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The Prince and Princess of Asturias, Felipe de Bourbon and his wife, Letizia, visited Colombia's booth at the 2013 International
Tourism Fair on Wednesday, the opening day of the annual event that gathers business people from the tourism sector from over 167 countries.
Their Royal Highnesses entered the Colombian booth accompanied by Orlando Sardi, the Colombian ambassador, and PROCOLOMBIA President Maria Claudia Lacouture, who explained to them the interactive exhibits on display this year, including a bicycle tour of Tayrona Park, rafting down rivers in the Santander region, 3D images of pieces from the Gold Museum in Bogota, and salsaclasses in Cali. The visit lasted around 10 minutes.
Describing the royal couple's visit, Lacouture said it was "very interesting. The Prince told us (during the tour) that he remembered his visit to our country, and that what we have on display is a true depiction of the Colombian experience."
Colombia is participating in the International Tourism Fair (FITUR), which will take place from Wednesday, January 30 to Sunday, February 3, in Madrid, Spain. The Colombian booth is 700 square meters of space designed for wholesalers and end consumers alike to enjoy the unique experiences that can only be found in Colombia, and which align with the country's tourism products: Nature, Adventure, Sun and sand, Culture, Water sports, Cruises, Cultural, Wellness and Meetings.
The booth "has attracted a lot of attention, and more importantly, we are able to show that Colombia has tourism experiences, innovation, creativity and unique tourism products," added the president of PROCOLOMBIA, an entity in charge of promoting Colombian tourism abroad.
The tourist experience is complemented by a gastronomical sampling of exotic fruits and coffee served in a variety of presentations.
Colombia's participation is sponsored by the Tourism Promotion Fund of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, and PROCOLOMBIA Colombia.
Colombia Connected to Social Networks at FITUR
Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter also play an important role in the experiences enjoyed by visitors of the Colombian tourism exhibition, which is in its ninth year at FITUR.
After completing a brief form prior to entering the booth, users can share their experiences with their social network contacts, including having their pictures taken with traditional figures such as the Barranquilla Carnival's Momo King or the palenqueras (fruit vendors) from the department of Bolivar or a replica of San Agustin Park in Huila.
Including social networks and digital formats in Colombia's tourism promotion is on the cutting edge of the sector's international trends. According to a 2011 Google study, 50% of tourists based their travel plans on comments made by others about a destination on social networks.
Business People and Regions On Site
The productive component of the national tourism sector is also prominently on display at FITUR with the presence of 24 entrepreneurs who are showcasing Colombia's offer for wholesalers and travel agents from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, to satisfy their specific demands.
At the same time, eight local and regional organizations are promoting their most important attractions. The group of eight is comprised of the Cartagena de Indias Tourism Corporation, the Bogota Institute of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Cali, the Medellin Convention & Visitors Bureau, Barranquilla City Hall, Santa Marta's Office of Tourism Projects, and the regional governments of Quindio and San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina.
SME's Exploratory Mission
At the fair, a delegation of 31 Colombian SMEs will participate in an exploratory mission with Spanish experts who, in addition to providing theoretical content, will also share the key to their success with regard to promoting products and destinations.
Companies, travel agencies and hotels from Medellin, Bogota, Cartagena and the Coffee Culture Landscape, among others, were invited by PROCOLOMBIA after reviewing their offers, which have international potential.
Representatives from these companies will also have the chance to visit other participating countries' exhibitions at the fair, and more specifically, major wholesalers and tour operators. This will give them the necessary knowledge to come back to future fairs better prepared.
"For us it's very important that business people have access to information that can help them to take their businesses to the next level. FITUR is an ideal space for those interested in promoting Colombia to learn from the best," Lacouture said in closing.
