Tourism and the Orange Economy are activated in Bolivia

04-02-23

The government programme "200 years 200 tourist destinations in Bolivia" is a commitment to reactivate tourism in the country and is part of the National Strategic Plan for the Bicentenary, which plans to promote at least 200 tourist destinations in the nine departments. At the same time it hopes to identify and promote places and circuits in every corner. It also highlights the promotion and strengthening of community-based tourism in the country towards 2025.

On the occasion of World Tourism Day in September last year, President Luis Arce reaffirmed the government's will to reactivate the tourism sector as a pillar for the "integral reconstruction" of the national economy. "The reconstruction of the country is integral," he said.

The country has a wealth of tourist attractions, including archaeological sites, nature reserves, historical monuments, gastronomy and many others, although National Geographic highlights only two national destinations: the Salar de Uyuni salt flats and the Madidi National Park.

The estimated national income from inbound tourism in 2022 is 4 billion Bolivianos, much higher than the 900 million Bolivianos generated in 2021.

Peru's income from this same activity, before the Covid-19 pandemic, exceeds 4 billion dollars. Data from the neighbouring government show that between 2011 and 2015, its income from inbound tourism increased by almost 50%.

The IBCE points out that, up to July, Bolivia received 332,436 foreign tourists, about a quarter of the visitors who came to the country in 2019, when around 1.2 million visitors arrived on Bolivian soil.

The Monetary Policy Report, issued by the Central Bank of Bolivia, states that although tourism activity from January to May 2022 showed a recovery, "it is still below pre-pandemic levels".

Bolivia's varied tourism offer can satisfy the most demanding expectations. Among the many tourist destinations, ready to amaze locals and foreigners alike, we can cite the following:

• The ruins of the ancient pre-Columbian city of Tiwanaku, less than 70 km from the city of La Paz.

• Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, at an altitude of 3,800 metres above sea level, with a surface area of just over 8,000 square kilometres.

• Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat and the country's most popular tourist attraction, in the middle of the Andes, with a surface area of almost 11,000 km2. This salt flat is featured in Episode 8 of the Star Wars saga.

• This highland region is also home to the Eduardo Avaroa National Andean Fauna Reserve, with some of the most unusual landscapes on the planet. It includes the Verde, Colorada and Hedionda lagoons.

• Madidi National Park and Noel Kempff Mercado Park in the Bolivian Amazon.

• The Oruro Carnival, which takes place on the Saturday before the carnival starts.

• Sajama National Park, the oldest national park in Bolivia, home to the Nevado Sajama, hot springs and mountain climbing routes.

• The Jesuit missions of the Chiquitania region, about six hours from the city of Santa Cruz.

• Toro Toro National Park, in northern Potosí, with dinosaur footprints, the Umajalanta cavern, cave paintings and the Toro Toro Valley canyon.

• Marco Mercado, president of the Bolivian Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies, was clear in pointing out that three measures are urgently needed to reactivate tourism: reducing VAT, improving Bolivia's air connectivity (domestic and international) and promoting the country abroad.

We must be aware that tourism contributes to economic reactivation, industrialisation and import substitution.

And it is very clear that we will not be able to reactivate tourism without the active participation of the private sector.