The congress is also linked to tourism initiatives such as Mérida’s historic center chocolate circuit, a sensory experience combining tastings, demonstrations with master chocolatiers, and exhibitions of artisanal chocolate-making. Patchamama, with nearly two decades of experience in community-based tourism, promotes routes ranging from traditional tours to immersive experiences, integrating local inns, hotels, and educational, agricultural, and indigenous community visits across the Andean region. With its 23 municipalities, Mérida offers immense tourism potential that goes far beyond its natural landmarks, like its famous cable car, extending to the agricultural, cultural, and productive wealth found in every corner of the state.
A key theme of the congress will be the promotion of fine-aroma cocoa, particularly the prized porcelana cocoa, cultivated in areas such as Santa Cruz de Mora, Tovar, Bailadores, and Zea. This specialty variety is considered among the most valuable nationally and internationally. Luna noted that while these areas have not historically been recognized in the cocoa market, this congress will showcase their products and innovative approaches, giving them well-deserved visibility.
The event will also address pressing challenges for the sector, including access to financing, ongoing training, and institutional support. Luna stressed that, although some progress has been made with government-backed loans and training programs, the real challenge lies in ensuring that rural producers feel confident to negotiate and actively participate in the market. By strengthening their skills and providing consistent support, she believes the cocoa sector can be elevated to a new level of productivity and profitability.
The University of Los Andes plays a crucial role as a strategic partner in establishing Mérida as a hub for scientific congresses and academic gatherings. Interest in the event has already gone global: the organizers have received participation inquiries from countries such as Japan, eager to learn more about Venezuelan cocoa and local tourism opportunities. “Major markets want to enter Venezuela,” Luna observed, highlighting the importance of opening doors and empowering farming communities so they can negotiate directly and secure fair value for their products.
Through the First International Cocoa Congress, Mérida seeks not only to bring together experts and producers but also to promote an integrated vision that connects scientific research, tourism, agricultural production, and local development. The gathering will serve as a platform for exchanging ideas and forging alliances that can turn cocoa into a strategic sector and a driver of economic and cultural transformation for the Andean region and the country as a whole.
