Barranquilla Dubai Award recognition highlights the Colombian city's success in restoring degraded ecosystems and advancing sustainable urban tourism.
Summary: Barranquilla has won the Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development in the Urban Regeneration category, recognised for restoring Cienaga de Mallorquin and revitalising Puerto Mocho Beach into accessible ecoparks and public spaces.
Barranquilla has been awarded the Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development in the Urban Regeneration category, a recognition announced during the World Governments Summit in Dubai. The prize acknowledges the city's concentrated efforts to rehabilitate degraded ecosystems and convert them into functional, community-focused public spaces that support eco-tourism and conservation.
International recognition at the World Governments Summit
The World Governments Summit brings together governments, multilateral bodies and experts to discuss sustainability and urban development. Barranquilla’s win in the Urban Regeneration category placed it ahead of projects from Portugal, Singapore, Thailand and China, underscoring its growing profile as a leader in sustainable urban renewal and eco-tourism.
Transforming Cienaga de Mallorquin into an ecopark
One of the flagship achievements cited by the award is the restoration of Cienaga de Mallorquin. Once neglected and polluted, the wetland has been converted into Ecoparque Cienaga de Mallorquin, which blends habitat restoration with public recreation. Efforts focused on rehabilitating mangrove systems and wetlands, building ecological trails and viewing platforms, and establishing birdwatching routes and environmental education initiatives.
These measures have increased biodiversity in the area and created new employment opportunities tied to ecotourism, strengthening local community involvement and fostering stewardship of natural resources.
Revitalising Puerto Mocho Beach for inclusive tourism
Puerto Mocho Beach has undergone a parallel recovery, shifting from an inaccessible, deteriorated shoreline to a well-organised public beach with safer access points, basic infrastructure and services for residents and visitors. The redevelopment emphasises inclusive, free public space while promoting family-friendly tourism that supports local livelihoods.
- Environmental restoration of mangroves and wetlands
- Creation of ecological trails and visitor viewpoints
- New birdwatching and environmental education programmes
- Improved access and infrastructure at Puerto Mocho Beach
A replicable model for Latin America
The award reinforces a tourism development model built on reconnecting people with natural assets — the Magdalena River, wetlands and the Caribbean coastline — while balancing urban growth with conservation.
- Environmental Restoration: rejuvenating degraded natural spaces
- Inclusive Public Spaces: accessible areas for residents and visitors
- Sustainable Tourism: promoting responsible, low-impact travel
- Environmental Education: community-focused learning and engagement
Barranquilla’s approach has delivered social, cultural, economic and ecological benefits, but the city still faces hurdles common to emerging destinations. Infrastructure investment has lagged in places, and Colombia’s visa policy — limiting free visas on arrival to just 17 countries — has constrained some tourist flows. Tourism marketing has also been slower to evolve, though local authorities are addressing these gaps as part of long-term planning.
Looking ahead: new attractions and continued investment
Barranquilla plans to expand its tourism offer with new attractions and ongoing infrastructure upgrades. The city is continuing work on tourism facilities, including projects referenced around Nam Ngum Reservoir and other leisure sites, while keeping environmental education and community-based tourism central to its strategy. As global interest in sustainable travel grows, these efforts aim to raise Barranquilla’s international profile.
What this means for travellers and the industry
So what? For travellers, Barranquilla’s recognition signals better-managed natural attractions, new ecotourism experiences and improved public amenities that make visits safer and more rewarding. For the tourism industry, the award highlights a practical example of how urban regeneration can generate jobs, support local economies and protect ecosystems — a template other Latin American cities may follow as demand for sustainable travel rises.
Tip: International visitors planning a trip should check visa requirements for Colombia ahead of travel, as visa-on-arrival access is limited to 17 countries.
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