Case twelve

Los Nevados National Park (LNNP) is the most popular mountain protected area in Colombia and is the major visitor attraction in the region. The recent history of LNNP is marked by the volcanic eruption of Nevado del Ruiz on November 13, 1985, which resulted in the loss of more than 24,000 lives. In March 2023, the Arenas Crater in Nevado del Ruiz increased its volcanic activity, prompting the authorities to raise the alert level from “yellow” to “orange”. The change in alert level resulted in the temporary and indefinite closure of LNNP as a risk management strategy, imperiling the viability of tourism in the region. This case is designed to help students analyze the impacts of this event on the tourism system, evaluate the coping strategies of different actors involved in tourism, and propose conflict resolution strategies that consider the perspectives of different actors.