WTM LONDON goes virtual

WTM LONDON, GOES VIRTUAL

After 40 years of you coming to us, WTM London 2020 is coming to you! We are facilitating a completely virtual event which is taking place on 9- 11 November. The main aim is to help recover and rebuild and shape the travel industry at a time when it needs it the most. The virtual event will focus on restoring and developing business connections, growing your network, your brand and learning how to make your comeback.

Taking place across 3 days, from 7am-10pm, to allow access from the different zones across the globe, the live conference sessions and forums will be tackling some of the issues the industry is facing today, as well as speed networking sessions, one-to-one meetings, and virtual networking opportunities. The aim is to keep the global travel conversation alive and help deliver new connections as well as offering a wide range of online business opportunities.

Addressing the impact the global health pandemic has had on the travel and tourism industry and discussing a road map to recovery, identifying the trends and innovations shaping the future of the industry will help us all take the right path ahead.

WORLD EXPO DUBAI-UAE: NEW DATES 1 OCTOBER 2021 - 31 MARCH 2022

The World Expo 2020 will now run one year later than expected, from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. The organisers are now making strong progress to prepare for a new Expo that will reunite the world in 2021, with far-reaching precautionary measures allowing us to keep all event preparations on track while ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone working throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

Now, more than ever, we stand as one. At Expo 2020, we look forward to harnessing that power of collaboration and innovation, helping us emerge from this crisis stronger than ever.

EMITT ISTANBUL 2022

In order for all our stakeholders, especially our exhibitors and visitors, to have a more efficient exhibition experience, our exhibition, which was planned to be held from 10 –13 February 2021, has been postponed to 2022. The new date will be shared with you when it is finalised.

We are excited to actualise our business partnerships more comprehensively than ever and welcome you at 25th EMITT East Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition, which we are planning on holding at TUYAP Fair and Congress Center in 2022.

AIME WELCOMES NEW EVENT DIRECTOR TO LEAD 2021 HYBRID EVENT

Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME), the leading meetings and conventions event in the Asia Pacific region, has appointed its new Event Director, Silke Calder, to lead its first hybrid event taking place from 15 March 2021.

With over 20 years of experience across creative agencies, international trade conventions and venues, Silke joins the team at Talk2 Media & Events to spearhead the new model and showcase an event format of the future, which will be both uniquely digital and physical.

Endorsing Silke’s capabilities in leading world-class trade shows, Talk2 Media & Events CEO Matt Pearce said, “We are so excited to welcome Silke to our driven and determined team, and even more excited to showcase to the business events sector how committed we are in helping our industry accelerate growth into next year.

“AIME’s DNA of connecting quality buyers and exhibitors to create meaningful connections has not changed, but rather adapted, and I am honoured to be able to deliver what I know is sure to be a stellar event for those attending,” says Silke Calder, Event Director, Talk2 Media & Events.

POSIDONIA WEB FORUMS WEEK ANNOUNCED 26-30 October 2020

Following the cancellation of the Posidonia Exhibition this October, the organisers are bringing together leading maritime media and organisations during what would have been Posidonia exhibition week for a series of web conferences and forums under the banner "It’s time to talk". At this critical time, it is an initiative that creates an opportunity for the maritime community to debate the crucial issues and the many challenges it is facing.

The global disruption of COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the shipping industry, compounded by the cancellation of conferences and events that would normally be offering a platform for meetings and debate. Now, more than ever, is the time for the shipping industry to talk again and reopen the channels for exchanging ideas and exploring solutions.

“We are delighted that Posidonia Web Forums Week will be taking place in October with a programme of exciting web events hosted by our partner organisations TradeWinds, Lloyd’s List, Seatrade Maritime, YES Forum and MariMatch” says Theodore Vokos, Managing Director, Posidonia Exhibitions S.A. “Once again, Posidonia is bringing the maritime communities together. That’s what Posidonia is all about”. Further web events will be announced. Audience participants will see and hear top shipowners and operators debate key topics including the post-pandemic business environment for shipping. The events listing will be posted on:

www.posidonia-events.com

NO EVENTS NO EXHIBITIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR 6 MONTHS!

Following a spike in the covid virus cases, it has been decided that no events will take place in the UK for Also no spectators can attend sporting events. If all goes well, the rules may be relaxed prior to Spring 2021.

