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With a showing of folklore, traditional demonstrations and the best flavor of the Colombian Caribbean, Cartagena greeted the large group of Japanese tourists that arrived for the first time to the country on the prestigious cruise ship Asuka II, a ship that tours the world on a journey over 17 countries.
With a capacity of 960 passengers, the Asuka II is considered one of the highest-level cruise ships for its luxurious installations and the high profile of its users.
The arrival of this ship to the Colombian port is the result of the joint effort between PROCOLOMBIA, the Cruise Terminal of Cartagena, local authorities and businesspeople from the sector.
" It is a source of pride to welcome the Asuka II for the first time in our port, and to have the presence of Ambassadors Kazumi Suzuki (from Japan) and Patricia Cá rdenas (from Colombia). We hope that this is the grand start of our inclusion into the itineraries of Japanese lines. Cartagena de Indias is a destination with great potential for the Japanese market and the number show it," stated Alfonso Salas Trujillo, general manager of Sociedad Portuaria de Cartagena.
In turn, the president of PROCOLOMBIA, Marí a Claudia Lacouture, pointed out that, " the arrival of this cruise ship confirms the national trust and positioning as a prominent destination in the cruise industry, one of the most sophisticated and complex in the tourism world."
After touring the walled city this Monday, the passengers will continue their trip towards Panama, Costa Rica and North America, completing their journey on July 8 in Japan.
The cruise industry has had a substantial and positive growth in Colombia. According to data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, 235 cruise ships arrived in 2011 with 315,304 visitors, while five years ago there were 58.
The Japanese tourist, and in general Asian tourists, is cultured and has a marked interest in visiting places where they gain knowledge, especially destinations declared as World Heritage by UNESCO, as is Cartagena.
The majority of travelers are senior citizens with a high level of consumption who seek destinations with cultural interests on their trips. Colombia has an interesting offer based on its natural exuberance and cultural diversity.
Furthermore, the growing foreign trade relations and investment between the two countries has increased the flow of business travelers towards Colombia, which constitutes an opportunity for these people to return for vacation trips.
According to figures from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism based on Migració n Colombia, in 2011, a total of 6,940 Japanese visited Colombia, thus becoming the main source of travelers from Asia to the country, above China, South Korea and India.
