On October 19th and 20th, 2023, Cartagena, Colombia hosted the most important event gathering leaders from both national and international hotel industry, the “National Congress of Hoteliers for Responsible and Integrative Tourism“. This event served as a platform for training, debate, and business opportunities. Additionally, the “ExpoCotelco Hospitality Show & Trade” was held simultaneously, showcasing the most comprehensive range of sector suppliers.
Cotelco’s CEO, José Duarte García, highlighted an increase in international tourism but acknowledged that this does not compensate for the decline in domestic tourism. He emphasized providers’ efforts to absorb market fluctuations without passing costs on to consumers, taking into account factors such as VAT, inflation, energy, and food costs.
The event also focused on opportunities, challenges, and obstacles in the labor market in light of proposed labor reforms. AVIANCA, which participated in the discussion, boasted its status as the world’s most punctual airline and announced increased connectivity with San Andrés Island. This measure aims to help alleviate the economic crisis experienced by the main economic activity of the archipelago.
A highlight of the event was the presentation of NetZero by Cotelco, a set of tools designed to help Colombian accommodation establishments measure, verify, reduce, and offset their carbon footprint systematically, efficiently, and competitively.
The event concluded with a panel that examined patterns of sexual tourism and emphasized the need to establish strategies and alliances to curb this unfortunate practice.
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