The British Prime Minister said: “We have to acknowledge that the spread of the virus is now affecting business conferences, exhibitions and large sporting events, so we will not be able to do this and continued to say “For the time being, this virus is a fact of our lives.

BOGOTA JOINED THE SOUTH AMERICAN M.I.C.E ALLIANCE

The Greater Bogota Convention Bureau announces the launch of a regional alliance aimed at the reactivation of the events industry and to finding more business opportunities for the city.

In an unprecedented event, the Convention Bureaux of Bogota, Buenos Aires, Lima, São Paulo and Quito Tourism, officially presented the creation of the South American M.I.C.E Alliance, an inter-institutional cooperation aimed to the development, promotion and positioning of these capital cities as M.I.C.E destinations, as well as increasing opportunities for hosting events.

The tourism industry is experiencing a historic moment with an impact never seen before, which has contributed to its transformation and redesigning, in a strategic and timely manner. This year, the forecast for the events’ growth in Latin America was at 2.6%, a figure that could have positioned the continent with the highest growth worldwide. Today, this alliance seeks to pursue the same objective, promoting the 5 cities together and joining forces to promote a responsible recovery, through what has been called: South American M.I.C.E Alliance. The cooperation agreement is based on three strategic lines, whose actions are established and prioritized in the short, medium and long term: -Strategic line 1: Exchange of best practices regarding Bureaux operations and biosafety protocols for the reopening and reactivation of the events industry. -Strategic point 2: Joint promotional campaign and positioning of the alliance´s brand. -Strategic point 3: Exchange of key information and leads of previous events successfully held in each destination, that could benefit all the 5 members. 6 months.

our ability to reopen from October 1st

“The South American M.I.C.E Alliance is a clear reflection of our growth as a region, and we are convinced that, by working together, with empathy and solidarity, we will multiply the positive impact for our destinations. Through this inter-institutional cooperation action plan, aimed to the development, promotion and positioning of M.I.C.E destinations, we are committed to increase the number of event opportunities, thus generating more foreign investment and a recovery for the entire value chain of the s ector”, affirmed Liliana Orbegozo, Executive Director of the Greater Bogota Convention Bureau.

This alliance was presented during a special webinar organised by both institutions, where the main topic of discussion was the potential of the destinations for the meetings, conventions, and events sector. The webinar highlighted that in 2019 Quito hosted 42 international events, with more than 12,000 participants and revenue close to UK£5.7 million. The capital city of Ecuador was host to 65% of the events held in Ecuador. On the other hand, Bogotá is the main economic, financial, and corporate centre of Colo mbia with close to 290,000 companies, including 250,000 in Bogotá and 40,000 in Cundinamarca. In addition, 52% of tourists entering the country have Bogotá as their final destination.

For Liliana Orbegozo Convers, Executive Director of the Greater Bogota Convention Bureau, “Bogotá is a MICE destination because of its competitive prices, air connectivity and high-quality services. We want event planners to discover the wonderful potential we have. Events not only generate economic development, they also generate social and environmental development, and bring innovation.” The leader stated that Quito and Bogotá are sister cities, so this is an opportunity to get even closer. “As we strengthen these regional ties, Latin America will be more competitive for the event planners,” she emphasised. It is expected that other Latin American cities will join this initiative to consolidate a regional alliance to promote the MICE industry in Latin America.

IBTM WORLD GOES VIRTUAL

IBTM Events has announced that IBTM World will be virtual this year and take place from 8 –10 December 2020. The online event will incorporate 3 full days of one-to-one business meetings, a comprehensive programme of content and many of the key features of the live event, tailored to take place online. As with all IBTM’s events, exhibitors and Hosted Buyers will benefit from IBTM’s bespoke appointment system, matching buyer’s business needs with supplier’s services to ensure they meet with people with whom there is a strong chance of doing business.

Trade visitors will be able to register for the online event and, as well as accessing education sessions and event features, they will be able to request ‘walk-up’ meetings with exhibitors via a chat function, with the option to convert directly into a video call if required.

A selection of gated and live content will be available on all three days of the event. The third and final day of the event will include a full schedule of live and pre-recorded education sessions taking place on ‘IBTM TV’, available to all registered attendees.

ETIHAD AIRWAYS SIGNS PARTNERSHIP WITH MCI TO OFFER SPECIAL RATE MICE PACKAGES

Etihad Destination & Leisure Management and MCI Middle East, have agreed to offer special rate MICE packages for programmes serviced by MCI in Abu Dhabi throughout 2021 and 2022.

