Colombia’s government will invest almost $1.5 million to partner with airlines and private companies in order to increase tourism in the country, which already jumped 7.34% in 2013.
Colombia’s ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and its National Tourism Fund (FONTUR) are partnering with airlines in order to open up new and customized routes that could bring potential tourists to larger areas of the country. This is expected to connect Colombian tourism businesses more directly with different international markets.
MORE: Colombia invested over $55M in tourism: Santos
One niche industry receiving special attention in the tourism sector is environmental tourism, as Colombia is the second most bio diverse country on earth behind Brazil.
MORE: Colombia only Invests 1% into conserving its biodiversity: new documentary
Part of the $1.5 million investment will flow to environmental tourism’s main service distributors and specialized intermediaries, in order to strengthen their abilities to both handle and attract more tourist traffic from all over the world. Some Colombian companies have already begun establishing themselves in the US, Canada, and several European countries.
FONTUR projects about 1,200 more possible business ventures as a result of the increased capabilities.
There are also plans to promote Colombia as an international destination for holding events. The initiative will also bring together international tourism entrepreneurs through trade missions, business conferences and “familiarization trips,” allowing Colombia to become a “world-class destination.”
Sources
- Gobierno invertirá $2.700 millones en promoción de turismo colombiano (El Espectador)
- Inversión en la promoción internacional del país. MinCIT y Fontur apoyan con 2700 millones (FONTUR)