Bogotá Joins UNWTO Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories
UNWTO has welcomed Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory into its International Network of Sustainable Observatories (INSTO).
Bogota’s Tourism Observatory has longstanding and extensive monitoring experience and has been further strengthened by the City Council as an instrument of public management and mechanism to consolidate, systematize, analyze and research information of the tourism sector. Becoming a member of INSTO will help Bogotá in managing tourism development in a responsible and sustainable manner and allow it to better deal with post-pandemic recovery.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The INSTO network is a platform where we welcome Observatories that are committed to basing the sustainable development of tourism on evidence, participatory approaches and transparency. We are very pleased to welcome Bogotá into the Network as the latest member.”
Inclusive future for Bogotá´s tourism
Bogotá is home to a wide variety of tourist resources and attractions and has an infrastructure that allows for the development of different high-quality tourism products. As the most popular Colombian destination in terms of tourist numbers, arrivals in 2021 reached almost 6 million, with growth of 49.8% in relation to 2020, contributing US$5.795 billion corresponding to 2.4% of the total GDP of the city, which meant an annual increase of 38.2% between 2020 and 2021. Within the Sustainable Tourism Policy of Colombia 2022, the vision of strengthening the reputation and recognition of Colombia as a sustainable tourism destination is clearly outlined.
The Vice Minister of Tourism Ricardo Galindo Bueno assured that “for the Vice Ministry of Tourism it is great news that the Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory is part of the UNWTO INSTO network, because a tool of these characteristics and qualities, allows public policies of the sector in the district to continue to be nourished by objective measurements that improve decision making”.
Director of the District Institute of Tourism (IDT), Karol Fajardo Mariño explained: “The adhesion of the Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory to the UNWTO INSTO Network will allow us to share with other tourist destinations experiences and development and measurement strategies based on exemplary sustainability, in an effort to respond to the needs of quality tourism information demanded by the sector.”
The Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory will monitor 11 key areas for tourism sustainability: tourism seasonality, employment, economic benefits of the destination, energy management, water management, wastewater management, solid waste management, climate action, accessibility, local satisfaction and governance, which will facilitate decision-making and the processes of formulating public policies and strengthening the sustainable development of our city.
