{"id":239519,"date":"2025-12-18T01:16:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T23:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/?p=239519"},"modified":"2025-12-16T15:11:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T13:11:45","slug":"in-la-paz-and-el-alto-street-food-becomes-a-certified-tourism-circuit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/in-la-paz-and-el-alto-street-food-becomes-a-certified-tourism-circuit\/","title":{"rendered":"In La Paz and El Alto, street food becomes a certified tourism circuit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In La Paz<\/strong> and El Alto<\/strong>, where street food stalls shape the rhythm of everyday urban life, popular gastronomy is entering a new phase. Bolivia<\/mark><\/a><\/strong> has officially launched SUMAQ<\/strong>, the country\u2019s first tourism circuit dedicated to urban street food. The initiative aims to structure, certify, and make visible an offer that was long informal, now conceived as a fully fledged tourism product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Led by cultural and tourism authorities, the project marks an important step in recognizing popular cuisine as a driver of identity and local development. What was once a spontaneous experience has now become an organized, identifiable offer that can be integrated into tourism itineraries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professionalizing a tradition rooted in the city<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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SUMAQ\u2014meaning \u201cdelicious\u201d in Quechua\u2014was designed to strengthen the role of the cooks who provide daily meals in public spaces. The program relied on a technical and academic process carried out over several months, combining training, evaluations, and direct support at the stalls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 220 participants<\/strong> were trained in hygiene standards, food handling, and customer service. In parallel, 64 stalls received technical visits aimed at improving practices, and 105 cooks obtained certification with the support of university institutions<\/strong>. At the end of the process, 25 stalls met all required criteria and were officially incorporated into the circuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The \u201ccaseritas,\u201d mediators of urban culture<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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The SUMAQ circuit<\/strong> unfolds across seven routes<\/strong>\u2014four in La Paz<\/a><\/strong> and three in El Alto<\/strong>. Each stop highlights a caserita<\/em>, a central figure of popular cuisine and the holder of knowledge passed down or refined over the years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the Crecemos Juntos<\/a><\/strong> platform, visitors can access detailed information: dish descriptions, stall locations, opening hours, and profiles of the cooks. The experience thus goes beyond tasting to offer a broader reading of the city, through the stories and trajectories of those who keep this cuisine alive every day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A tourism model with multiple impacts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

SUMAQ<\/strong> is based on a triple-impact approach<\/strong>: improving food quality in public spaces, strengthening economic opportunities for women\u2014who make up the majority of street food vendors\u2014and preserving a cuisine that expresses memory, identity, and territorial roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For tourism professionals, the circuit<\/a> represents an operational product, with clearly defined routes and verified information. It also responds to growing demand for experiences rooted in local life, accessible and contextualized. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By structuring street food without erasing its identity, SUMAQ offers a new perspective on La Paz and El Alto. Popular gastronomy is no longer seen as merely an informal phenomenon, but as a key to understanding neighborhoods, traditions, and urban social dynamics\u2014illustrating how tourism can engage with local practices without diluting them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Una publicaci\u00f3n compartida por Conoce Bolivia (@conoceboliviavmt)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n