Through the partnership, Etihad Airways becomes the official airline for all MICE groups coming into Abu Dhabi or events taking place internationally where Etihad can support through their connectivity.

Etihad will offer speaker and travel management services for all conferences serviced by MCI in Abu Dhabi. This new agreement enables MCI to now offer its clients additional connectivity into destinations covered by Etihad as well as enable exhibitors, speakers and visitors to purchase Etihad’s full conference package at a special rate, which includes event entrance, flights, hotel accommodation and ground transportation.

KILIFAIR PRESENTS THE FIRST ‘KILIMANJARO TOURISM SUMMIT 2020’ 4-5 DECEMBER 2020

The “Kilimanjaro Tourism Summit” is going to be an annual tourism event to connect Tanzania Tourism Stakeholders and Tourism Government Authorities, in a professional casual business surrounding. The Kilimanjaro region is home of Mountain climbing and Safari excursions, both important pillars of the Tanzania Tourism income.

KIA (Kilimanjaro International Airport) handles 80% of fly-in tourism to the country and is located just 45km away from Moshi making it the new networking-event at the right place - at the right time.

INDIA’S NEW TOURISM PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION –IATTE

The Indian Association of Travel and Tourism Experts (IATTE), a new one-of-itskind innovative online platform for travel trade partners was formed recently. Aiming to grow as India’s largest forum for travel professionals, IATTE is bringing the various verticals of the tourism and hospitality industry under one roof in an online environment.

Since its inauguration, within 100 days the association has seen a strong growth with membership reaching over 1,000 members. The associations Managing Committee consist of 20 professionals of the industry with plans to expand it further to 40 members by the end of this year. Industry veteran, Mr. Subhash Verma has been appointed as the National Advisor of the IATTE. Ms. Veena Robinson has been appointed as the General Secretary while Mr. Gaurav Khandelwal and Mr. Jatin G. Mehta have taken up the role of Joint Secretaries. The key members of the Managing Committee also include Aanal Dhabi as Treasurer and Nischay Manchanda as Head-Youth Wing. Mr. Naveen Manchanda, President of IATTE.

IATTE membership is complimentary for the financial year 2020-2021.

The association was formed to address the challenges being faced by the tourism sector presently. Mr Naveen Manchanda, Founder and CEO of Tour Passion is creator and President of IATTE says, “Suppliers across the spectrum of travel trade can be a part of IATTE. We want to create an ecosystem where our members can network and get advantage of negotiated rates. We are already imparting knowledge to our members that can help them to grow in the post pandemic world through various webinars.”

Mr. Naveen Manchanda

Recently, the IATTE President met with India’s Tourism Minister, Prahlad Singh Patel in Jaipur. Mr. Manchanda apprised the minister about the various challenges being faced by the industry in the wake of the health pandemic. The meeting took place soon after the formation of the IATTE reflecting the proactive approach of IATTE and its vision to engage with the power corridors to highlight the aspirations and challenges of the industry in both organised and unorganised markets.

IATTE through its virtual meets has already provided insight to its members on how to balance strategy and operational excellence post-Covid-19 pandemic. Other topics that the forum has focused on included how businesses can heal at present scenario and focus on efficiency, collaborations and creativity.

“This unique forum will provide Indian and global perspectives on how organisations are reacting to current unforeseen circumstances and overcoming challenges by converting them into opportunities. Members will have a comprehensive understanding to take back and implement in their operations, processes and businesses as a whole which should stand them in a better place than before,” added Manchanda. The combined Indian tourism industry calls for united effort. With a new lockdown imminently expected, the Indian tourism industry has begun preparing to bring positivity and trust within the sector while reiterating that with precautions, India is safe to travel.

Indian Association of Travel and Tourism Experts (IATTE) recently organised an online meeting to promote unity and positivity within the tourism industry. “All the stakeholders of tourism in India, be it an association, a travel agent or hotels, we are all connected to each other. We are launching #TourismPositive and as many are leaving, I urge you all to stay put in the industry. Tourism will definitely bounce back. I would also request the government of India, to take care of the tourism industry which is a very big and important industry.” Said Mr. Naveen Manchanda, President of IATTE.

IATTE through its virtual meets has already provided insight to its members on how to balance strategy and operational excellence post-COVID-19 pandemic. Other topics of focus have included how businesses can heal at present scenario and focus on efficiency, collaborations, and creativity.

