Green Destinations Latin America: Promoting Sustainable Community-Based Tourism in Colombia

27th June 2023

Acorn Tourism’s Colombian Community Entrepreneur specialist, Nicole Layolle, presented Acorn’s innovative community-led initiatives at the Green Destinations Latin America conference held in Bombinhas, Santa Catarina, Brazil, from 5-7^th June. This regional edition of the event, organized by FACISC and Instituto DEL, brought together industry leaders, experts, and enthusiasts dedicated to fostering sustainable tourism in Latin America.

Nicole's presentation, titled "Communication and Marketing Processes in the Communities of the Serrania de las Quinchas and the Serrania del Perija in Colombia," showcased Acorn Tourism's regenerative approach within the "Touristic Routes through Forests and Peace" program. This three-year initiative was delivered in conjunction with E3 Asesorías and the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Nicole’s insights focused on the vital role of effective communication and marketing strategies in empowering the communities of these regions and promoting sustainable development.

Nicole's participation on the panel titled "Communicating Sustainability: The Role of Marketing in Tourism" further underscored the significance of effective communication in driving positive change within the tourism industry. Her speech highlighted the inspiring work carried out by Acorn Tourism in the communities of Serrania de las Quinchas and Serrania del Perija, focusing on four core principles:

• Understanding local communities
• Co-creating tourist routes with community input
• Promoting community ecotourism within the community, and
• Generating local capacity.

Despite challenges such as limited connectivity and difficult access to the territories, Acorn Tourism built strong relationships with the communities, fostering community empowerment and achieving valuable milestones, including independent management of social networks and WhatsApp, unified value propositions, and the independent sale of tours.

Nicole's presence at the Green Destinations Latin America conference not only showcased the achievements of Acorn Tourism in Colombia but also emphasized the importance of collaboration, community engagement, and effective communication in promoting sustainable tourism worldwide.

Click here to learn more about the “Tourism Routes for Forests and Peace”. To find more about our commitment to supporting and delivering sustainable development and our work in Colombia and Latin America, contact alison@acorntourism.co.uk