Travel insights from Latin America
Comuna 13 – We’re Saying Goodbye, For Now…
Kagumu has decided to stop taking travelers to one of the most popular tourist destinations in Medellin, Colombia.
A strange business decision you may say, but we think differently!
There’s no denying that Comuna 13 is an alluring stop to include on your visit to Medellin. Its story of transformation – from arguably one of the world’s most dangerous neighborhoods to one of the most vibrant and visited places in the country – is fascinating.
A key catalyst for this change, amongst several factors, was the drive to reclaim the neighborhood by local artists, activists and change-makers. It is this human story, and the concept of ‘community-led tourism’ that makes so many people want to visit.
And there are a lot of people! According to this article in newspaper El Colombiano; the mayor’s office estimated 25,000 monthly visitors but unofficial data suggests as much as 90,000 people flock to the area each month.
And the problem? Chaotic, unregulated development, difficult living conditions for many locals, potential dangers for those living and visiting the area, and a new surge in gang dominance. And these are just some of the issues…
A street in Comuna 13 in 2017
A street in Comuna 13 in 2021
Our operations manager, Ana, is an expert guide, having brought visitors to Comuna 13 for many years. She is also a local.
Over the past few years she has seen, firsthand, the evolution of the neighborhood. She has shared and listened to many stories from residents as the tourism industry continues to boom.
As a team, we felt we needed to talk.
We held various internal meetings and it soon became clear that as a ‘sustainability-focused’ tour operator, it was our responsibility to investigate and reevaluate Kagumu’s contribution.
Here were some of the key issues we considered during our investigation:
Struggling infrastructure
The area around Comuna 13’s ‘electric stairs’, which were originally designed to mobilize around 12,000 people each month, are reportedly carrying this number in just one day!
Not only this but the informal construction of the neighborhood with its narrow winding paths, rapid, unregulated building work and the increasingly erratic weather conditions, have the potential to cause serious risk to both locals and visitors.
Restricted access
The sheer quantity of groups visiting on any given day means that the houses at the center of it all are no longer accessible by vehicle. Whilst for some this is, at best, inconvenient, for many others it has serious implications.
Angela, a local resident with three children with disabilities and an aging father, is unable to reach her front door by taxi. She explains in this video for Mañana Express how difficult life has become for her family and neighbors.
The overcrowding situation became so bad that the Municipality of Medellin put out alerts, warning of the lack of mobility around the neighborhood.
Sound pollution
Visitors may like the ‘hustle and bustle’, blaring music, and shouts from street performers as they search for ‘lively’ atmosphere and memorable experience.
But for those living there the ability to work, relax, watch TV or sleep becomes more and more difficult.
“My sister-in-law had to finish her pregnancy elsewhere, because the noise here was stressing her out,” one resident was quoted as saying.
And the noise (and actual) pollution spreads much further, as taxis queue to drop off and collect tourists at the bottom of the hill.
Waste management issues
As restaurants and stalls have popped up everywhere to take advantage of visitors’ rumbling bellies and desire for a michelada (a refreshing drink made of beer, lemon and salt), the waste management systems are struggling to keep up.
‘And this mountain of rubbish in Comuna 13? A time bomb threatens the neighborhood’, is the title of an article written by Exclusivo Colombia.
The article highlights the ‘mountains of rotting waste’ and ‘feasts for rats and vultures’ that accumulate overnight.
This is a result of hordes of tourists generating more rubbish than both the authorities and residents are able to dispose of. In turn this creates an unappealing and unhygienic environment for residents to live in.
Impact on the youth
Whilst the majority of tourists are well-meaning when they offer a few Colombian pesos to local children in exchange for a tour or a game of football, the knock on effect can be hugely negative.
Older generations, like one of the resident in this same video for Mañana Express, have noticed their children and grandchildren using toys as a money-making tool rather than for play, and there has even been suggestions of turf wars between these young groups.
Lack of reinvestment
The overall wellbeing of residents was once a major original factor in opening up the community to visitors. But as of 2024, it has slipped off the radar.
Reinvestment into community assets like playgrounds have been left to one side and previous homes have been abandoned and turned into shop fronts and fronts for businesses.
Lack of equity
Although tourism may be offering local employment to some, the majority of people benefiting are outsiders.
Tour operators will bring groups through the area and retell the story of the neighborhood as their own with little to no benefit for the people that live there.
Exploitation
Reports of illegal groups running the area are widely acknowledged as true. With large amounts of money coming in through tourism, local businesses, guides and individuals are expected to pay a weekly ‘vacuna’ to the gangs for their ‘protection’.
“They only care about money. So, they don’t care if the guides are informal, if there are children working, if the businesses invade the public space. They don’t care because they charge everyone a tax. Every single business pays an illegal tax.” A social leader, from the area, who wanted to remain anonymous, told El Colombiano in another report.
And last year, an article from newspaper El Pais, offered a valuable overview of what this all means:
This suggests a transformation of the transactions that arise between residents and the armed gangs…paying for the exposure of the territory as a space of historical memory, but not the substance: violence and extortion as a mechanism of territorial control.”
In other words, whilst there has been a shift in what runs the area, from drugs to tourism, the same fundamental social dynamics are still in place.
Kagumu’s alternative options
So, having considered all of the above, continuing to bring Kagumu groups to Comuna 13 did not fit within the company’s ethos of sustainable and responsible travel.
Luckily, there are so many other areas to explore, stories to hear and experiences to be had!
Kagumu has developed some excellent alternatives including learning salsa with Union Latina and some of their incredible young dancers, eating the best Pacific Coast food at Choco Con Amor, an Afro-Colombian family run restaurant, and getting creative with UVA de La Harmonia.
We guarantee it won’t disappoint!
One final note…
We want to make it clear that there is still a lot of great work going on in Comuna 13, led by inspiring individuals who work tirelessly to manage the influx of tourists in a positive way. And there is no problem in wanting to visit this community for yourselves.
But if you are going to go, here are a few suggestions:
- Don’t go in big groups.
- Make sure your guide is local (we highly recommend Zippy Tours).
- Be respectful! Don’t take photos of people going about their daily lives.
- Take your rubbish with you.
- Don’t give children money in exchange for anything.
- If it feels appropriate, ask people about the challenges they face. And listen to them.
If this topic is of interest to you, you can join us during International Education Week for an interactive webinar run by the very knowledgeable Ana: Community Tourism: Is it really sustainable? For more information, get in touch.