An Interview with… Mrs. Liliana Orbegozo Convers Executive director of Bogotá y Cundinamarca Convention Bureau Bogotá, Columbia

In an interview with Mrs. Liliana Orbegozo Convers, Executive director of Bogotá y Cundinamarca Convention Bureau (BCCB) with Dimitri Laspas - founder of MICE & TOURISM around the World

e-Magazine,

Mrs. Orbegozo Convers reflects on the recent days and experiences during the pandemic crisis and the progress through it in positioning Bogota, in the region and on international MICE map.

Bogotá, capital of Colombia, is located at high altitude but welcomes each visitor with genuine hospitality. It is a city with a rich history and plenty places to discover and admire.

Bogotá boasts many magical natural resources, beautiful monuments and historical places. It is concentrating efforts on becoming even more environmentally aware by building the Monserrate cableway and creating extensive greenery around the city, by developing its infrastructure for the future. Bogota is a stunning Latin American destination waiting to be discovered.

In your opinion what is the conference infrastructure like in Colombia?

In Colombia the MICE industry has gained major importance. The conference infrastructure and the MICE industry vocation is represented by the 11 Convention Bureaux that exist in the different regions in the country. Regarding the infrastructure, in Bogotá we have the largest Convention Center in Colombia, called Ágora, which is part of the Fair District that includes Corferias, and the Hilton Bogotá Corferias Hotel, inaugurated in 2019. We have 944 lodging spaces, more than 29.000 rooms available, and more than 45.000 beds available in Bogotá.

We are very proud to have hosted large events in our city, and ever since it has become known, with successful stories that have happened in Bogotá. Our city has become one of the most important capitals in Latin America to host worldwide events. Between 2016 and 2019, the Greater Bogotá Convention Bureau has confirmed 123 events for Bogotá, 32 of them with a worldwide rotation, representing in total more than US$65 million and an average of 52,000 attendees. To mention some examples and interesting figures to highlight:

ANNUAL MEETING OF LATIN AMERICAN DERMATOLOGISTS (RADLA) 2017

The biggest meeting of dermatology in the region. Almost 3,100 participants, 71% of them came from abroad. 4.000 overnight stays in the weekend. 88 expositors, 20% more than expected. More than 260 speakers. It was an event aimed at strengthening dermatology in the region through innovation and high technology.

ONE YOUNG WORLD 2017

The biggest and most important global summit of young leaders. 1.550 participants from 196 countries. Trending topic every day, during all the days that the event lasted Around US$18,000,000 in free press. Almost US$1,500,000 invested in Bogota by One Young World. Remarkable personalities involved: Kofi Annan (Ex General Secretary of UN), Bruce Dickinson (lead voice of Iron Maiden), Muhammad Yunus (Peace Nobel Prize), Cher (singer), Paul Polman (CEO if Unilever), among others. Where the young minds shine brighter to build a better future.

WORLD SUMMIT OF NOBEL PEACE LAUREATES 2017

A space of dialogue focused on the construction, consolidation, encouragement, and support of peace. 27 Peace Nobel Prize Laurates including Rigoberta Menchú (1992), David Trimble (1998), and organisations like International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (1985), International Committee of the Red Cross (1917, 1944, 1963), among others. 15,000 assistants from around the world. Bogota was declared as the "City of Peace". 2,700 news in national and international networks with a value of US$33.800.000. Around 40,000 people from 47 countries connected via streaming. The summit with a peace legacy that will transcend every frontier and every conflict.

How would you rate the level of services offered by hotels and other venues in Bogotá?

I would rate Bogotá as a 5* city! I will tell you why. Bogotá is the only Latin American city in the BestCities Global Alliance and a member of the South American MICE Alliance. As part of this alliances, we must ensure that all the services provided have high-quality standards for our clients. We have a wide offer for all type of events and requirements, while also having a network of companies that accomplish those standards. It is the Bureau´s work to act as a facilitator for our international clients to find the best hotel and venue that suit their needs, and Bogotá has them!

Can you provide us with an overview of Bogotá's tourism sector and its development in the MICE sector?

