Bogota, February 27, 2025. For the first time, the public and private sectors have joined forces to launch Bogota's cultural and creative offer as a major tourism promotion initiative that seeks to position the city as an epicenter of world-class events and as a hub for the creative and cultural industries.

The offer was jointly presented by the Bogota Chamber of Commerce (CCB), the Secretariat of Culture, Recreation and Sports (SCRD) and its affiliated entities, and the District Institute of Tourism (IDT) during a discussion held today at ANATO, which was attended by entrepreneurs, tourism agencies, artists, cultural managers, event producers and actors of the creative ecosystem. This offer includes more than 1,200 international events, including some already consolidated as part of the identity and cultural heritage of the city, such as the Festivals in the Park, ARTBO, the International Book Fair, FILBo, and new bets that seek to position Bogota as an international benchmark in the circuits of visual arts, classical music and performing arts.

During the event, the event highlighted the new offer with which the administration of Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán seeks to turn Bogota into a world-class cultural destination and a focal point for debate and design of public policies in Ibero-America. Among other events, the first International Biennial of Art and the City, BOG25, to be held from September 20 to November 9, will bring together more than 100 artists, curators and experts, both national and international, placing Bogota on a par with cities such as Sydney, Venice and São Paulo, considered world leaders in cultural tourism thanks to their art biennials; and the City of Bogota International Violin Competition, which will bring together, from October 31 to November 7, the most outstanding violinists in the world, placing the city on the global symphonic music circuit. Also, for the first time, the Ibero-American Cultural Action Meeting will be held from September 18 to 21, a space for reflection, conversation and management of cultural public policies that will bring together more than 200 experts from the region.

The city's gastronomy also plays a key role in the offer presented, due to its heritage value and tourist interest. This year, the Sabor Bogota program will promote 9 gastronomy festivals that are being promoted within the framework of ANATO.

As part of this great offer, the nighttime activities of the Bogota 24/7 strategy also stand out, which promotes a 24-hour cultural agenda in the city, and includes a program with unique experiences such as the Night of Museums, the Ibero-American Night of Museums, and all the color of Christmas, which makes Bogota the second best destination to enjoy these year-end festivities according to CNN Travel thanks to its large format shows, the celebration of the Day of the Candles, novenas and concerts that turn Bogota into a colorful and magical place for the enjoyment of its inhabitants and visitors.

“Bogota is a city of open doors, where diversity unites us, identifies us and is our greatest potential before the world. It is a city full of history, creative, inclusive, where tradition and innovation coexist, and which expresses itself through art and culture from the neighborhoods to the stages that have high-level infrastructure to host and produce world-class events. Today, Bogota is part of the international circuits of music, literature, performing and visual arts, and is an unavoidable destination for artists, managers, producers and tourists,” said Santiago Trujillo Escobar, Secretary of Culture, Recreation and Sports of Bogota.

The president of the Bogota Chamber of Commerce, Ovidio Claros Polanco, emphasizes the positive impact of the CCB's cultural platforms such as the Bogota Music Market (BOmm), ARTBO, Bogota Fashion Week (BFW), Bogota Audiovisual Market (BAM) and Gastrofest, which are essential for the internationalization of local talent, attracting investors and strengthening the city's creative industry.

“The launch of Bogota's cultural and creative offer is a unique opportunity to strengthen the connection between tourism, entertainment and the creative economy. The articulation between the public and private sectors is key to boosting the competitiveness of the sector, generating employment and attracting investment. We are consolidating Bogota as a cultural, innovative and globally competitive epicenter,” said Claros Polanco. For his part, Andrés Santamaría Garrido, director of the IDT, pointed out the importance of Bogota as a great cultural and entertainment hub. According to figures from the Observatory of the Bogota Tourism Office, the city receives between 12 million and 13 million tourists a year, of which around 85% are domestic and 15% international.

“Bogota is a hub of entertainment, creativity and culture, a vibrant epicenter where music, art and gastronomy meet to offer unique experiences. Today, for the first time, all of the city's entities have come together to present a consolidated offer that will allow us to make ourselves visible, position ourselves and continue to shine before the world. Tourism is one of the great engines of our economy, and with this strategy we are promoting Bogota as a must-see destination for locals and visitors,” said Santamaria.

As part of the major international circuits of music, literature and the performing and visual arts, Bogota hosts major concerts such as those of Shakira, Andrea Bocelli and Sting, as well as free large-format shows such as the Festivales al Parque. It is also world renowned for its extensive program of cultural and gastronomic fairs, art biennials, festivals and creative circuits that boost the economy and consolidate its leadership in the region. The figures for the city's cultural and creative sector are compelling: in 2023, the sector generated more than 19 billion pesos in added value, representing 5.5% of the city's total. And in that same year, the cultural sector represented 62.9% of the country's cultural economy, which is equivalent to more than half of its total contribution. These indicators not only generate confidence in Bogota, but have enabled actions and alliances with major private festivals such as Estéreo Picnic or the Cordillera Festival, and with sporting events such as the Gran Fondo de Ciclismo de Bogotá.