The Institute for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (IPDAL) once again took part in the International Tourism Fair (FITUR), held on 21 January in Madrid, where it presented the results of an international technical cooperation project developed in partnership with CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, Turismo de Portugal, and the Colombian Ministry of Tourism.
This cooperation, implemented in the municipalities of Guapi (Cauca) and Nuquí (Chocó), in Colombia’s Biogeographic Pacific region, aims to strengthen a sustainable, regenerative, and community-based tourism model, grounded in environmental conservation, the promotion of Afro-Colombian cultural heritage, the empowerment of local communities, and the strengthening of the local economy and territorial governance.
The session opened with an institutional segment featuring interventions by Juan Sebastián Sánchez, Vice-Minister of Tourism of Colombia; Carlos Abade, President of Turismo de Portugal; Christian Asinelli, Corporate Vice-President of CAF; and Pedro Machado, Secretary of State for Tourism of Portugal. The speakers highlighted the importance of international cooperation and tourism as instruments for sustainable development, social inclusion, and territorial regeneration.
This was followed by the screening of a summary video of the technical cooperation, showcasing the main results achieved, including the training of local stakeholders, the creation of pilot tourism routes, the strengthening of community-based initiatives, and the development of strategic recommendations for the region’s sustainable tourism development.
The central moment of the session was dedicated to the presentation of the cooperation’s results, with contributions from Alexandra Pereira, Senior Officer at the International Relations Department of Turismo de Portugal; María Sorley Montaño Vergara, community leader from the Limones region in Guapi; César Augusto Oliveros, from the Colombia Strategy – Destinations of Peace of the Colombian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism; and Leonardo Mesías, Senior Executive of CAF’s Sustainable Tourism Directorate. The debate was moderated by Gastón Ocampo, Secretary-General of IPDAL.
The session concluded with remarks by Jorge Costa, Vice-President of IPDAL and CEO of the Visabeira Turismo Group, who underscored the value of this cooperation as an example of action-oriented multilateral cooperation, with direct impact on communities and strong potential for replication in other contexts.
IPDAL’s participation in FITUR reinforces its commitment to promoting international dialogue and to developing cooperation projects that use tourism as a strategic tool for sustainable development and social cohesion.
