The country's capital was recognized in the World Travel Awards, a ceremony that rewards excellence in all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.
Despite the impact that the pandemic has had on the tourism sector, especially the business sector, Bogotá was awarded in 2020 as the leading destination for business travel in South America by the World Travel Awards, a ceremony that recognizes, rewards and celebrates excellence in all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.
In this category, the capital competed with other nominees such as Buenos Aires (Argentina), Guayaquil (Ecuador), Lima (Peru), Medellín (Colombia), Montevideo (Uruguay), Quito (Ecuador), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and Sao Paulo (Brazil).
This has not been an easy year for the city in this matter, as it has also been for many other cities in the world. In an interview with El Espectador, Luz Estella Flórez, who is the president of the board of directors of Cotelco, Bogotá - Cundinamarca Chapter, estimated that the losses in this sector have been greater than $ 5 billion, in addition to the loss of some 30,000 workers.
This is due to the low occupancy registered by hotels in the city, which receive a considerable flow from business tourists. During the strict quarantines, the capital came to register an average occupancy of between 2% and 3%. Flórez's projections allow him to estimate an average occupancy well below 20% at the end of 2020. Returning to 2019 levels would not be possible until the end of 2022.
But being the leading destination in South America was not the only recognition it received. Bogotá, as El Dorado International Airport was awarded as the leading airport in South America. Similarly, the Agora Convention Center was recognized as the leading conference and meeting center in South America, a category in which it competed with six other nominees.
Other cities in Colombia also shone at the award ceremony. The country, by itself, was recognized as the leading LGBTI destination in South America, a category in which it competed with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Ecuador. San Andrés, for example, was awarded as the leading beach destination in South America, while Cartagena was selected as the leading honeymoon destination in South America.
The count does not stop, as Cali was chosen as the emerging tourist destination in South America, and the Port of Cartagena as the leading cruise port in South America. Medellín, meanwhile, was awarded as the leading urban getaway destination in South America.
Bogotá's commitment is to continue working on strengthening tourism. Recently the city decided to reinforce its bets in this matter by opening two web pages where you can learn about the tourist offer that the capital offers. In addition, the administration of Claudia López has been emphatic in wanting to play its bets on rural tourism, in order to take advantage of the extensive rural territory it has in activities such as hiking, cycling and bird watching, among other activities that could mean extra income for the populations that inhabit these spaces.
Fuente: https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/bogota/bogota-fue-galardonada-como-destino-lider-en-viajes-de-negocios/
