L'indépendance Luxembourgeoise - ACOTUR Summit: Sustainable Tourism as a Tool for Cauca's Economic Recovery

The VIII ACOTUR Sustainable Tourism Summit is currently underway in Popayán, Colombia, serving as a focal point for discussions on how sustainable tourism can facilitate economic recovery in the Cauca department. Running from November 25 to 27, the event convenes more than 400 industry representatives, aiming to bridge the gap between local agricultural producers and international markets.

Organized by the Colombian Association of Responsible Tourism (ACOTUR), the summit operates under the theme "Tourism That Strengthens Territories: Reconnecting Destinations, Reviving Opportunities." The gathering is supported by Expertise France and the European Union through its Global Gateway strategy, alongside backing from the Governor’s Office of Cauca, the Mayor’s Office of Popayán, and the Cauca Chamber of Commerce.

For a region that has endured decades of armed conflict, displacement, and economic marginalization, the prospect of attracting international investment through sustainable tourism holds significance beyond the hospitality sector. In Cauca, where agricultural traditions, extraordinary biodiversity, and Pacific coastal ecosystems coexist with persistent security challenges, tourism is viewed as a critical instrument for regional recovery.

The initiative extends beyond established tourist destinations to leverage the department’s diverse agricultural and ecological landscapes. Spanning from the Andean highlands to the Pacific coast, Cauca includes coffee-growing municipalities, traditional food-producing communities, and Afro-Colombian and Indigenous territories. These areas offer opportunities to develop tourism experiences connected to local production, gastronomy, biodiversity, and cultural heritage.

For international investors, this represents an opportunity to look beyond conventional hotel and resort development and consider smaller-scale ventures that connect agricultural production with tourism, processing, distribution, and export markets.

Cacao serves as a primary example of this integrated approach. In Guapi and Timbiquí, on the Pacific coast, a project coordinated by the Agency for Territorial Renewal (ART), the Cauca Governor’s Office, and local authorities is seeking to strengthen the cacao value chain as an alternative to illicit crop economies. The initiative includes establishing 500 cacao trees per participating family, alongside plantain, chontaduro, and papachina cultivation. It also involves building collection infrastructure and a commercial platform designed to secure markets for producers.

This approach recognizes that agricultural recovery requires more than planting crops. Farmers need reliable buyers, processing facilities, technical assistance, and access to markets that reward quality and sustainable production.

Cauca’s coffee industry offers another significant opportunity. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has identified the department as a priority for investment in its agricultural development programme. The FAO is proposing support for 36,000 small-scale coffee producers across 33 municipalities. This initiative combines improved productivity, agroforestry, post-harvest infrastructure, and stronger market access with the development of five coffee tourism routes.

The objective is to give coffee-growing communities additional sources of income while strengthening the reputation of Cauca’s speciality coffee in international markets.

The potential extends beyond coffee and cacao. A study published in March 2026 by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Biointropic, and Connect Bogotá, prepared for the Inter-American Development Bank, identified 128 initiatives with bioeconomy potential in this mountainous department. These include quinoa flour, fruit and chontaduro by-products, and processed roots and tubers.

However, structural obstacles remain. Many eco-tourism and sustainable agricultural projects operate as small enterprises or community-based associations, facing limited technological capacity, difficulties accessing venture capital, and precarious infrastructure to reach national and international markets.

Regenerative tourism could play a particularly important role in addressing these gaps. Visitors increasingly seek experiences that connect them with local communities, food production, and natural environments. Properly developed, agricultural tourism can create additional markets for farmers, encourage local entrepreneurship, and give greater commercial value to traditional knowledge and regional products.

The challenge, however, cannot be separated from the security situation. Rural communities across Cauca continue to face attacks by illegal armed groups, displacement, and restricted mobility. Tourism investment will depend on reliable infrastructure, safe access to destinations, and sustained institutional support. It must also ensure that local communities participate in the economic benefits rather than simply becoming part of a tourism marketing strategy.

For ACOTUR president Laura Durana, the summit represents an opportunity to strengthen commercial relationships and connect destinations beyond Colombia’s traditional tourism circuits. The organization, established in 2013, has positioned responsible inbound and nature-based tourism as an avenue for regional development.

Popayán’s selection as host city offers an opportunity to bring these discussions directly into a territory where the economic stakes are particularly high. Its iconic colonial setting, culinary traditions, and geographical position provide a natural starting point for exploring a wider network of destinations extending towards the Pacific.

The question remains whether commercial connections forged in November can translate into sustained investment for farmers, community enterprises, and emerging tourism businesses. For Cauca, regional recovery will require more than visitors. It will require investment that reaches the people who cultivate the land, preserve its biodiversity, and produce the goods that give the department its distinctive identity.

D.Rueter--LiLuX