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Paul Colston Visit the Colombian capital and discover new conferences that are well integrated:
In 2021, the Bogota Convention Bureau was reorganized into a professional business unit within the Bogota Investment Agency. I met with CVB manager Paola Piza, who explained that the bureau has been given clear terms of reference to attract high-impact international events to the Bogota region and to lead the international event bidding strategy.
“The CVB, representing private and public sector interests, is working hard,” she said, “to position Bogota as a premier destination for meetings and events.
Conference organizers can seek service assistance from the Convention Bureau, including:
• Assist in developing bidding strategies and bidding documents
• Obtain quotes from local suppliers
• Facilitate connections with key public and private stakeholders in the region
• Organize on-site inspection in Bogota
• Identify suitable venues and accommodation
• Provide promotional materials.
Pisa noted that Bogota is a dynamic city that is rapidly transforming into a center for science, technology and innovation, with a strong ecosystem of industry-specific suppliers. According to the ICCA City Ranking Report, the city ranks fourth in Latin America for the number of association meetings, face-to-face and hybrid formats, with a total of 33 qualifying meetings held during 2022. Only Buenos Aires, Lima and Santiago de Chile lead the region.
Pisa said the Greater Bogota CVB has secured 30 new meetings business in 2023, which will continue through 2026 and is expected to have 162,000 attendees and an economic impact of $11.2 million covering 38,500 room nights.
Regional Portal and Knowledge Center
The Colombian capital has become one of the main centers of the conference industry in Latin America, thanks to its infrastructure for hosting various conferences, future event formats, its business environment and the fact that the city is the intellectual center of Latin America. area.
Bogota’s skilled workforce is supported by 120 universities, solidifying its position as a knowledge hub. The city is a market of 11 million people.
Bogota is an important gateway to South America and has excellent global connectivity. There are 10 hours of flights to Europe, with direct connections to London and Madrid, while Eldorado International Airport offers 90 direct routes, half of which are international, and ranks second on the continent in terms of passenger traffic (40 million in 2023 person times).
Bogota is home to many world-class conference and event venues, with the largest in the country including the Agora Convention Center, the Hilton Bogota Corferias Hotel and the Corferias (Exhibition Center), a 165,000 square meter, 68-room Conference room complex.
There are also 2,000 hotel rooms within a radius of less than six kilometers from the complex, out of a total of 24,990 rooms in the city, including many international hotel brands.
According to Piza, the city offers more than 150 flexible, modular venue spaces that can accommodate up to 4,500 people. In addition to this, there are many unique venues such as museums, libraries, parks and arenas, which also host many cultural events.
Bogota contributes nearly a quarter (24.4%) of Colombia’s GDP, and authorities plan to establish a science, technology and innovation zone in 2026 to further solidify the city’s global business status.
The Bogota region’s economy is larger than that of some Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, Panama and Uruguay.
Incentive travel and attractions
Bogota’s blend of culture and natural beauty makes it perfect for incentive travel.
The city’s nightlife is vibrant, while the shopping scene offers a unique range of goods, from jewelry to leather to textiles.
The crown jewel of my own travels was visiting the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, located about 42 kilometers north of Bogota. The temple at the bottom of the mine is divided into three parts, representing the birth, life and death of Jesus. Icons, ornaments and architectural details are hand-carved into the rock salt rock. It was spectacular, although I was grateful for the mine train that brought me back to the surface!
Another village worth visiting outside Bogotá is Guatavita, where, according to legend, the Muisca Raft once crossed the waters where El Dorado begins.
The city also has more than 5,000 attractions, including metropolitan parks, botanical gardens and diverse wetlands, highlighting Bogota’s unique ecosystems and outdoor appeal.
Bogotá’s historic center, La Candelaria, showcases 482 years of colonial history, while museums such as the Gold Museum and the National Museum explore indigenous culture and heritage. The city’s vibrant street art and markets are worth a visit, where you can sample traditional dishes such as ajiaco and coffee.
If you want spectacular views, head to Monserrate for a panoramic view of the city and a visit to the shrine built in 1640.
meet and make a difference
Your event can leave a legacy in Bogotá, Ciudad Bolivar, and beyond, a community that supports social regeneration. The CVB can be a useful point of contact for recommending arts workshops and team recycling projects designed to foster environmental awareness, teamwork and creativity.
“We are working closely with international organizers to develop concrete plans aimed at supporting vulnerable groups and addressing sustainability and community empowerment through educational opportunities related to the event theme, youth employment programmes,” Pisa said.
2024 Strategic Plan
CVB also uses data analysis, artificial intelligence and digital platforms to promote the generation of new business opportunities through business intelligence.
Bogotá has smart infrastructure and is proud of its advancements in transport and mobility, telecommunications and renewable energy. This focus highlights the city’s ability to leverage its sustainable infrastructure to support large-scale events.
When asked about the main challenges facing the agency, Pisa pointed to “a chronic insecurity surrounding the destination and the fact that traffic in Bogota can be very busy at times”.
The city is also located in an inland part of the country and has no coast or beaches, which can sometimes be a disadvantage.
But on the positive side, the bureau told me it’s seeing a recovery in the meetings industry, which has reached 85% of pre-pandemic levels and is expected to be fully back to 100% by the end of 2024.
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ID Lab Forum (2023)
One of the most recent projects CVB Greater Bogota has collaborated with organizers on is June’s BID Labs Forum (2023), the leading event for innovation and inclusion in Latin America, which won the competition against strong competition from Mexico City and São Paulo.
The organizer conducted an on-site inspection and the bid was finally won by local operators Sphera and Hilton Bogota Corferias hotel. The CVB then stepped in to provide ongoing support for the campaign.
Bogotá’s status as the region’s preeminent center for innovation and high-impact entrepreneurship was a key factor in winning the event, which attracted 700 participants from 37 countries.
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