An initiative by the Colombian government to teach Spanish to international tour guides is due to start on Monday.
The initiative is the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Presidential Agency for the International Cooperation of Colombia (APC); the Colombian Institution of Educational Credit (ICETEX) as well as eight universities in locations throughout the country.
MORE: Colombia seeking to become premier destination to learn Spanish
After initially contacting 16 countries from South East Asia and Oceania, the ministry received an overwhelming response from 13 countries who submitted 105 applicants, which was reduced to a total of 60.
Australia, Cambodia, China, Korea, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam all submitted applicants who were successful in gaining a place on the scheme.
The universities, which include the University of the Andes, EAFIT in Medellin and the National University in Bogota, are all offering 100% scholarships to the initiative’s participants.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that it hopes the course “will strengthen tourism for Colombia from East Asian countries and further the government’s program of promoting Colombia as the best destination in Latin America to learn Spanish.”
Sources
- Gracias a una iniciativa liderada por la Cancillería, 60 guías turísticos de Asia del Este aprenderán español en diferentes ciudades de Colombia (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Guías turísticos de Asia llegan a Colombia para aprender español (CM&)