destinations International’s MMGY Futures Study and continues to advise governments and organizations on climate-positive tourism and commercial diplomacy.