ABSTRACT: The present project aimed to diagnose the financial needs, opportunities, and capacities of the gastrobar sector in Villavicencio, with the purpose of proposing strategies to strengthen its knowledge and practices in financial management. Through a mixed-methods approach, structured surveys, semi-structured interviews, and participant observation were applied, which made it possible to identify limited financial training, restricted use of technological tools, and the prevalence of empirical management models.

The research analyzes how barriers to change affect the adoption of modern financial practices, assessing emerging technological trends such as accounting digitalization, the use of specialized software, and the integration of information systems. Likewise, it highlights the importance of planning, control, and resource optimization as central axes for business sustainability.

The formulated recommendations are based on the triangulation of empirical findings, sectoral background, and academic studies, ensuring their relevance and applicability to the local context. This study not only contributes to improving the viability of gastrobars but also positions the sector as a key actor in sustainable and resilient territorial economic development, in coordination with the initiatives of the Ecological Corridor of Villavicencio.

KEYWORDS: financial management, technological innovation, resistance to change, gastronomic sector, sustainability, emerging technologies