- Barranquilla hosts the first International Tourism and City Summit alongside the 30th Anato Congress from 26-28 August 2026.
- Over 1,000 industry leaders attend the event at the Puerta de Oro Event Center.
- Atlántico received over 49,000 international visitors in H1 2026, ranking seventh in Colombia.
- The programme addresses AI, year-round tourism, connectivity and business opportunities.
- Rising flight frequencies into Barranquilla support the growth in international arrivals.
Colombia’s Barranquilla is greeting up to stage the first International Tourism and City Summit together with the 30th National Congress of Travel Agencies organised by ANATO from 26 to 28 August 2026 at the Puerta de Oro Event Center.
The milestone event gathers over 1,000 industry leaders under the theme “Beyond the algorithm, trips that leave a mark”, bringing together entrepreneurs, agencies, authorities and experts to discuss artificial intelligence, year-round tourism, connectivity and business opportunities. The 30th anniversary of the Anato National Congress represents a significant moment for Colombian travel trade, with the programme featuring panel discussions on digital transformation and human connection in modern travel.
The department of Atlántico welcomed more than 49,000 international visitors in the first half of 2026, ranking seventh among Colombian departments, supported by rising national and international flight frequencies. The summit addresses strategies for extending tourism beyond peak seasons and improving air connectivity to secondary destinations across the country. Barranquilla’s hosting of these concurrent events positions the city as an emerging hub for tourism industry dialogue in Latin America, with participation from travel agencies, hoteliers and government tourism officials.
The congress programme includes sessions on artificial intelligence applications in travel distribution, sustainable tourism practices and the role of regional airports in driving visitor growth. Rising flight frequencies into Barranquilla’s Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport have supported the growth in international arrivals, with the event offering networking opportunities for travel trade professionals. The combined summit and congress format allows participants to examine both policy frameworks and commercial opportunities across the Colombian tourism sector.
Paula Cortés Calle shared “The 30th anniversary of our national congress represents a milestone for Colombian travel trade, bringing together the sector to address digital transformation and sustainable growth. Barranquilla’s emergence as a host city for major tourism events reflects the growing importance of regional connectivity in Colombia’s tourism strategy.”
