If you have clients who are looking for nature, culture, adventure, sunny beaches and a chance to connect with the local community, why not suggest Colombia?
It’s slightly off the beaten path and offers the intrigue of somewhere “new.” And bonus: no jet lag!
That and more was the message at the swanky Vantage Venues in downtown Toronto, where 16 tour operators, airlines, hoteliers, ecolodges, and ProColombia staffers hosted some 70 travel advisors and members of the media.
According to ProColombia (whose Toronto office is responsible for trade, investment and tourism promotion), Canadians are charmed by the country’s biodiversity, history (“Our lost city of Santa Marta is better than Machu Picchu – and less crowded”), thriving arts scene and secluded Caribbean islands.
And the word is getting out: 2 years ago, Canadians travelled to Colombia in record numbers, a record which we broke again last year, delivering 140,000 pax.
Unlike many Latin American and Caribbean countries, there is very little VFR traffic, so these are all “genuine” tourists.
Success is also about lift, and with an impressive 25 flights per week from Canada, Colombia is now more accessible than ever.
Both AC and AV (Colombian carrier Avianca) offer YYZ-BOG (Bogota), while TS features CTG (Cartagena) seasonally from YYZ and YUL. Panamanian carrier COPA flies to 10 cities across Colombia, connecting via PTY (Panama City).
Six regions are so distinct that Colombia is like six different countries, making it the ideal destination for clients who want two-centre holidays.
I’ve visited Colombia twice and can attest that the mountainous, museum-filled, sophisticated vibe of the capital Bogota is 180º from Cartagena (“carta-hayna”) with its Caribbean oceanfront location, funky streets of eye-popping, colourful shops and cafes, tempting market stalls and beaches.
The Hotel Isla del Encanto sounds 180º from Cartagena, which can be a bit crazy on days when cruise ships are in port.
A 1-hour speedboat ride away, the 32-room hotel on the nature reserve island of Baru looks like a perfect get-away-from-it-all.
Cabanas are straight out of Robinson Crusoe (but with a/c and all the comforts of home) and are very popular with couples and honeymooners.
The average stay is three nights, and rates include all meals and non-motorized watersports.
For adventurous, eco-minded clients, check out Awake Travel. The biggest nature travel company in Colombia, Awake specializes in connecting visitors with nature, local communities and conservation efforts (the company has been involved in preserving 3,500 hectares of Colombian forest).
“We are educating our local partners such as farmers that you can make money and help nature in an honest way,” Awake’s Brendan Hanrahan – very Irish but perhaps Colombia’s biggest fan – told Open Jaw. Rene Montero of Jaguarundi Travel also believes tourism is a great tool for conservation.
“Colombia is the number 1 in the world for bird and number 1 for butterfly diversity – and number 2 for orchids,” he told Open Jaw. “We offer tours from 7 to 30 days, many focused on bird and butterfly watching – and this year will have set departures for solo travellers.”
For clients with lingering concerns about security here (or anywhere in Latin America), “the numbers speak for themselves,” Enrique Stellabatti, Director of ProColombiaCanada, told Open Jaw.
“We really started promoting tourism only in 2006, when we had 1.3 million visitors, and last year welcomed 6.7 million.”
Speaking personally, I can attest that on my two visits to this South American charmer, I felt safe and welcomed – and I can’t wait to return.
