Hilton hotels will be opening a new 240 room hotel in the business district of Bogota in November, the success of which will determine how the chain fares in Colombia, reported economic magazine Portafolio.
Hilton’s Senior Vice President of the Latin American and Caribbean region, Daniel Hughes, reported that the negative image of Colombia has decreased internationally, prompting the chain to try it’s luck in the country where reportedly ‘the only risk is wanting to stay.’
He explained that the work Colombia has done to secure it’s major cities and decrease violence across the nation has made the possibility for the expansion of the hotel chain in the country very alluring.
Hughes stated that “at this moment, Colombia is probably the most interesting country in Latin America, after years of suffering. It has also had magnificent economic growth that has put it on the radar.”
The Hilton VP said their Bogota location would mostly focus on accommodating business tourism, but that would “ultimately be the gateway for leisure tourism.”
Hilton Bogota will be located on Carrera 7 No. 72-41 and is currently accepting reservations for arrival on December 1 and beyond. It is located 25 minutes from Eldorado International Airport, and it’s design includes a restaurant, cafe, lobby bar, fitness center, swimming pool, parking, business center, and close to 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
The chain is also reportedly looking into “Cali, Medellin, Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Santa Marta…with more than just the desire to invest, it’s almost a reality.”
Hughes also commented that the new Fair Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United States and Colombia will create more opportunities in the country.
“Of course, if the visitors are satisfied, it will surely attract more people. I believe that the agreement will allow for better promotion of the country and attract more Americans.”