PROCOLOMBIA Introduced "Colombia Is Magic Realism" Campaign to Wholesalers in Miami

Within the framework of the mega-event held by PROCOLOMBIA to commemorate the first year of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, the organization introduced the new tourism campaign, "Colombia Is Magic Realism" to at least 180 travel agents and tour operators from the United States. 

The statements of Christopher Baker, writer of National Geographic's travel guide to Colombia, and Lisa Turner of Virtuoso Network, gave weight to the new campaign's launch.

The United States is the greatest source of international tourists to Colombia. According to figures from Migracion Colombia, around 320 thousand travelers from the United States visited the country in 2012. PROCOLOMBIA has identified that American tourists mainly opt for destinations with sun and sand, although they have recently begun to show an interest in tourism focused on culture and nature.

"Colombia offers an endless number of unique experiences to the American tourist. Through this seminar, we want the entrepreneurs to be able to transmit these to the travelers so that they can't resist, and decide to spend their vacation in the country, as well as hold their corporate events there," stated Maria Claudia Lacouture, PROCOLOMBIA's president.

"This is the first of a series of fam trips we will organize in 2013 to show the target market of our promotion strategy for this tourism product, that Colombia is a safe, modern and just country with an attractive offer for this tourism segment," stated Maria Claudia Lacouture, the president of PROCOLOMBIA.

Following this learning stage, travel agency representatives, tour operators, hotel owners and public institutions promoting tourism held business meetings with the 180 entrepreneurs interested in including Colombia in their catalogs and/or increasing the number of products they are able to offer their clients at Colombian destinations.

The national entrepreneurs hailed from the departments of Bogota, Antioquia, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Magdalena, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres and Valle del Cauca.

"This diversification constitutes a great opportunity for Colombia, since our coastal cities, for example, bring together endless beaches with the vestiges of indigenous communities, satisfying the tastes and interests of the visitors," Lacouture stated.

The connectivity with Colombia, and the availability and comfort offered by hotels in the country, were also highlighted. Both international and Colombian chains exist, offering comfort for tourists during their travels. From among the American chains, hotels such as Hyatt, Holiday Inn and Marriott are found in Colombia.