Over 70 Chilean business people will go to Colombia seeking business deals

In the coming days, a massive arrival of Chilean business people is expected in Bogota, Colombia.

The event, organized by ProChile, will be held in person -and in some virtual spaces- from August 30 to September 1. Activities include business relations, networking, and sharing experiences and best practices.

It is estimated that more than 70 Chilean exporters will arrive in Colombia, who will hold commercial meetings with more than 100 local business people; more than 12 regions of the country will be represented through them, and 80% of the Chilean offer will be present in the framework of this event.

This activity is part of the celebration of the bicentennial of relations between the two countries, being one of the first massive trade promotion activities organized by ProChile in person, validating the relevance of the Colombian market for Chile.

Among the activities that will be carried out during the meeting, the following stand out: 750 business meetings, a seminar on financial development, trends, and opportunities in the tech sector in Colombia, and the participation of two outstanding chefs: the Chilean Pamela Fidalgo and the Colombian Aleja Sánchez, who will be in charge of surprising the attendees at the opening event on August 30, among many others.

“The meeting aims to continue the deepening of trade links between the two countries, after two years of the pandemic, for the first time face-to-face. In 2021 the export of Chilean goods grew 21% and those of services 45% compared to the previous year, so initiatives like these seek to continue diversifying Chile’s presence in Colombia with highly innovative products and services,” said Marcela Aravena, director of Prochile’s trade office in Colombia.

Colombia is one of the leading export destinations for Chilean products and services, thanks to the good performance indicators of the local economy, which is estimated to grow by 5.4% in 2022.

According to ProChile statistics, in 2021, trade exchange between Chile and Colombia reached US$2.4 billion, 27 % more than in 2020, with total Chilean exports to Colombia of US$799 million, with significant increases in the agricultural, food, and services sectors.

Aravena pointed out that “in this business meeting we will have prioritized sectors: agro and food, where fruits, seafood, healthy food, and food innovation and spirits stand out; services such as fintech, cybersecurity and retail; and tourism in coordination with Sernatur, the National Service in charge of promoting and disseminating the development of tourism in Chile”.

According to Aravena, Colombia has become the second destination market for Chilean services exports in everything related to technology and innovation, highlighting fintech. He also indicated that “Chile is gaining positioning, especially by joining with Colombian companies to grow in this country and other markets in the region”.

There are similarities between Colombia and Chile in sectors such as agriculture, banking, and education, which means that the experiences offered by Chilean companies in products and services positively impact the Colombian market and strengthen commercial activity.

With information from Valora Analitik