Bogotá is the capital and Colombia´s economic, cultural and administrative centre. It is a place that offers lots of different activities and experiences that makes the city a unique touristic destination. Located in the centre of the Americas, has an excellent air connectivity. The El Dorado International Airport is the 1 st one in cargo and the 3 rd in passengers in Latin America, and has been awarded, for 3 years in a row, as the "Best Airport in South America", and in 2020 was rated with 4 Skytrax stars. Additionally, Bogota has a favourable climate for business, receiving over US$14 billion of foreign investment in the last 10 years and more than 1,600 multinational companies have found in Bogota an ideal place for business. All of these make this vibrant city an exceptional MICE destination in Latin America, as world class events have chosen Bogota to be their venue. Remarkable personalities have also come to the city, from big music superstars, up to Nobel Prize winners, and renowned businessmen. In terms of events, One Young World Summit (2017), World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates (2017), Global TCI Network (2017), World Congress on Neurosurgery (2021) among others already chose Bogotá as their host destination. As a growing international meetings destination, Bogotá is currently ranked 50th in the world among more than 900 destinations classified by ICCA. Also, the city was the winner of the ICCA Best PR Award in 2015 and was one of the four finalists for the ICCA Best Marketing Award 2016.

What have you found to be the hardest aspect of this global 'health' crisis and what impact do you expect this situation to have on Bogotá and indeed the rest of the country's tourism/M.I.C.E market?

We are the industry that brings people together, and by doing that, we promote both knowledge and business opportunities for the city. Because of the current health crisis, the traveling industry stopped, and we haven't been able to receive international events since March. Nevertheless, in spite of the difficulties, Bogotá has not stopped, and we are working towards the reactivation in a responsible way. We really hope to reach the point where we can all meet in Bogotá in person.

What do you think the future holds for conference tourism in Colombia and why should one choose Bogotá for a conference, event or meeting?

It is important to highlight that Bogotá moved up one spot in the ICCA rankings, placing in the top 5 of cities in Latin America that held the most events and meetings in 2019, and Colombia remains in 29th place worldwide, being the only country in Latin America with 3 cities in the top 10. The Greater Bogotá Convention Bureau as part of this Association, develops city marketing strategies, that allow Bogotá to maintain an important position in this ranking, thereby consolidating the city as a premier international destination for meetings and events. As for the negative impacts of the pandemic on the MICE Industry, we are currently working on a campaign named #ChangeTheDateNotTheDestination that aims at the rescheduling of events for 2021, without changing Bogotá as the host city. The purpose of the campaign is to retain these events in Bogotá, highlighting their importance in the city´s reactivation, and its economic and social development, while also enforcing Bogotá and Colombia as a sustainable, trustworthy and high quality destination.

From where do the majority of M.I.C.E. business come from both within the region and globally?

According to a study made by ProColombia (Colombia´s Promotion Agency) in 2018, the main clients for the MICE industry in the country come from Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Panama, Mexico and the United States. Additionally, the Bureau has prioritised the following markets: United States, Mexico, some of the countries in the Caribbean, and Brazil. And we are always looking for new markets around the world that can be interested in the magical and vibrant city that Bogotá is for hosting events!

What strategies have you adopted to place Bogotá on the international and regional MICE map, especially with growing neighbouring competition?

We know that each city is completely different from one another. Aside from the state of the art infrastructure and from the services that we know we have to host international events, we also want to stand out from our competition with one of the main sellin g points: our initiative called Synergies for Change. We created the Synergies for Change initiative with the purpose of promoting that each event hosted in Bogotá contributes to achieve the sustainable development goals and objectives. How do we do this? We invited a group of social enterprises that are aiming to provide innovative solutions to social issues, and to leave a positive impact in the community to join this initiative. These kind of enterprises, in regards with the MICE industry, bring a different approach to the event, its clients and participants. We emphasise in the responsibility that we have, regarding that all events arriving to Bogotá contribute, in a significant way, to the economic development, but most of all to the empowerment and strengthening of vulnerable people and communities, and to prevent climate change. Our point is to show a city that is member of a Global Alliance with other top international destinations, and our Alliance with other cities within the Region.

Are there plans for BCCB to create an international MICE exhibition?

We created and have been doing an international MICE event called ´Zona MICE´ since 2012, which unfortunately will not go as planned for this year, given that there is still no government authorisation for this kind of events. As soon as we have the ´green light´, we will surely work towards it’s planning, specially knowing the effect that it will have on the MICE industry reactivation process. This event has an academic agenda and a business roundtable for our associates and other events industry entrepreneu rs to connect and network with international buyers. We have had interesting results in 2019, such as: 1 ,358 business appointments and more than US$2.000.000 business expectations. So we are looking forward to doing this event again to contribute with the MICE industry reactivation.

