When the Climate Changes, So Must We
Tourism and Resilience in Colombia’s Coffee Region
We travel to find beauty — but what happens when that beauty is disappearing?
Across Colombia’s Coffee Cultural Landscape, the land breathes with a fragile rhythm. The mountains that cradle the coffee trees, the mist that lingers over the valleys, and the rivers that sustain them are all shifting under the weight of climate change.
Risaralda, one of the region’s green hearts, now faces a growing tension: how can a territory that depends on nature’s abundance continue to thrive as its climate becomes increasingly unstable?
This question does not only concern scientists or policymakers. It concerns travelers, too — because every footprint we leave is part of the story this land will tell tomorrow.
The Fragility Beneath the Green
According to the Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira’s 2025 study, “Vulnerability to Climate Change in the Territories, Agroecosystems, and Tourist Infrastructures of Risaralda,” the region’s ecosystems are entering a critical phase. Soil erosion, landslides, irregular rainfall, and rising temperatures are altering coffee production, biodiversity, and water availability.
Tourism — one of Risaralda’s main economic pillars — depends directly on these same systems. From eco-lodges on steep slopes to coffee tours through rural fincas, the industry’s beauty and success are intertwined with ecological stability.
The paradox is striking: the very landscapes that attract travelers are the ones most vulnerable to the pressures of climate change and human activity.
If we continue to romanticize the land without truly caring for it, tourism risks becoming not a bridge of connection, but a mirror of extraction.
From Adaptation to Regeneration
The research calls for a shift — not just toward sustainable tourism, but toward regenerative action. That means going beyond “minimizing impact” and actively restoring what has been lost.
In Risaralda, this could look like:
Reforesting degraded hillsides with native species that prevent landslides and preserve water cycles.
Designing eco-lodges that work with, not against, natural topography — capturing rainwater, using local materials, and respecting ecological corridors.
Supporting community-led initiatives that blend traditional farming wisdom with modern climate science.
Educating travelers not just to observe, but to contribute — planting trees, supporting regenerative farms, or offsetting carbon through verified local programs.
This is the next frontier of luxury: presence, awareness, and participation.
When we travel regeneratively, we don’t escape the world — we help heal it.
The Resilient Future of Coffee Country
Climate change may be inevitable, but vulnerability is not. The future of Colombia’s Coffee Region depends on the relationships we cultivate — between visitors and locals, between hospitality and ecology, between economy and empathy.
Resilience begins when we redefine what it means to thrive. It is no longer about infinite growth, but about continuity, balance, and care.
And perhaps, one day, travelers will not come to the Coffee Region to witness what remains — but to celebrate what has been restored.
When the climate changes, so must we — not in fear, but in reverence.
Because the true luxury of travel lies not in untouched places, but in places touched by our intention to protect them.
References:
Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira. (2025). Vulnerabilidad frente al cambio climático en territorios, agroecosistemas e infraestructuras residenciales y turísticas de Risaralda.
UNWTO. (2024). Tourism and Climate Action Framework.
World Economic Forum. (2023). Resilient Destinations: Rethinking Tourism in a Changing Climate.
IPCC. (2023). Sixth Assessment Report: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability.
