The opening of National Congress of Travel and Tourism Agencies 26, whose theme was ‘The New Tourism Challenge’, which included the participation of the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro; the mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López; the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Germán Umaña, the president of the Board of Directors Central Chapter of Anato, Carlos Moreno; and the president of Anato, Paula Cortés.
(International passenger movement recovered 99%).
There, the Colombian Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (Anato) did not miss the opportunity and showed its support to the Government to promote tourism as the central axis of the economy.
“We are committed to the recovery of employment and the construction of the social and business fabric for comprehensive and sustainable development of our common heritage, which is Colombia,” said the president of the board of directors of the Central Chapter of Anato, Carlos Moreno.
In her turn, the mayor of BogotáClaudia López highlighted President Petro’s idea of putting tourism as an economic pillar and thus showed its support and accompaniment in this challenge, requesting greater peace and security in the sector.
(Air tickets would increase in price for year-end holidays).
“This sector was very affected by the pandemic, now it needs a boost, enormous support to move forward, it is a sector, Mr. President, in which you have a strong and well-founded hope that it is one of the pillars of sustainable development in Colombia, that it can grow and generate wealth, employment and productivity, with the best that hasLopez said.
For this, the president asked the Government to strengthen the sector and provide a competitive cost structure with other countries in the region.
“This way we can attract events, more people to our city. The blow has been brutal, in 2019, Bogotá had 12 million tourists, last year we only had half, so our goal is to at least return to pre-pandemic figures in the two years that remain,” said López.
Cartagena Colombia
Time
The president of Anato, Paula Cortés, highlighted the work of the members and the resilience that has kept them in historydespite difficulties such as those presented by Covid-19.
(They open investigation to Avianca and Price Res for unjustified advantage).
“Tourism, and the economic activity of leisure and travel, has become one of the fashionable concepts, approached by many, as a possible solution to the crisis, a sector that could generate opportunities for the peripheral regions and most affected by violence, an instrument for productive development, a tool for peace, for equity and equality. We are convinced, as a union, that this is so,” said Cortés.
Finally, President Gustavo Petro assured that the requests and concerns of the sector will be reviewed. In turn, he highlighted the importance of environmental care in a biodiverse country considered ‘one of the most beautiful in the world’.
“It is time for us to prosper with the natural beauty that we have, not against the beauty that we have. The time has come for us to prosper with water, not against it. The time has come for us to even think about business, but fundamentally existence with life, not against (…) here the issue that brings them together becomes important, I am not a great connoisseur of the subject, but as an economist and political activist I understand that if we want to replace coal and oil because we have to, we cannot prosper by killing humanity”, said President Petro.
In addition, Petro finished off with the phrase “we have to sell our country to the world”, in order to trade beauty, but in a sustainable way.
BRIEFCASE
