GREATER BOGOTA CONVENTION BUREAU “2020 WILL BE A YEAR OF SOWING FOR THE MICE INDUSTRY” The current health situation has disrupted the tourism sector as well as the MICE industry, since its nature involves the meeting of people. The Greater Bogota Convention Bureau, which is the entity that promotes and positions Colombia’s capital city as a MICE destination, presents its st 1 trimester report and the results are both positive and encouraging for the events industry in Bogota. As a part of its commercial strategy in 2020, the GBCB identified 112 event opportunities, presented 18 bids, and confirmed 12 events for Bogota. Among these 12, 3 events took place from January to March 2020, before the Colombian government declared lockdown. “In fact, within the first 3 months of the year we welcomed 19 international clients from Europe, United States and Latin America, who we accompanied on 7 site visits where we featured the city’s attractive offer to carry out their events in the coming years”, declared Liliana Orbegozo, Executive Director. The Greater Bogota Convention Bureau has 95 members who operate in different economic sectors and contribute to the events industry. In the context of the crisis set forth by the COVID-19 emergency, the Bureau conducted a survey to measure the impact on its members. Among the 42 responses, the results showed 533 cancelled events, while 347 were postponed. These represent more than USD$12.5 million in losses. “Faced with this situation, we decided to support our members by providing the option to freeze membership fees for 2 months. Likewise, we developed a communication strategy to keep them informed on the latest aid and benefit programmes for the industry, offered by the local and national government. The strategy included an effort to strengthen their online channels, enhancing their visibility through our social media,” said Liliana Orbegozo, Executive Director of the GBCB. The GBCB has worked hand-in-hand with the District Institute of Tourism (IDT) in order to contribute to the recovery strategy for the tourism industry in the city, from the Bogota Tourism Council for Covid-19, the IDT’s initiative focused on aiding the recovery of the MICE industry. According to the IDT, once the emergency is over, the city would have a negative economic impact of more than UK£41.6 million for the meetings and entertainment industry. The Executive Director, Liliana Orbegozo, offers reassurance to the industry, while also honouring the difficult times ahead. “The Greater Bogota Convention Bureau has always looked towards the future, targeting high-impact events for the next few years. As long as we continue doing so, the MICE tourism industry in Bogota will continue growing and developing.” The Greater Bogota Convention Bureau will continue to play a fundamental part in the industry’s recovery, keeping in mind that the estimated time of reactivation for international tourism is between the end of the year and the beginning of 2021. Within the first trimester’s report there are 9 events won for Bogota, which will take place starting in 2021 and will bring more than 19,000 foreign participants to the city, and 22 events to be confirmed, which are expected to bring more than 27,000 foreign visitors to the city. Considering this, the Bureau will contribute to mitigate the economic impact of the current situation between 2021 and 2027. According to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), each foreign participant has an average daily expenditure of 466 dollars. “If we multiply that amount by the number of participants and the number of days of each event, we will have an important economic impact for the city in the next few years”, added Orbegozo. Historically, tourism has proven to be a key driver of international economic recovery, given that it triggers economic and social development for destinations. “For this reason, we must continue sowing and working towards the future, to build an industry that has demonstrated resilience and unity in the face of adversity,” concluded Liliana.
EMITT 2021, ISTANBUL, TURKEY Stand bookings are now open for EMITT 2021, the No.1 exhibition in the Eurasia region serving the tourism and travel industry. With 842 exhibitors and over 40,000 professionals and travel lovers, from 103 countries, EMITT reaffirmed its position as a must-attend event for the industry. EMITT 2021 is set to be held from 10 – 13 February and it promises even more opportunities to get your brand or destination out there.
