BOGOTA – The Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) was invited to “The Heritage Value of Terroir-based Economies as Model of Human Development” symposium to present its brand strategy for Colombia´s Coffee Cultural Landscape.
The event takes place in Paris and is organized by the Association for the Inscription of the Climates of Burgundy (France) Representatives from France, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, Ethiopia, China, Italy, Morocco, Switzerland, India, South Africa, Australia, Colombia, the US and Unesco attended the event.
Given the significant contribution of heritage to regional economic development, the symposium stimulates and enriches the debate concerning the importance of heritage promotion and preservation.
It also serves as a platform to discuss models implemented throughout the world that seek to strengthen social capital and foster the preservation of agricultural regions or terroirs.
The FNC was invited to the symposium because of its innovative brand strategy, which differentiates a specific product from a specific region, as well as its partnership with regional players such as Chambers of Commerce in order to foment inclusive and sustainable tourism.
In addition to acclaiming the CCLC’s brand strategy, participants also praised the strategic social capital associated with the FNC’s democratic system. The Coffee Grower Elections are regarded as the world’s largest private democratic event.
Encouraging Tourism
The FNC has authorized a number of local Chambers of Commerce to use its brand to encourage tourism. Today, Pereira’s Chamber of Commerce will present its strategy to promote tourism in the Risaralda region: the “Roads of the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia” platform.
Under the framework of the Ulysses Prizes, the World Tourism Organization (WTO) recently awarded the platform second place in “Excellence and Innovation in Tourism.”
“A thousand experiences, one destiny”is the slogan of the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia’s (CCLC) tourism platform. It is articulated with the brand strategy presented today in Paris.
The platform seeks to add greater value to the region’s products and to the experience of visitors. It highlights four attractive elements that characterize the CCLC: having great adventures in unique places, enjoying its unique nature and landscape, learning about the region’s authentic crafts, and flavoring the culture of the world’s best mild washed coffee.
Jorge H. Echeverri, Executive Director of the Departmental Coffee Growers Committee of Risaralda, noted, “The FNC’s brand strategy for the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia is useful for both producers and tourism operators.”
Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia: World Heritage
Thanks to the efforts of the FNC, Colombia’s Ministry of Culture, and important regional institutions and universities started as from 2005 the necessary documentation to present to, Unesco the inscription of the CCLC in its World Heritage List, which took place in 2011.
This declaration serves as an important recognition to a cultural environment associated with a product, to the institutional role of the FNC and to the determination of a region and its inhabitants. The CCLC is a living and evolving landscape.
