This month, the Bogota Chamber of Commerce (CCB) launched the Sports and Recreation Cluster Initiative by strengthening the work already being done by the District through the District Institute of Recreation and Sports (IDRD). The purpose is to expand its scope to the recreation sector, in addition to strengthening its articulation with 59 municipalities in Cundinamarca.

In 2024, the initiative will develop a total of 10 programs and projects framed in 4 main strategic axes aimed at strengthening the business and social fabric of the sector, recognizing that the sports and recreation industry is an important tool for social transformation and in close contact with the popular economy.

The axes are aimed at formalization, consolidation of innovation routes, generation of commercial spaces and strategic alliances, among others. One of the objectives of the Cluster Initiative is to strengthen sports tourism to Bogota and Cundinamarca with initiatives such as the Cundinamarca Half Marathon. Similarly, work will be done to strengthen the CCB's offer of services to the sector by including the offer of other clusters (fashion, health or tourism).

Although the IDRD was already leading a sports cluster, built with the support of the CCB, two new economic activities were included: recreational and leisure activities, as well as the manufacture of games and toys, which will benefit more than 5,000 companies, compared to 2,700 in the past. Of these, 94.3% are micro, 4.6% are small, 0.8% are medium and 0.3% are large.

The agenda and services of this Cluster Initiative is a dynamic process that will continue to be built with the actors involved so far and the new ones that will be added with the expanded scope-. The focus will be extended to other actors such as schools and sports leagues, among others. It will also have new strategic participants with Indeportes Cundinamarca and the International Olympic Committee.

Entrepreneurs interested in becoming part of the cluster can consult at https://www.ccb.org.co/services/we-strengthen-your-sector/sustainable-tourism/cluster-recreation-and-sports

Sports with values

Fernando Velásquez is a professional with legal training whose experience led him to create the Fundación Deporte con Valores about 15 years ago, as he was convinced that sports practices contribute to the strengthening of citizenship values, in addition to promoting healthy lifestyle habits. Today, his initiative benefits about 50 children and young people, with the support of 8 collaborators in his organization.The sports center is located in Arborizadora Alta, where the participants live a different training process that aims at sharing and joy in the practices. “The Cluster Initiative allows us to work as a team and interact with different organizations, thus strengthening the sector,” explains Velásquez.

Gloves made by mothers who are heads of households

In 2019, in one of the rooms of Sandra Alape's apartment, she and her son Sebastián started making billiard gloves at the request of Sebastián's father, who started managing a business in this sport.Five years later, Sandra and her son now have seven machines and employ six people, most of whom are mothers and heads of household, who help them with printing and sewing. In addition to personalized gloves, they now make T-shirts and microfiber towels. “We project to have a production plant of high scope, to be the number one brand in the country and to export to other places. Thanks to the CCB we have been able to have more reach, in addition to interacting with players abroad,” Sandra says.

Goals for the soul

After the Brazil 2014 World Cup, the idea of creating Gol2Soul arose, a social impact soccer company that was established in 2019 and is committed to strengthening soccer with a high human and sustainability component.Currently, the organization has 7 co-founding partners and the collaboration, as an extended team, of more than 100 soccer teachers in different parts of Colombia.In terms of sports, Julian Lopez, one of the founders, says that the expectation with this cluster is “to continue playing as a team that through collective work enhances the sports industry for development, innovation and sustainability, with the technical direction of the CCB”.