The 3rd National Congress on Religious and Heritage Tourism begins in Buga (Colombia)

13-11-24

• Adrian Lomello, an important member of the World Religious and Spiritual Tourism Destinations Network, will participate in the Congress.

• The 3rd Congress will be held on November 13-14, 2024.

The 3rd International Congress of Religious Tourism, to be held in Buga, Colombia, is an outstanding event in the spiritual and cultural tourism calendar. Organized by FONTUR - Colombia, Ministry of Industry and Tourism, Mayor's Office of Guadalajara de Buga, Chamber of Commerce of Buga, and with the collaboration of important institutions such as the World Religious and Spiritual Tourism Destinations Network, and will be a meeting point for professionals and academics of religious tourism in Colombia.

Adrián Nelso Lomello, entitled “From the local spiritual and cultural identity to the religious experience with the visitor”, which will take place on November 14 at 10:30 am. The participation of Lomello, a prominent member of the academic community and with vast experience in the communication of cultural identity, promises to provide valuable insights into the relationship between local identity and the religious visitor experience.

The Importance of Religious Tourism in Promoting Local Identity

Religious tourism has become an important vehicle for promoting the cultural and spiritual identity of destinations, especially in Latin America. In this context, the congress in Buga brings together experts to discuss how religious tourism can go beyond traditional practices and become a deeply enriching experience for visitors. This event not only reinforces the importance of pilgrimage sites, but also seeks to highlight how the spiritual and cultural identity of a community can and should be preserved in these encounters.

The congress program features a variety of activities and presentations, and Adrian Nelso Lomello's lecture is expected to be a highlight, given his background in identity communication and his focus on cultural integration in tourism experiences. His lecture will address how local spiritual and cultural identity can be transformed into a meaningful experience for the visitor, which is key to an authentic religious tourism experience.

Speaker Profile: Mg. Lic. Adrián Nelso Lomello

Adrián Nelso Lomello, a graduate in Social Communication from the National University of Rosario (1982), has a career of more than 40 years in communication and identity journalism. His extensive professional career has allowed him to occupy prominent roles in the field of institutional and educational communication. As Episcopal Responsible for Communications for the Diocese of Mar del Plata and Director of a communications degree for the Argentinean Church, Lomello has contributed to the development and strengthening of communication in the religious and social spheres.

In addition to his work in the Church, Lomello has served as a consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in projects oriented to the integration of urban commercial centers. His experience also spans academia, where he has directed communications at institutions such as FASTA University and Universidad Santo Tomás de Chile. His training and experience make him an authority on issues of cultural and spiritual identity, a knowledge he will share at the Buga congress, aimed at professionals interested in the intersection between tourism and spirituality.

Cultural and Spiritual Identity in Religious Tourism: A Transformative Experience

In his lecture on November 14, Lomello will address how cultural and spiritual identity can be integrated into the design of religious tourism experiences. According to Lomello, the cultural and spiritual identity of a community is the foundation upon which an authentic visitor experience can be built. Religious tourism, beyond being an economic activity, becomes a means to preserve, transmit and share the spiritual heritage of a community. This is especially relevant in the Latin American context, where religious culture has a profound influence on the identity and lifestyle of many communities.

For congress participants, Lomello's message will be of particular importance, as it raises the need for religious tourism that not only attracts visitors, but also respects and enriches the local cultural heritage. This means designing experiences that allow visitors to connect deeply with the spirituality of the place and its people, creating an experience that goes beyond a simple visit to a religious site.