Bogota
Investing in Bogota ’ s meetings future
PAUL COLSTON VISITS COLOMBIA ’ S CAPITAL AND FINDS A NEW MEETINGS BLEND IS BUBBLING UP NICELY
I n 2021 , the Bogota Convention Bureau was reconstituted as a specialist business unit within the agency Invest in Bogota . I met the CVB ’ s manager Paola Piza , who explained the bureau had been given a clear remit to attract high impact international events for Bogota Region and to lead on an international events bidding strategy .
“ The CVB , which represents the interests of both the private and public sectors , is working hard ,” she says , “ to contribute to positioning Bogota as a premier destination for meetings and events .
Meeting planners can turn to the bureau for help with services , including :
• Assistance in developing bidding strategies and bid documents
• Obtaining quotations from local providers
• Facilitating connections with key public and private stakeholders in the region
Colombia ’ s capital has become an epicentre for
• Organising site inspections in Bogota
• Identifying suitable venues and accommodation
• Supplying promotional materials .
Piza noted that Bogota is a dynamic city rapidly transforming into a hub of science , technology , and innovation and with a robust ecosystem of professional suppliers to the sector . The city is ranked fourth in Latin America in terms of the number of association meetings , face-to-face and hybrid formats , with a total of 33 qualifying meetings held during 2022 , according to the ICCA ranking report for cities . Only Buenos Aires , Lima , and Santiago de Chile rank ahead in the region .
Piza said that Greater Bogota CVB , in 2023 , had secured 30 new pieces of conference business to be held up until 2026 , with an estimated 162,000 attendees , an economic impact of US $ 11.2m and covering 38,500 room nights .
Regional gateway and knowledge centre Colombia ’ s capital has become one of the main epicentres of the meetings industry in Latin America due to its infrastructure for hosting a variety of
Above : Paola Piza
event formats , and the business environment and the fact that the city is a centre of knowledge in the region . Bogota ’ s skilled workforce is supported by 120 universities , fueling its status as a knowledge hub . The city is a market of 11 million people .
Bogota is a key gateway to South America with excellent global connectivity . There are ten-hour flights to Europe , direct to London and to Madrid , while El Dorado International Airport offers 90 direct routes , half of which are international , and ranks second in passenger movement ( 40 million passengers in 2023 ) on the continent .
Bogota boasts a raft of world-class venues for meetings and events and the largest capacity in the country thanks to the Agora Convention Center , Hilton Bogota Corferias Hotel and Corferias ( Exhibition Center ), a complex with 165,000sqm and 68 meeting rooms .
There are also 2,000 hotel rooms within a radius of less than six kilometres from the complex , while the city offers 24,990 rooms , in total including many international hotel brands .
The city offers over 150 flexible and modular venue spaces , according to Piza , with capacities ranging up to 4,500 people . Added to this are the numerous 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 the authorities plan , by 2026 , to establish a Science , Technology , and Innovation District , further solidifying the city ’ s global commercial role .
The economy of Bogota Region is larger than some Latin-American countries , including Costa Rica , Panama , and Uruguay .
Incentive travel & attractions Bogota lends itself to incentive travel with its offer of a vibrant mix of culture and natural beauty .
38 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 129