You recently joined the newly created South American M.I.C.E Alliance, can you please outline the aim and goals of the Alliance and how it will be beneficial for Bogotá and how will other members cooperate without competing each other.

This inter-institutional cooperation between the Convention Bureaux of Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Lima, Quito and Buenos Aires is aimed to the development, promotion and positioning of these capital cities as M.I.C.E destinations, as well as increasing opportunities for hosting events. This alliance seeks to pursue the same objective, promoting the 5 cities together and joining forces to promote a responsible recovery. The cooperation agreement is based on 3 strategic lines, whose actions are established and prioritized in the short, medium and long term. These 3 lines are: the exchange of best practices regarding Bureaux operations and biosafety protocols for the reopening and reactivation of the events industry, a joint promotional campaign and positioning of the alliance´s brand, and the exchange of key information and leads of previous events successfully held in each destination, that could benefit all the 5 members. We are convinced that, by working together, with empathy and solidarity, we will multiply the positive impact for our destinations.

www.bogotacb.com

What new post-Covid initiatives do you plan to put in place to attract more business tourism from Europe?

The Colombian government launched, endorsed by the World Tourism Organization, the COVID-19 Biosafety Check-In Certification Seal, with the purpose of building confidence among international visitors and clients, while also preventing the spread of C OVID-19 and promoting tourism in Colombia. Even though business events are not yet authorised by the government and their biosafety protocols are pending approval, I firmly believe that all the safety measures that are being taken, in Colombia and worldwide , will ensure that these kind of events could be hosted with large crowds in a controlled way, but mostly in a way that implies that health, safety and the prevention of Covid-19 is always the main purpose.

On another note, Colombia reopened its borders and resumed international flights on 21 September, re-establishing connectivity with strategic countries in the region, as a step forward in the reactivation of the tourism industry. The El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá has been implementing and testing its biosafety protocols since April, with the operation of humanitarian and cargo flights, and with the purpose of delivering the highest quality standards to all travellers in which technology plays a key role.

Additionally, the Greater Bogotá Convention Bureau has not stopped, not even in these challenging times. This is why we have implemented a communications campaign oriented to show all the work we have been doing promoting Bogotá as one of the leading cities in Latin America for hosting meetings, conventions, congresses and exhibitions, to our clients, strategic allies and affiliates.

Last but not least, why do you believe Colombia, in particular Bogotá is an attractive destination and what is your message to the tourism industry and MICE organisers?

On this note, it is important to highlight that the World Travel Awards, in its 27th edition, included Bogotá as a nominee in several categories in South America, such as: Leading Airport, Leading Business Travel Destination, Leading City Destination, Leading Festival & Event Destination, and Leading Meetings & Conference Destination, among others. These nominations are a confirmation of Bogotá´s leadership in the region as a MICE destination, its high-quality standards, and state of the art infrastructure. Additional from the above, Bogotá has also been working towards reinforcing the importance of positioning itself as a sustainable and reliable destination, that is adapting to change, innovating on these challenging times, with the priority placed on travellers safety and their well-being. Also, these strategies have led to the fact that, so far in 2020, the Bureau has confirmed 12 international events for Bogotá, 22 city applications are being worked on, and 83 clients have been impacted, mostly from prioritised markets such as Brazil, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the United States. Thanks to the Greater Bogotá Convention Bureau´s work, from 2021 to 2025, 12 international events will be held in the Colombian capital, which will bring more than 22,000 participants and represent an economic benefit for Bogotá of approximately 81 billion pesos. Among them are Devcon and the World Congress of Neurosurgery in 2021 .

The GBCB team has participated in different virtual scenarios in order to position Bogotá internationally and to retain international clients, as well as to sensitise new corporate clients about Bogotá as a MICE destination and its current status regarding the situation of Covid-19, which include destination presentations and mailing with news of the current state of the city regarding the reopening of the destination, good practices, and positive news. And last but not least, we would like to remind you that Bogotá is getting ready, and the MICE industry sectors have been preparing themselves, to welcoming again its international visitors, with all kind of biosafety measures and, most of all, with all its magnificent and vibrant experiences, that will make your trip an unforgettable one. We will #SeeYouInBogota