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The growing global trend towards the environment preservation and biodiversity wealth that Colombia have ranked the country as a place of great potential for nature tourism a sector that produces US$215 billion each year, according to the World Tourism Organization (WTO).
To benefit from this opportunity, PROCOLOMBIA organized the first nature tourism business round, “Colombia Nature Travel Mart 2012”, with the participation of 29 entrepreneurs from the United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Brazil and Germany markets where this product is highly embraced.
According to the WTO, although nature tourism represents 8% of the total, this is a sector that has been growing three times faster than the massive segments.
“Colombia offers a huge supply and all the arguments to be an important player in nature tourism: we are the country with the highest number of bird species – 1,907 – 80 out of which are endemic the first with the highest number of humming bird species (nearly 155), as well as butterflies (three thousand families and 14 thousand species)”, explained the President of PROCOLOMBIA, María Claudia Lacouture.
In addition to the above, we may mention 456 mammal species, representing 7% of the total worldwide.
Likewise, it has ancestral cultures in protected natural areas and two oceans ideal for the different types of scuba diving.
While the Pacific, a destination for expert divers, it is feasible to dive with large animals like the yubarta whales and the hammerhead sharks, in the Atlantic, specially on the Caribbean sea, it is possible to dive in one of the most bio-diverse ecosystems of the planet, with coral reef barriers, the best weather and visibility conditions throughout the year factors that turn this destination into a paradise for divers of all levels of experience.
This product also represents an opportunity to increase the revenues derived from tourism, because while an international traveller spends in Colombia US$1,437 in average per trip, according to the WTO, those who prefer nature destinations invest up to US$3,071, as they also require specialized services to carry out their specialty. This way, and the more nature travellers visit natural areas, the average of currency entering the country will increase, and the environmental and social impact will be reduced.
Travelling in Colombia
Prior to the business round in Bogota, the 29 international entrepreneurs visited, invited by PROCOLOMBIA, various places that Colombia includes in its nature tourism offer. They visited Gorgona, San Andrés and Providencia to learn about the diving offer they did bird sighting in Santa Marta, the Coffee-Growing Area and Cali they watched whales and did contemplative tourism in Bahía Solano, Nuquí, Medellin and Amazonas. They also had the opportunity to enjoy agro-tourism experiences in the Coffee-Growing area and adventure in Santander.
During the business meeting, they had meetings with 55 Colombian entrepreneurs of the sector, mainly from Bogota (24), Santa Marta (3), San Andrés (3), Cartagena (3) and Manizales (3). The offer focused on ecotourism (31%) and nature adventure (21%) products.
Tourism with environmental awareness a global trend
Nature tourism, apart from being a growing business, is also a mechanism to turn natural areas in a country into sustainable spaces.
Therefore, one third of the tourists is willing to pay more to companies that benefit the local communities they visit, according to a study made by the Conde Nast Traveler magazine, one of the most influencing worldwide.
96% of its readers think that hotels and tourism centers must be responsible for protecting the environment in which they reside, and 74% think that the environmental policies of hotels influence the decisions to lodge in them.
Furthermore, the study indicated that three quarters of the tourists think that their trips should not affect the environment.
A promotion strategy reflected in figures
PROCOLOMBIA undertook a strategy in 2011 to promote further Colombian nature tourism, which comprised of different activities. One of those activities included workshop training to 985 entrepreneurs from Bogotá, Santa Marta, Medellin, Armenia, Manizales, Neiva, Cartagena, San Gil, Cali, Leticia and San Andrés.
“We have invited more than 22 media specialized in nature tourism and support the participation of Colombian entrepreneurs at international fairs, like the Dema Show in the United States and the Bird Fair in the United Kingdom. We also published a bird guide, a sub-aquatic life map and a diving booklet to reinforce the international promotion”, affirmed Lacouture.
Tourism growth in Colombia was higher in three percentage points (7.3%) to that reported by the world tourism, which recorded a 4.4% increase, according to WTO.
In 2011, the total travellers who visited Colombia was 1,582,110, 7.3% more than the figure reported in 2010 (1,474,884), according to the Colombian Migration data.
Foreign travellers’ arrival in the first seven months of 2012 grew 4.3% vis-à-vis the same period of 2011. Between January and July 2012, 961,895 international travellers arrived to the country. In the same period of 2011, the number reported was 922,323.
By country of origin, United States reported the highest share over the total in 2011, with 20.1%, followed by Venezuela (14.5%), Ecuador (6.9%), Argentina (5.9%), Brazil (5.9%) and Spain (5.9%).
