Colombia to host major LGBTI business and tourism conference

Colombia is to host a major LGBTI business conference this spring when LGBT Confex comes to the capital, Bogotá, for the first time.

LGBT Confex has been running annually in Mexico for the past seven years. It features presentations, speeches and an exhibition space for multinational corporates and local businesses to promote their services and values.

LGBT Confex will come to the Marriott Bogotá Hotel, Bogota from 26-27 May: the first time it has taken place in Latin America. The theme will be ‘Inclusive Innovation: we create. we innovate. we revolutionize.’

The event is being supported by local tourism agency ProColombia. Its President, Felipe Jaramillo, welcomed the arrival of the event.

‘The recent designation of our country as an emerging gay destination during Fitur, and the debut of Confex 2017, demonstrates the commitment of Colombian businesses to diversity, and the important advances that have taken place to satisfy the needs of this segment,’ he said in a statement.

‘Cities like Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena continue to position themselves as tourism and meeting destinations, with innovative offerings for the LGBT community.’

‘A historic year for the LGBT market in Latin America’

Speakers will include Thomas Roth, CEO of Community Marketing; Araceli Ramos, director of promotion and public relations at Tequila José Cuervo; Marcela Sánchez, director of Colombia Diversa; and Alberto Arriaga, editorial director at SoyHomosensual; among many others.

‘This is a historic year for the LGBT market in Latin America, and for those who want to grow in this market, the first LGBT Confex in Colombia proves that there is more interest than ever in the segment, on a national and international level,’ said Rubén Sandoval, CEO of LGBT Confex.

Colombia (population 49million) is known for being LGBTI-inclusive. It passed a law allowing same-sex marriage last year, and has allowed gay couples to adopt children since 2015. Gay and transgender people can both serve openly in the military.

One of the LGBT Confex speakers, Thomas Roth, told GSN, ‘Community Marketing & Insights has long given back, by supporting the education and research initiatives of emerging destinations.

‘Speaking at LGBT Confex is part of this initiative. We are proud to be involved, and hope that our participation in Colombia will help build the country’s already very successful momentum.’

Main image: William Neuheisel | CreativeCommons2.0 

Source: Colombia to host major LGBTI business and tourism conference