The ball has not rolled yet and the Under-20 Soccer World Cup is already helping improve Colombia’s image abroad

The FIFA Under-20 Soccer World Cup is yet to start, but it is already giving positive fruits in regard to the country’s international image. Having this event in Colombia increased the number of publications on tourism and positive reference to the country, according to the analysis by GNI Latin America.

According to the report, "the tone of the articles about the upcoming Soccer Under-20 World Cup to be held in Colombia has changed from neutral to positive, thanks to PROCOLOMBIA’s leadership in the promotion of the event at international level."

GNI Latin America is the Latin American subsidiary for Global News Intelligence, a world leader in strategic analysis of communications media and public sources.

The analysis included 55 international communications media, and took place between January 1st and June 13th, 2011.

"PROCOLOMBIA and its President Maria Claudia Lacouture are one of the most active spokes people about the Under-20 World Cup to be held in the country, highlighting the tourist attractions and hotel offering the country has for its visitors coming to the country to see the event,” according to the conclusions on the analysis.

As the document points out, 47% of the statements on the Under-20 Soccer World Cup during the first five months of the year have been favorable, while 38% neutral and only a small percentage have been negative.

The FIFA Under-20 Soccer World Cup will be held in eight cities in Colombia, between July 29th and August 20th, with the participation of national teams from 24 countries. PROCOLOMBIA has led the international promotion of the tourist offering sport fans will have available to them, as well as the delegations and foreign press covering the event to position the country as a world class destination.

According to GNI, year to date 2011, the percentage of positive articles related to the World Cup in Colombia reached 59%, while 41% were neutral comments.

The GNI report indicates the information on the Under-20 Soccer World Cup in Colombia has been published in the media in Argentina, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Panama, the United States, Venezuela, Brazil, France and China, among others.

International Promotion

Among the most outstanding promotional activities led by PROCOLOMBIA, with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism Promotion Fund, are the tour around Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina with 14 tourism operators and promotion entities from Barranquilla, Bogota, Cali, Cartagena, Manizales and Medellin.

Presentations of the country as a tourist destination were given during the tour to travel agencies, large tour operators and the local press, including a detailed description of the city and the region where the games are going to be played.

Additionally, with support from the PROCOLOMBIA sales offices in the visited countries, Colombian entrepreneurs had meetings with wholesalers and other professionals from the sector to close business deals. Around 600 entrepreneurs and journalists from those countries attended the meetings.

From Colombia to the World

Another element in the strategy has been to invite international journalists to Colombia for them to see, first hand, the country's tourism offering on occasion of the Under-20 World Cup, but also the products and destinations travelers expect.

Journalists from France, Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador, Uruguay and Guatemala have visited the Under-20 Soccer World Cup host locations.

“Colombia is very distant from the image we have back in Europe. It is a very green, peaceful country, with very pleasant and kind people, all of them are very kind. They do anything and everything for tourists to feel good," said Laurence Arnette from Sport magazine, France.

Along the same lines, Juan Jose Buscaglia from Fox Sports Argentina said "I’ve been luck to have visited Colombia many times and I love this country, because there is no other country that receives its tourists with so much love and dedication. The rest of the world are missing out by not coming to visit, they are losing the opportunity to see a marvelous place, not only because of its people, but also its geography, its development, its infrastructure and hotel availability. It is a wonderful country; I encourage everyone to come”.

Marisol Padilla, a journalist from Guatevisión, one of the most popular in Guatemala, said “the first thing I’m going to say upon my return to my country is ‘you have to come, because ever since I stepped into the airport I began to feel the kindness of its entire people. My first impression of Colombia is that their slogan is absolutely true: the only risk is wanting to stay."

FIFA authorities have reiterated the excellent moment our country is living. "It is now Colombia’s turn to show the world what it has to offer and everything Colombians can do", said Jack Warner, FIFA Vice President, from Cartagena.

Outstanding Colombian soccer players have also been part of international promotion activities.

"This is a great opportunity to show the world we can organize events the right way and with high value. Now, each and every one of us has to put our T-shirts on and export our kindness for the people who will visit us and run the risk of wanting to stay,” said Colombian goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba, who has participated in activities in Ecuador and Brazil.

Radamel Falcao Garcia, striker of FC Porto from Portugal, recent UEFA Cup winners, also joined the campaign. "I want to be a spokesperson in Portugal and in all of Europe for the great Under-20 Soccer World Cup event to be held in our country, an event without precedents in the history of FIFA", said the soccer player from the city of Santa Marta.

Cordoba and Falcao recorded promotional videos on the various World Cup host cities, soon to air on national and international television, as well as on social networks.