Abstract
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.
References
Abdelnabe Vidal, Y. A., & Romero, J. (2024). Millennials: Between hyperconnectivity and e-commerce. Diginomics, 3, 141. https://doi.org/10.56294/digi2024141
Accenture. (2022). Servicios y soluciones empresariales en el metaverso.
https://www.accenture.com/es-es/services/metaverse-index
Anacona, J. D., Millán, E. E., & Gómez, C. A. (2019). Aplicación de los metaversos y la realidad virtual en la enseñanza. Entre ciencia e ingeniería, 13(25), 59-67. https://doi.org/10.31908/19098367.4015
Alansary, O. S., & Al-Ansari, A. (2023). Free zones and manufactured export competitiveness: Evidence from the textile sector. Review of Development Economics, 28(2), 503–525. https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.13103
Badillo, L. O. (2021). ¿Cómo podemos entrar al Metaverso? (Sí, ya lo puedes experimentar) | Tec Review. TecReview. https://tecreview.tec.mx/2021/11/01/tecnologia/como-podemosentrar-al-metaverso/
Banco Mundial. (2008). Special Economic Zones: Performance, Lesson, Learned, and Aplications for Zone Development. Washington, DC: The office of the publisher The World Bank.
BBVA. (2018). Los siete usos de la realidad aumentada que ya están aquí. 11 Jun 2018. https://www.bbva.com/es/siete-usos-realidad-aumentada-ya-estan-aqui/ Djedović, V.
Mujkanović, E., & Mirković-Hajdukov, M. (2021). Post-millenials: Meet Generation Z. Društvene i Humanističke Studije (Online), 6(1(14)), 389–406. https://doi.org/10.51558/2490-3647.2021.6.1.389
Forbes. (2022). McDonald’s da primer paso para ingresar al metaverso - Forbes Colombia. Forbes Staff. https://forbes.co/2022/02/14/tecnologia/mcdonalds-da-primer-paso-paraingresar-al-metaverso/
Graham-Rowe, D. (2005). The baby boomers. In New Scientist (Vol. 188, Issue 2527, pp. 42– 45). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119108825.ch5
Hennig-Thurau, T., Aliman, D. N., Herting, A. M., Cziehso, G. P., Linder, M., & Kübler, R. V. (2023). Social interactions in the metaverse: Framework, initial evidence, and research roadmap. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 51(6), 889–913. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-022-00908-0
ICEMD. (2018). Generaciones Digital. Insituto de Economia Digital. https://cdn5.icemd.com/app/uploads/2018/12/Estudio_6-generaciones-de-la-era-digital-.pdf
Lundin, L. L. (2022). Generación Millennial. Salem Press Encyclopedia. https://eds.s.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=3edab6b1-192c-412b-8d8eb30e4d6b447e%40redis&bdata=Jmxhbmc9ZXMmc2l0ZT1lZHMtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1za XRl#AN=89550608&db=ers
Nguyen, T. H. (2021). 5 Impactful Emerging Technologies for 2022. WP_Gartner. 80 https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/5-impactful-technologies-from-the-gartner-emergingtechnologies-and-trends-impact-radar-for-2022
OECD. (2025). Latin American Economic Outlook 2025: Promoting and Financing Production Transformation (pp. …). OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/80e48de5-en
Ospina, P. A., De, R., & Vallejo, L. V. (2019). Una empresa comprometida con visión en el futuro… Creación de valor compartido en Alpina [Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administración CESA]. https://repository.cesa.edu.co/bitstream/handle/10726/2178/MBA2019- 27723.pdf?sequence=6&isAllowed=y
Sara Abdelli & Farid Ben Abid. (2025). The role of Internet of Things (IoT) in supporting digital transformation. International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science, 2(46), Art. 3351. https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(46).2025.3351
Schweinberger, A. G. (2003). Special Economic Zones and Quotas on imported Intermediate Goods: a Policy Proposal. Oxford Economic Papers, 55(4), 696-716.
Statitas. (2015). Aplicaciones de la Realidad Virtual y la Realidad Aumentada en Pymes | TicNegocios.es.https://ticnegocios.camaravalencia.com/servicios/tendencias/aplicacionesde-la-realidad-virtual-en-pymes/
Shahrzadi, L., & Yang, J. (2024). Causes, consequences, and strategies to deal with information overload: A scoping review. International Journal of Information Management Data Insights, 4, 100261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jjimei.2024.100261
Tanggap Sasmita, M. (2021). Minat Generasi Millenial Untuk Membeli Virtual Tour. Jurnal IPTA, 9(2), 329. https://doi.org/10.24843/ipta.2021.v09.i02.p11
Vallance, C. (2021). Facebook: 5 claves para entender el cambio de nombre a Meta y el futuro del metaverso. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-59109358
Zhang, H., Jia, S., Ren, B., & Ge, H. (2025). Does the free trade zone promote green technological innovation? — Evidence from the perspective of industrial agglomeration and digital economy in 285 cities in China. Frontiers in Sustainable, Article 1652437. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2025.1652437
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 John Edisson García Peñaloza, Norma Constanza García Peñaloza, Johanna Luceni Loaiza Vera, Leidy Beatriz Camacho Sanchez, Jhony Steven Portilla Espinosa, Mariana Rojas Osuna (Author)