Bogota was recently recognized as the region with the highest tourism competitiveness in the country by the Regional Tourism Competitiveness Index of Colombia, which makes it one of the best cities for events and tourism in the region. Learn more about what makes a region competitive in tourism.
Regional tourism competitiveness is the capacity that a destination has, being part of the market in a sustainable way through the cooperation among public and private actors and the creation of high quality, innovative, attractive, and differential products that generate positive experiences and a high added value to the tourists and visitors.
1. Environmental
This criterion observes conditions for the management of natural resources and the sustainability of the natural-touristic products offered by the region according to indicators such as water quality, availability of natural touristic products, fauna and flora diversity, availability of natural areas for touristic use, adaptation to climate change, among others.
2. Cultural
It has to do with the tangible and intangible cultural heritage offered by the region and how this becomes a tourist attraction. It considers variables such as cultural attractions declared World Heritage Sites, festivities and traditional events, and cultural and gastronomic tourism products, among others.
3. Economic
It takes into account how tourism impacts the economy of a region. Due to this, it considers factors such as the percentage of hotel occupancy, the arrival of foreign and national travelers to the city, and the sector’s share of GDP, among others.
4. Business
This criterion is focused on the sustainability, standards, and diversity of the city’s enterprises. It considers characteristics such as public-private cooperation, the availability of certificated tourism services companies, and professional tour guides, among others.
5. Marketing strategy
It refers to the destination’s promotion and management of its tourism products. It considers topics such as the promotion made by tourist guides, participation in national and international events specialized in tourism, and promotion of the destination in virtual media, among others.
6. Infrastructure
This indicator reviews the existence of an optimal infrastructure to provide a good experience for tourists, based on characteristics such as the internet service, health care institutions, sanitation coverage, water and sewerage, and national and international connectivity, among others.
7. Destination management
It reviews the efforts made by entities to promote and strenghten tourism, based on characteristics such as the importance of tourism in the city’s development plan, the budget invested in tourism, the availability of tourist police, and the existence of tourism information centers, among others.
8. Social
Observes the impact that tourism has on the destination. It considers indicators such as direct jobs created by the tourism sector; colleges, universities, and formal education programs on tourism; bilingual in personnel working in tourism, among others.
