The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) is thrilled to announce that registration is now open for AdventureNEXT Latin America 2023 – Bogotá, which will take place 25-27 June 2023.
The event’s theme, Tourism as an instrument of peace, offers delegates the opportunity to experience the highlights of the region while also seeking to understand the complex history and culture of Colombia – including the process the country has undergone in recent decades to heal from conflict.
Colombia is a hotspot for diversity and home to an incredible wealth of natural resources and cultural heritage. While modest in size, the country is a microcosm of Latin America’s most iconic landscapes: soaring Andean peaks and páramo, the rainforest of the Amazon river basin, savannas and wetlands, and white sand beaches along the Caribbean. Impressively, it has more birdlife than any other single country, with roughly 1,900 recorded species – which accounts for about 20% of all bird biodiversity worldwide.
Beyond the landscapes, the gastronomy of Colombia has begun to steal the global spotlight. From innovative chefs creating full sensory experiences to classic dishes such as arepas and ajiaco, the country has officially become a hotspot for foodies. Coffee aficionados flock to well-known growers who produce some of the most highly coveted beans in the world. The street food, which deserves its own treatise, has earned a feature episode on Netflix.
Nicknamed the “land of one thousand rhythms” for the 1,025 documented folk rhythms, Colombia has been recognized by UNESCO for its rich musical traditions which include Cumbia, Vallenato, Champeta, and Bambuco, to name just a few. Varying region to region, much of the music is a blend of African beats, Indigenous sounds, and European influences. Heard and celebrated at the many carnivals and festivals held throughout the year in Colombia, music lies deep in the soul of the people who live there.
And the beating heart at the center of all this – both geographically and metaphorically – is Colombia’s capital city of Bogotá.
Designated one of the UNESCO Cities of Music, Bogotá boasts more than 70 museums, 100 art galleries, and 132 historical monuments. With more than 5,000 urban parks and 560 kilometers of bike paths, it is also one of the greenest cities in Latin America – earning recognition as one of the “Tree Cities of the World”. In addition, Bogotá was one of the ten destinations selected for the Future Tourism program – an initiative by the Inter-American Development Bank that seeks to contribute to the competitiveness and sustainability of the tourism sector in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Colombia’s commitment to social and economic sustainability is evident across the country’s tourism development. Bogota´s tourism board has recently unveiled an initiative called Fondetur, which delivers funds to small businesses, tour operators, and tour guides to improve their access to IT, work equipment, marketing, and sales strategies – necessities that allow them to improve and innovate within the local travel industry. And by using a community-operated model, tourism offers a reliable economic path for Colombian entrepreneurs to connect to their cultural roots and develop unique travel experiences for the international markets.
“I am very excited to have our AdventureNEXT Latin America 2023 in Bogotá and the Central Region of Colombia,” said Gabriella Stowell, the ATTA Latin America & Caribbean Director. “During our AdventureWeek Bogotá in 2021, some of us experienced incredible bike rides, delicious food, amazing music, and learned firsthand all the initiatives for nature and community-based travel this destination is leading, and now we have the opportunity to share this experience with all the delegates attending AdventureNEXT Latin America 2023.”
Of course, to truly feel the sabrosura of Colombia, you have to be there. In the coming weeks, additional information about speakers, sessions, and activities surrounding the event will be announced. To learn more and register for AdventureNEXT Latin America Bogotá, please visit the event homepage.
