Huila present in the national reign of tourism. Next week, in Girardot, the National Tourism Reign will take place and the representative of Huila is Ana Sofía Rodríguez Vargas, who was the winner of the contest in Yaguará, in August. The Departmental Assembly called for increased financial support for their representation.
DIARIO DEL HUILA, SPECIALS
By: Gustavo Patino
Huila present in the national reign of tourism. In the midst of an atmosphere of expectation and pride, Ana Sofía Rodríguez Vargas, Departmental Queen of Tourism of Huila 2024-2025, is getting ready to represent her region in the prestigious National Tourism Queenship, which will take place in Girardot. At only 19 years old, this young woman from Huila, a student in her eighth semester of Law and with six semesters of a Bachelor’s degree in English, has stood out not only for her beauty, but for her firm purpose of being an ambassador of sustainable and cultural tourism in her department. . As she expressed in an interview with Diario del Huila, her participation in this contest goes beyond a simple beauty competition: it is an opportunity to show the tourist and cultural potential of Huila to the country.
Yesterday, Rodríguez Vargas spoke in the Departmental Assembly of Huila. Ana Sofía shared with the deputies her enthusiasm and the pride she feels in representing her land in this important event. With a big smile and a posture that reflected confidence and passion for what he does. “It is an honor for me to carry the name of Huila at the national level. Participating in the National Tourism Reign is not only a personal opportunity, but also an enormous responsibility to publicize everything that our region has to offer in terms of tourism, culture and sustainability,” he said.
A visibility platform
The National Tourism Reign is not only one of the most recognized events in the country, but also a platform that makes visible the cultural, natural and tourist riches of each department. In this event, the representatives not only parade, but also have the opportunity to share with the public and the judges their knowledge about regional tourism, their proposals for the development of the sector and their commitment to the promotion of traditions and identity. of their regions.
You may be interested in: The La Plata – Gallego road will be resumed next week
For Ana Sofía, the opportunity to participate in this contest is crucial to show the wealth of Huila: “Our department has a lot to offer. From its gastronomy, its crafts, its natural landscapes, to its unique culture. As Departmental Queen of Tourism, I want to bring all this to the national stage and for more people to fall in love with Huila, to discover what we are and what we can offer the world,” she told this media outlet.
In addition, Ana Sofía mentioned the campaign she leads, called “Green Colombia”, with which she seeks to promote sustainability in the department and, eventually, at the national level. “I want to carry a message of sustainability at the national level, show how in Huila we are working to make tourism an environmentally friendly activity that contributes to the well-being of our communities,” he explained. For Ana Sofía, being an ambassador for the Huila tourist passport, the first passport of its kind in Colombia, is an example of how she wants her participation in the National Reign of Tourism to be not only about beauty, but about purpose and commitment to development. of your region.
‘Very little support’
Deputy Armando Acuña pointed out in the session that, after consulting, he learned that the department was only supporting the representative with two million pesos. With an energetic tone, Acuña questioned the insufficiency of the financial support that had been assigned to him so far: “The support of the Department is two million pesos, but how are we going to send a representative of Huila with only two million pesos ? That’s embarrassing. “We are talking about a young woman who is going to represent everything we are, our tourism, our traditions and we cannot throw her to the wolves with so little support.”
Acuña was forceful in his request to the departmental government, calling for more resources to be allocated so that Ana Sofía can have a dignified participation in accordance with the importance of the event. “We cannot send our Queen of Tourism to represent Huila in that way. She is not just going as a student, she is going to represent everything that Huila means in terms of tourism. We need the Secretariats of Tourism and Culture to come together and make a joint effort to give it the support it needs,” the deputy emphasized.
Huila has a lot of potential
Deputy Néstor Rodríguez also joined Acuña’s call, highlighting the importance of Ana Sofía’s participation in the contest, but also underlining the need for greater investment in tourism in the department. Rodríguez pointed out that, although Huila has immense tourism potential, it often falls short in terms of investment and planning to make the most of it. “I believe that the face of the Huila department must be carried with height, with enthusiasm, but above all with investment. We always talk in this area about tourism, agrotourism, cultural tourism, gastronomic tourism, but when the time comes to invest, investment in tourism falls short,” said Rodríguez.
‘Let’s not leave her alone’
The deputy insisted on the importance of not leaving the Queen of Tourism alone in this process, and regretted that, on many occasions, after crowning the queens in local pageants, they are left without the necessary support when the time comes to represent us. at the national level. “We do reigns, we crown them, but when the time comes to send them to represent us, they are left alone, holding raffles and events to be able to finance their participation. That can’t keep happening. We must seek the necessary resources so that there is dignity in representation,” he expressed firmly.
Rodríguez called on the departmental secretariats to assume their responsibility and coordinate to ensure that Ana Sofía can participate in the National Tourism Reign without financial worries. “We will do the task before the different secretariats and we call for the Government to make an enormous effort to support this representation,” added the deputy, who was also optimistic that Ana Sofía will represent Huila in the best way.
They took note
After the interventions of deputies Acuña and Rodríguez, the call to expand financial support for Ana Sofía resonated strongly in the Departmental Assembly. The Secretary of Tourism and Economic Development of Huila took note of the concerns expressed and committed to increasing financial support for the Queen of Tourism.
The participation of Ana Sofía Rodríguez Vargas in the National Tourism Reign is an opportunity for Huila to show the country its tourist and cultural potential. With the renewed commitment of the Departmental Assembly and the support promised by the government secretariats, the young Queen of Tourism will be able to carry the name of her department high and demonstrate that Huila is a first-class tourist destination.
For Ana Sofía, this pageant is not only a beauty competition, but a platform to promote sustainable and conscious tourism, which benefits both local communities and the environment. As she herself expressed it: “I want the country and the world to see what we are, what we can offer, and how in Huila we are working to make tourism a tool of development and sustainability.” With her charisma, determination and the support of her land, Ana Sofía is ready to leave her mark on the National Reign of Tourism and demonstrate that Huila is a “paradise to be discovered.”