HOW TO SELL COLOMBIA
COLOMBIA
BY ANDY HOSKINS ‘Colombia – The Only Risk is Wanting
to Stay'. That’s the bold catchphrase of
ProExport, Colombia's national tourist office, and it's designed to tackle the country's once-seedy reputation head-on. Social reform in Colombia has been
so comprehensive that, in the last six years since authorities began promoting it as a tourist destination, UK visitor numbers have risen by nearly 50 per cent and more than 60 British tour operators now feature the country. In fact, its new-found status as a competitor to other Latin American destinations such as Ecuador, Venezuela and Central America is so secure that ProExport is considering ditching the aforementioned tagline and introducing a new promotional campaign in 2012 – a sure sign that the country is now perceived in a new light. So what does Colombia have to offer visitors and where does the travel trade fit into the country’s new-found momentum? “Nature, culture, history, adventure,
beach and sun,” is the succinct answer provided by Juan Guillermo Perez, executive director of ProExport Colombia in the UK. “In the UK we work predominantly
with the trade as it is so important to us in raising awareness of the country and what we have to offer,” he says. “Five years ago we were an unknown destination, but this year we’ll be taking part at London's World Travel Market for the first time. We had 20,000 visitors from the UK in 2010, which is still a small number so there is a big opportunity out there.” Impressive UK visitor figures so far
this year – 11,000 for January to May, up 38 per cent on the same period last year – are aided by the likes of Explore, Journey Latin America and STA Travel who, says Perez, are the bigger sellers of Colombian itineraries. This land of colonial cities, Andean mountains, coffee plantations, rainforest and two coastlines – the Caribbean and Pacific – provides plenty of opportunities for agents to sell Colombia, with its diverse geography also ideal for a range of adventure activities. The capital, Bogotá, once synonymous
38 September 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
with drug cartels and crime, is a bustling metropolis with shiny skyscrapers, international hotel brands and the biggest network of parks in any Latin American city. But it is Bogotá’s historic heart, La Candelaria, and its wealth of museums and galleries that are the real stars of the show. At its centre is Plaza Simon Bolivar, while close by is the Museo D’Oro, widely regarded as the world’s best gold museum. Probably Colombia’s best-known destination is beautiful Cartagena on the country’s Caribbean coast. Founded in 1533, the city’s old quarter is today a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site, home to the most extensive historic fortifications in the Americas and streets of picturesque colonial buildings. Almost all Colombia itineraries will
feature a stay in a city which benefits from convenient direct international flights from Miami. Along the coast to the northeast
of Cartagena are Baranquilla – the birthplace of Colombian popstar, Shakira, but best known for its annual carnival held every February – and Santa Marta, the departure point for
COLOMBIA Top Selling Tips...
• “Colombia has a lot to offer, and we find that enquiries often come from clients who have already been to Latin America. The main thing I'd suggest is to really do your homework about what there is to see and do in the country. This may sound obvious but whereas enquiries to the likes of Peru and Argentina will often come with a pre-planned itinerary in mind, it is likely that most enquiries for Colombia will start without much prior knowledge. “There is so much on offer,
such as staying in the Ecohabs in the Tayrona National Park, spending three days exploring the working coffee farms in the Coffee Triangle or, for the more energetic, testing out your dancing moves in Cali, the capital of salsa!” SIMON FORSTER, Latin America specialist, western & oriental
tours of stunning Tayrona National Park, which occupies a 50-mile stretch of Carbibbean coastline. The park is one of Colombia’s most
important ecological reserves, with pristine beaches, coral reefs, rainforest and an interesting accommodation option in the form of thatched ‘ecohabs’. A lush, green region on the western slopes of the Andes, the Coffee Triangle (the 'Zona Cafetera') is one of Colombia's rapidly emerging tourism destinations. At its heart are the cities of Armenia, Manizales and Pereira, but it is the rural areas, parks and plantations in between that are the real attraction. Accommodation options here are
increasing, with the chance to stay on a working coffee plantation and to take a trip to the likes of Los Nevados National Park and the Parque Nacional del Café.
What’s New The Sofitel Santa Clara in Cartagena is set to become part of the Sofitel Legends brand later this year, a move
Above: The colonial architecture of Cartagena's UNESCO- listed old quarter; Palenquera culture on the Caribbean coast; the colonnaded Sofitel Santa Clara
Latin America's rising star...
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