Colombia contributes 12% of the congresses held in Latin America, according to Procolombia. Its offer of convention centers and hotel network, with the ideal infrastructure for holding events, have positioned it as the third country that holds the most congresses. Among this offer, the Valle del Pacífico Events Center stands out as the largest and most equipped venue in southwestern Colombia.

And there is no denying the natural beauty of our country; in addition, due to its strategic location, Colombia is a key point in international air connectivity. According to the Official Aviation Guide, our country is one of the 20 with the greatest air capacity in the world.

It is no secret that the impact of the meetings industry is fundamental for the economic, cultural and social development of the country. According to a 2018 study by ProColombia, the meetings industry generates more than US$2.45 billion annually, which represents 22.8% of the income left by international tourism to the country; to date, Colombia attracts 7 times more events compared to 2009.

For its part, Valle del Cauca has worked hard to position itself as one of the trendiest MICE destinations. For 14 years, our venue located between Cali, the capital of the department, and Yumbo, recognized as the ‘Industrial Capital of Colombia’, has hosted more than 1,100 events, opening its doors to more than 3.3 million visitors.

For the first four months of the year, the Valle del Pacífico Events Center has operated 34 events, receiving a total of 46,704 people and generating 494 indirect jobs; evidencing the positive impact that the Meetings Industry has on Valle del Cauca.

We talked to Julián Franco, Secretary of Tourism of Valle del Cauca, about the economic impact generated by the events.

Why do you consider Santiago de Cali an attractive scenario for event organizers?

JF: With a wide MICE offer, Santiago de Cali has become a trendy destination for events, meetings and incentives, according to the Intelligence Unit (FDI).

Traditional and non-traditional venues that adapt to different tastes and needs are part of this city’s meeting tourism, which also combines experiences that are different from those of other cities.

city, which also combines experiences of another level such as salsa shows, gastronomy and culture.

Santiago de Cali is a city that inspires culture, art, nature, sports and tradition; it is, without a doubt, an attractive scenario for those who wish to organize unforgettable events.

What is the importance of holding events in the different sectors of the economy?

JF: A quarter of tourists from around the world travel for business. A significant figure given that this represents a total of 280 million tourists travelling for the performance of work or professional activities, such as attending business meetings, congresses, conventions, incentive trips and others. This represents a great economic opportunity for restaurants, hotels, tour operators, merchants, artists in the cultural sector and many more.

According to Procolombia, in 2018, meeting activity in Colombia contributed $1.288.5 million to the local gross domestic product, which is equivalent to 0.43% of the total gross added value of the Colombian economy. The meetings, for their part, generated 148,391 direct and 69,744 indirect jobs, totaling 218,315 jobs.

In addition, there are intangible benefits that in the long term represent economic gain for Santiago de Cali, such as the tourist positioning of the destination and the seizure of good practices.

On the other hand, this collection of events is focused on the 9 productive clusters of Valle del Cauca, such as beauty, fashion, clinical excellence, agribusiness and many more; bringing dynamism, growth and recognition, not only to the entrepreneurs of the tourism sector, but also, to the companies producing goods and services, of different sizes.

Where do you think the MICE Industry is heading in Santiago de Cali and what is the work that the Secretariat is doing in this process?

JF:Through the Cali Valle Bureau, the Valley Tourism Secretariat continues to invest in meeting tourism as a revitalizer of the economy.

Participation in international fairs and workshops, the realization of FamTrips, direct communication with the organizers of events and promotion of the goodness of destiny in different communication channels; these are some of the actions that are carried out for the collection of congresses, meetings and incentive trips.

In this way, the MICE Industry in Santiago de Cali is expected to continue to contribute to the different economic sectors and generate a social impact in the streets and vallecaucans.

What do you consider to be the current challenge for tourism in our region?

JF:Betting on sustainable tourism is one of the great challenges that today are being raised, where we stand out as a destination that generates actions in favour of the environment during the realization of events.

Thus, the growth of the meeting industry has proved to have a great economic impact, as it is related to the exchange of knowledge, development of industries and economic sectors; as well as the development of cities and their culture.

For its part, the Pacific Valley Events Centre reaffirms its commitment to the industry and growth of the country, through its hard work for excellent quality in the operation of the events; the generation of employment and the promulgation of cultural exchanges in our region.