Cali celebrates World Tourism Day with music, culture, and an invitation to the world: “Cali is where you need to be.”
•Punto Parlante transformed the Bulevar del Río into a stage showcasing the music, identity, and experiences that make Cali a tourist destination.
•The city expects to welcome nearly 1.129.000 visitors during the year-end season, featuring a schedule of over 26 events and an estimated hotel occupancy rate of between 80% and 90%.
Santiago de Cali, September 28, 2026
Music, gastronomy, culture, and the city itself came together this Sunday at the Bulevar del Río to celebrate World Tourism Day and send a message to Colombia and the world: Cali is ready to welcome visitors. The event featured *Punto Parlante*, a collective from Cali that transforms public space into an experience designed to tell the story of the city through its music, its identity, and the unique way of life found there.
This activity, supported by the Cali Tourism Secretariat, is part of the tourism promotion strategy driven by the District Administration under the leadership of Mayor Alejandro Eder to strengthen tourism as a driver of job creation, economic activity, and the city's global profile.
"Today we are celebrating World Tourism Day here at the Bulevar del Río, a space that defines us as *Caleños*. We are here with *Punto Parlante*, enjoying the breeze of Cali a breeze unlike any other in the world. Today we are telling the world: come to our city; from this moment on, we are ready to welcome you with open arms," stated María Fernanda Campuzano, Cali’s Secretary of Tourism, who also highlighted the city's upcoming schedule of events.
The Cali Fair, the Cali Film Festival, the Macondo Awards, the Petronio Festival, *Mítica*, and various gastronomic gatherings will all be part of the agenda for the final quarter of the year. "We have a packed schedule for you, because today, more than ever, your presence matters. Cali is the place to be."
Cali Prepares to Welcome Over a Million Visitors
The city projects an end-of-year season with nearly 1.129.000 visitors and hotel occupancy rates between 80% and 90%, alongside a schedule featuring more than 26 cultural, academic, and medical events, explained Mabel Lara, Strategic Projects Manager for the Cali Mayor's Office.
"This represents an economic revival for a sector that had been performing very well over the past three years, and we want to invite Colombians and people from around the world to come to Cali. Today more than ever, Cali is the place to be," said Lara, encouraging visitors to start planning now for the year-end festivities.
Joining this invitation was Ángel Lebrón, who highlighted the role of the Valle del Cauca capital in the history and expansion of salsa. "Salsa is stronger now, and that is thanks to Cali. If it weren't for Cali, we wouldn't be here, because it was the people of Cali who listened to the music to salsa and gave it the strength it has today," he stated.
Leonardo Valencia, known as "Tute" co-founder and PR representative for Punto Parlante explained the importance of visitors discovering a city rich in culture, art, and music, and understanding that Cali is much more than what is often portrayed. "We want to showcase Cali's culture in a way that is more musical, fun, and accessible to the public," he said.
The World Tourism Day celebration thus became a showcase for a city that finds reasons for people to visit in its culture, gastronomy, and music. With a schedule extending through December and new initiatives aiming to tell Cali's story through fresh perspectives, the invitation is open to the world to visit the "Branch of Heaven" (Sucursal del Cielo).
Cali is where you need to be.
Communications Tourism Secretariat
Mayor's Office of Santiago de Cali