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Bogota, April 16th. (Pxp). The experiences enjoyed by the passengers on board the first cruise ship that come to the Pacific was enough for them to say that Colombia as their favorite destination during this tour that departed from Antarctica that will soon reach its end at the northern tip of South America.
Last April 3rd and 4th, the coasts of Utria and Bahia Solano in the department of Choco welcomed the Silver Explorer, a luxury vessel from the Italian cruise line Silversea. The cruise ship had 249 people on board, including both passengers and crewmembers, most of them from the USA, Canada, and Europe.
" I really love Colombia, it is the best country I have visited during this trip&rdquo , declared Bill Fric, a Canadian cruise passenger who, together with his wife Janice, were amazed by the fascinating mix of nature and culture that travelers can find in this northwestern region of Colombia.
" I particularly enjoyed snorkeling and kayaking [at the Utria Natural National Park] the people are very friendly and their children are so cheerful,&rdquo he added while walking through the crafts market the locals set up to sell their works made of wood, wildcane, and fruit seeds.
Like Bill, Anna Bucket rediscovered in the Pacific a country she had not visited for 23 years and learned why " Colombia is Magical Realism.&rdquo
" Everything is so beautiful and exotic, it is a unique experience. This is wonderful&rdquo , explained the British tourist during the tour her group had taken around the urban area of Bahia Solano, which included visits to the church, the library, the fishermen&rsquo s dock, and the local elementary school where a welcoming ceremony was held by the young students, who sang aloud the National Anthem of Colombia. Music, history, and typical dances were also part of the festivity to welcome and amaze the foreign visitors.
" The children, their spontaneity, affection, and sweetness all this was a gratifying surprise because kids in Europe are much more introverted we loved it,&rdquo pointed out Consuelo Santa Fe, Spanish tourist.
Ahead and Beyond&hellip
More than one year of negotiations and inspections between travel agency Colombia 57 and PROCOLOMBIA and the cruise line Silversea resulted in the new arrival of this first cruise ship to the Pacific, driving new jobs and income in addition to fresh opportunities in the region for this tourism sector.
" We expect that after discovering that Colombia is Magical Realism, Silversea cruise travelers and vessels will schedule more trips to this region. Also, we expect that new cruise lines will consider this destination for their exploration tours,&rdquo assured Maria Claudia Lacouture, President of PROCOLOMBIA Colombia.
PROCOLOMBIA started promoting the Pacific region as an exploration cruise destination in 2012 (that is, cruise ships visiting non-traditional destinations, where nature is the main attraction), by working hand-in-hand with each of the cruise line representatives and by attending industry-related international tradeshows.
As for the effect on the region&rsquo s economy, Brendan Rayment, Business Manager at Colombia 57, the company in charge of Silver Explorer land tours in Colombia, explained that " All businesses benefit in their own way from the sales created by this kind of framework: From the tourist guides and boat drivers, to hotels and stores.&rdquo
See the video of the Silversea cruise ship in the Colombian Pacific here http://bit.ly/1eqyWPt
See the photos of the Silversea cruise ship in the Colombian Pacific here http://bit.ly/1hHlff9
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