Candelaria, Colombia, honors tourism journalists while charting a bold future

Candelaria, Colombia.- Candelaria used the World Day of Tourism Journalists not just to pay tribute to the profession, but to sketch out a new vision for the city’s future. At an evening ceremony held Friday at Hotel Hacienda Provenza, Mayor Jesica Vallejos presented a roadmap that positions Candelaria as a rising player in Colombia’s tourism and cultural landscape.

Vallejos credited the World Travel Journalism Organization (WTJO) with helping the city step onto the international stage. “Candelaria is now on the map thanks to the OMPT. That recognition allowed us to launch our Tourism Secretariat on January 1, 2025, a historic milestone for our city,” she said.

The mayor pointed to local celebrations such as the Festival de la Lechona and the Cholado Festival, now in its fourth year, as proof of how gastronomy and culture can anchor identity and attract visitors. She also emphasized the town’s enviable location, just minutes from Palmira Airport and Cali, as a logistical advantage for domestic and international travelers alike.

The city’s strategy looks beyond festivals and proximity. Projects unveiled include new internal connections to boost rural tourism, a riverside promenade with docks and a tourist boat on the Juanchito River, a new stadium to lure sports tourism, and investments in health and higher education infrastructure to support both residents and visitors. Plans also call for upgraded plazas and parks, campaigns to protect local biodiversity, and the elevation of the town’s church to basilica status as part of its religious tourism appeal.

“Candelaria’s future lies in offering a different kind of tourism, rooted in identity, sustainability, culture, and safety,” Vallejos said.

What began as a celebration of tourism journalists ended as a statement of ambition: Candelaria wants to be recognized not just for honoring storytellers of travel, but for becoming one of the stories worth telling.