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For eighth year in a row, PROCOLOMBIA has supported Colombian companies in their participation at the International Tourism Fair (FIT) in Argentina. Thirty entrepreneurs, including hotel executives, tourism operators and representatives from regional promotion entities, will present their product offering and national destinations before wholesalers and buyers from the Argentine tourist industry.
Colombia's participation has the support of the Tourism Fund of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism. Several destinations will be promoted at the International Tourism Fair in Argentina, including Cartagena de Indias, Santa Marta, San Andres, Bogota, the Coffee Triangle and Medellin, as well as the offering of products such as Sun and Beach, History and Culture, Golf, Cruise lines and Cuisine, which have potential in that country, according to Proexport.
"We have identified that the Argentine tourists like history, culture, sun and beach destinations. Therefore Bogota, San Andres and the islands of Cartagena have become the main destinations. We are sure that the Colombian offering is full of charm with cities like Medellin, Cali and Santa Marta, because of the nature tourism or fairs and celebrations in these regions", stated María Claudia Lacouture, Chairwoman of Proexport.
Among the activities scheduled during the three days of this fair, are planting virtual trees a project where PROCOLOMBIA seeks to compensate the carbon footprint it consists of visitors at the stand adopting a virtual tree, which will be physically planted in Colombia. There will also be a bicycle available for visitors to live the experience of exploring the country.
Week of Colombia in Argentina
The Week of Colombia in Argentina will be held in parallel to the country's participation at FIT with the purpose of opening opportunities for Colombian entrepreneurs to meet the Argentine market while identifying opportunities with the wholesalers of the country. This strategy has been successful in countries like Peru, Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela, where such events took place during 2012, as part of the promotion activities of PROCOLOMBIA established for positioning the country as a world-class international tourism destination.
Among the activities of this promotion week, there is a tour on bicycle by a group of people throughout the main streets and parks of Buenos Aires, to show pedestrians promotional material about the country.
Before this fair, PROCOLOMBIA organized training workshops around the tourist offering, and opportunities for building relationships between Colombian participants and 220 Argentina entrepreneurs. The 30 attendees including Colombian travel agents, airlines, hotels, and wholesale operators held 208 business meetings during these sessions to strengthen the promotion of Colombia as a tourist destination.
Growth of the Argentine market in Colombia
Based on information from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, and Colombia Customs statistics Argentina sent 93,822 travelers to Colombia in 2011, and became the fourth source of tourists for the country. During the first half of the year, numbers continued to increase and the number of travelers reached a 14.5% increase, making Argentina the third sender of tourists to Colombia.
Among the cities preferred by Argentinians, is Bogota, with 45.5% of these travelers, followed by Cartagena with 28% and San Andres with 10.5%.
There are currently six flights directly connecting Argentina and Colombia.
