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Starting this May 21 until June 21, the National Geographic Store, Madrid (Spain) will be the stage for promoting Colombia as a world-class tourist destination.
The strategy, headed by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, the Tourism Promotion Fund and PROCOLOMBIA, seeks to create awareness in the almost 27 thousand tourists that visit the store and present all of the opportunities for tourism in the country.
During this period, a series of activities will take place directed at the visitors, among tour operators, the media and European tourists interested in cultural experiences and nature, as well as those with high purchasing power.
The store' s facade, located on the Gran Via, one of the most frequented streets of the Spanish capital, will have an interactive showcase for bystanders in which videos will be shown on the adventure tourism that Colombia has to offer.
During the inauguration, the inside of the establishment will be divided into stations promoting a specific subject. There will be a hall for projecting documentaries on the country, another for sampling coffee and natural juices, photography and flower exhibitions, and a zone for books and live music.
During their stop, visitors will find mannequins dressed as emblematic figures from Colombian culture. They will be able to see the " arriero paisa" , the " chapolera" , the traditional costume of Boyaca, the " Carnaval de Negros y Blancos" from Pasto, the " palenquera" and the " marimonda" .
The rest of the month will have traditional costume and product exhibits, and handicrafts and photography exhibits.
Likewise, talks will be had for the end users on the tourism offer. They will focus on nature and adventure tourism, culture and well being, sun and sand, nautical activities and cruise ships, and Colombia will be presented as a host for meetings and events.
There will also be activities for children. Every weekend there will be workshops on Colombian music, drums, painting, weaving and handicrafts.
The same promotion of Colombia as a world-class tourist destination will be duplicated at the National Geographic Store in London, during the 2012 Olympic Games, from July 17 to August 17.
Spain, the number one source of European tourists to Colombia
According to information from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, with data from Migración Colombia, in 2011 Spain was the number one source of European tourists to Colombia, and number seven worldwide.
Last year 88,383 Spaniards visited Colombia, 9.3 percent more than those recorded in 2010. Moreover, and in line with the growing trend, between January and March of 2012, 22,481 arrived, which represented an increase of 6.2 percent with respect to the same period of the previous year.
PROCOLOMBIA detected that there are opportunities in Spain for promoting corporate and vacation tourism. On the former, the potential products are incentive trips and golf, and on the vacation there are opportunities for rural, nature, sun and sand, historical and cultural, and salsa tourism.
