Source: IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) concluded this year’s Wings of Change Americas (WOCA) Conference in Bogotá, supported by host airline Avianca. More than 400 delegates, including key government and aviation stakeholders attended the two-day event (25-26 June) which was held in Colombia for the first time. Under the theme “The Connectivity Frontier: Exploring New Opportunities in the Region,” the conference emphasized the critical importance of collaboration between the aviation industry and governmental bodies to enhance regional connectivity and competitiveness.
Air transport is a vital economic driver in Latin America and the Caribbean, supporting 8.3 million jobs and contributing USD240 billion to the region’s Gross Domestic Product. Despite this, the average citizen in the region takes only 0.65 trips per year, compared to more than 2.5 trips per year in North America and over 4.5 trips per year in Spain. The conference highlighted the shared mission of making air transport more accessible to the region’s citizens and leveraging it as a powerful force for economic and social development.
Industry leaders provided engaging and insightful contributions, including airline CEOs Adrian Neuhauser (Abra Group), Frederico Pedreira (avianca), Erika Zarante Bahamón (LATAM Airlines Colombia), Pedro Heilbron (Copa Airlines), Estuardo Ortiz (JetSMART Airlines), Eduardo Lombana (Wingo), Roberto Roselli (Plus Ultra), Felipe Gutiérrez Forero (Clic Air), and Oscar Zuluaga Castaño (SATENA).
IATA welcomed the participation of Carlos Galán, the Mayor of Bogotá, who underscored the importance of Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado for the city, country, and region. In addition, José Henry Pinto Rodríguez, Director General of Colombia’s Aerocivil, for providing an insightful overview of Colombia’s air transport sector and reaffirming his commitment to enhancing El Dorado’s operational efficiency.
The event also featured the very popular Women in Aviation Breakfast. It was inspiring to hear from LATAM Colombia’s CEO, Erika Zarante Bahamón, on her journey to becoming the first female airline CEO in Colombia.
Prior to WOCA, IATA and UN Tourism hosted a Ministerial Roundtable, bringing together 10 ministries of tourism from across Latin America and the Caribbean and airline executives to enhance and expand the region’s connectivity, resulting in over 50 bilateral meetings between governments and airlines.
Peter Cerdá, IATA’s Regional Vice President of the Americas, remarked, “The Wings of Change Americas Conference in Bogotá has set a new benchmark for collaboration and innovation in our region. By bringing together industry leaders and government authorities, we are paving the way for a more connected and competitive future for Latin America and the Caribbean.”
IATA looks forward to continuing its collaboration with UN Tourism, specifically in anticipation of the upcoming Summit of the Americas, set to take place in Punta Cana in early December 2025, and to collaborate with Carlos Peguero, Vice-Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, to support the inclusion of aviation and tourism on the agenda for the Summit.
The next edition of WOCA is set to take place in Chile in April 2026.