With more than 2,200 business appointments, ANATO will close the 6th National Meeting of Inbound Tourism
With over 350 attendees including tour operators, destination management companies (DMCs), service providers, and key industry figures, the event reaffirmed its role as a strategic platform for the growth of inbound and domestic tourism in Colombia
Today, the first day of the 6th National Meeting of Inbound Tourism of ANATO was held at the Valle del Pacífico Events Center in Cali – Valle del Cauca, a space designed to strengthen the articulation, training and business linkage of the sector.
During the event, Miyerlandi Torres, Secretary of Tourism for Valle del Cauca, and María Fernanda Campuzano, Secretary of Tourism for the Mayor's Office of Santiago de Cali, highlighted that, although the region faces challenges in promotion, competitiveness, and infrastructure by 2026, it possesses a wealth of cultural, natural, and social resources that allow it to offer a great tourist experience to every traveler who arrives.
Paula Cortés Calle, Executive President of ANATO, then gave her presentation, “ANATO: Impacting Colombia’s Transformation.” The agenda continued with Luis Alejandro Dávila, Vice President of Tourism at ProColombia, who presented the international promotion strategy, “Colombia, the Land of Beauty,” stating that “the goal is not only to increase international promotion, but also to ensure that support institutions have sufficient staff to handle the increased number of visitors.” Following this, Fernando Diez, Marketing Director of Quasar Expeditions, highlighted in his presentation how technology is transforming the way travel experiences are designed.
The 'Discovering Destinations' activity also played a leading role, showcasing the ventures of entrepreneurs from emerging regions seeking to establish themselves on the national tourism map. This initiative highlighted new sustainable tourism proposals, fostered collaboration among businesses, and strengthened the presence of destinations with tourism potential. Furthermore, ANATO reaffirmed its commitment to local communities, emphasizing actions that promote cultural, social, and educational development in each host region.
“Beyond simply holding an event, ANATO Impacts Regions with the purpose of leaving a positive mark on every territory we visit. In 2023, we supported the improvement of the infrastructure of an educational institution in La Guajira. In 2024, in conjunction with the Armenia Chamber of Commerce and through its “Plant Life” program, 45 native trees were planted in Los Sueños Park; in addition to donating 100 school desks to 3 educational centers in the Coffee Region. For this edition, our work will focus on children and adolescents from low-income and vulnerable communities, where we will contribute to providing musical instruments to the Argentina Educational Institution, which will strengthen its educational project centered on salsa, a symbol of Cali's identity,” explained Paula Cortés Calle, Executive President of ANATO.
In the afternoon, specialized workshops were held, focusing on Neuro-Sales, authentic experience design, international tourism trends, Event Marketing 2030, and sustainable experience design. This Friday, November 14, the event will continue with a networking session, featuring over 2,200 business meetings with 97 buyers and 114 sellers. Finally, the event will conclude with tourism recognition activities, solidifying the National Inbound Tourism Meeting as a key platform for the sector's growth in Colombia.
Source: ANATO.