Traslated by Andrés Martínez Forero
‘Bogotá, My City, My Home’—where tourism meets art and culture. Come discover Colombia’s capital! Bogotá continues to stand out on the global tourism map. During the 2026 edition of FITUR, one of the world’s leading tourism fairs, the city earned its official recertification as a Smart Tourist Destination (STD) by Spain’s State Company for Tourism Innovation and Technology Management (SEGITTUR). With this, Bogotá becomes the first and only capital city with more than 8 million residents to receive and renew this distinction under SEGITTUR’s updated methodology.
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This recognition confirms Bogotá’s position as a world-class destination with a forward-thinking approach that views tourism not just as an economic driver, but as a key tool for inclusive, sustainable urban development—one that enhances the quality of life for both locals and visitors.
“Being a Smart Tourist Destination isn’t just about welcoming more tourists—it’s about managing the city better, making informed decisions, and using innovation to improve people’s lives. This recertification proves that Bogotá is moving forward with a future-ready, sustainable, inclusive, and globally competitive vision,” said Ángela Garzón, Director of the Bogotá Tourism Institute.
A Global Recognition That Puts Bogotá among Leading World Capitals
The recertification comes after Bogotá met more than 80% of the requirements set by the STD framework—an international standard that evaluates destinations based on five key pillars: governance, sustainability, accessibility, innovation, and technology. This achievement places Bogotá among a select group of cities leading the way in smart tourism, alongside destinations like Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, and San Sebastián.
A Long-Term Vision Anchored in City Policy
Bogotá began its journey as a Smart Tourist Destination in 2021, led by the Mayor’s Office and the Bogotá Tourism Institute. Since then, the city has embraced the model as a long-term policy priority that goes beyond political cycles. The second review of Bogotá’s STD Diagnostic Report—carried out by SEGITTUR after initial assessments in 2021 and 2023—showed steady progress and strong institutional adoption.
The city has been part of the global Smart Tourist Destinations Network since 2023, a community of over 500 destinations using the model. Yet only 14 have passed the 80% compliance threshold—and of those, just four are in Latin America: Tequila, Medellín, Montevideo, and Bogotá. Notably, Bogotá is the only major Latin American capital to successfully renew its certification.
Innovation, Accessibility, and Cross-Sector Collaboration at the Heart of the Model
Bogotá’s success with the STD model has been made possible by collaboration across more than 60 city agencies, the private sector, academic institutions, and tourism stakeholders—working together under a data-driven, integrated management approach. This marks a shift from managing tourism as a standalone sector to managing it as a cross-cutting strategy, aligned with Bogotá’s 2023–2033 District Tourism Policy.
Key milestones include major improvements in physical and digital accessibility, the development of tourism data analysis platforms, integration with the public transport system, tools for profiling tourist attractions, and the implementation of accessible communication guidelines that make the city’s offerings more inclusive.
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This recertification reaffirms Bogotá’s commitment to a smart tourism model that prioritizes social sustainability, innovation, universal accessibility, and international cooperation—positioning the city as a global benchmark for urban tourism management and an open, welcoming destination for the world.
*This article was created using information provided by the Bogotá’s International Relations Office and curated by a journalist from Portal Bogotá. For suggestions, questions, or more information, visit Bogotá Te Escucha: https://bogota.gov.co/sdqs/
