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Colombia has been gaining positions in the world ranking in Corporate Travel. As a destination, it is easily accessible from the United States, only 2.5 hours by air from Miami. It is ideal for events, incentive or fam trips and conferences, with magnificent cities and an excellent climate throughout the entire year. To show its strengths, Colombia will participate in IMEX Americas from October 11 to 13, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA).
" This is a good opportunity for Colombia. We are going to show the most attractive tourist products and destinations for the US market, such as nature, sun and beaches, history - tradition and golf," said Maria Claudia Lacouture, President of Proexport. " As reported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, on the basis of information from the Administrative Security Department - DAS, between January and August 2011, 1,066,709 international passengers arrived, 10.7% more than in 2010, when 963,685 came to visit, most of whom came from the United States."
Between 2009 and 2011, more than 1,600 rooms have been opened in the most recognized hotel chains worldwide, including InterContinental, Hilton, Sofitel, Sonesta, Ibis and Wyndham. From luxury hotels that operate to restore historic monasteries, to versatile and cozy boutique hotels, moving on to the latest generation hotels in the most modern city disctrics, Colombia is a mecca for the development of new hotels in Latin America - simultaneously gaining international recognition as a tourist and investment destination.
Continuing its consolidation process as an international destination for conventions, Colombia is ranked 34 overall as a MICE destination by the International Congress and Convention Association in 2010.
Listed as number 60 among 263 cities in the MICE industry worldwide, Cartagena de Indias is attracting many companies to organize seminars, conferences and corporate events. Additionally, according to the classification by Standard & Poor' s, Colombia has improved its debt, thus expecting to attract new kinds of investments, including major financial institutions.
The major cities of Colombia, Bogotá , Cali, Cartagena and Medellin, the Coffee Triangle Region (Armenia, Manizales and Pereira), have been involved in major events and fairs. With its modern and enterprising spirit, these cities have become the permanent home of countless national and international events such as the World Economic Forum in Latin America in 2010, the Inter-American Development Bank Assembly in 2009, and the Assembly of the International Tourism Organization in 2007, among others.
In more recent news, Colombia was named as the host of the World Clothing Convention in 2014, and the Twentieth Annual Conference of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association, FCCA will be held in 2013.
About IMEX
Imex Americas is an event by the same organizers of IMEX Frankfurt, which is recognized as the most important MICE trade fair in the world. The presence of about two thousand international buyers is expected, and the event will take place at the Venetian/Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas.
The delegation led by PROCOLOMBIA, will consist of the Bureaus of Cartagena, Bogota and Medellin, together with the airline Avianca to complement promotion in terms of connectivity.
