The Metaverse as an Innovative Digital Tool for Optimizing the Free Trade Zone - Surcolombiana

This paper aims to explore the metaverse through the lens of free trade zones, identifying potential benefits in the areas of digital technology and innovation. The goal is to foster greater interaction with customers to maximize sales. This metaverse allows customers to meet, interact, socialize, and conduct business in an environment supported by a 3D universe. This proposal aims to channel and optimize current digital trends to drive the management, organization, and expansion of the scope of operations for the free trade zone in the city of Neiva, as it serves as the gateway to southern Colombia and a key hub for the department of Huila. Notably, free trade zones (FTZs) or special economic zones (SEZs) are among the rage among governments that hope to increase trade and investment. These zones have become key areas where exporters, importers, and other investors receive significant benefits in terms of taxes, tariffs, and regulatory matters; however, this boom is creating distortions within economies, as well as significant fiscal costs, not to mention the negative impact of the COVID-19 health emergency. During the analysis of the 12 companies operating in the southern Colombian free trade zone, the main variables enabling the implementation of the CoSpaces tool will be identified. This tool was chosen because of its features; among the most significant are that it can be used on computers as well as mobile devices, and notably, it offers a free version. This research employs a mixed-methods approach with a descriptive and exploratory focus. This hypothesis is based on the successful functionality of digital tools in free trade zones.