TTO_January_2018_web

Travelers want Colombia
International travel to Colombia is up more than
20 percent in 2017, and much of that has to do with
all of the new public and private investment in
tourism infrastructure during the last few years.
The nation’s stable political climate, sustainable
economic development strategies, and a healthy
tax incentive to lure global hospitality brands
to Colombia are also contributing to the robust
growth.
Madame Sonia Duran, ambassador to Sweden and Denmark,
wants also the Scandinavians to experience Colombia.
The Colombian ambassador to Sweden,
Denmark and Iceland, Sonia Duran is
impressed by the efforts of ProColombia:
“The peace agreement which has been
achieved by the government of President
Santos after half a century of intern armed
conflict, situation that will enable access,
enjoyment and sustainable tourism in
unexplored areas of Colombia, allowing
to observe one of the most beautiful and
biodiverse countries in the world.”
However, local tourism leaders believe that
Colombia’s modern physical infrastructure
and its protected natural environment will
only go so far to differentiate the country
as a travel destination in the eyes of nextgeneration
travelers. Research shows
that savvy travelers today want to return
“transformed and inspired” from their
trips. They also want to “fulfill their own
quests” by designing their own unique
travel journeys.
“For us, travel is not just about transporting
yourself to a unique place physically,
because there are very few places in the
world where people haven’t already been,”
says Julián Guerrero, vice president of
tourism at ProColombia, the national
organization responsible for promoting
international travel “Instead, the secret to
creating a truly unique travel experience
is really the connection between the
inner and physical experiences, which are
different for every individual.”
That was the motivation behind
ProColombia’s development of the
new international tourism campaign:
Colombia: Land of Sabrosura,
launched in early December in tune
with ProColombia’s 25th anniversary.
“Sabrosura” is a local word without a
direct English translation, referring to an
emotional state of joy, a positive attitude,
beauty or flavor, depending on the context.
It is also uniquely experienced by each
individual.
For Colombia, music and culture play a
major part of that feeling. Music especially
is a language that communicates directly
to the heart and the mind of the visitors.
It also provides a great way to explore,
discover, and understand the core
meaning of a destination
Colombia’s varied musical heritage plays
an important part in its national identity,
blending Indigenous, African, and
European influences. Adding to the multifaceted,
multicultural appeal, Colombia is
the only country in South America that
has Pacific, Atlantic, Andes, rainforest,
and tropical river delta ecosystems. Each
of those regions not only feels different
in terms of its cultural influences and
landscape, they sound different as well.
Therefore, the ambassador suggests as
travelers move through different parts
of Colombia, their experiences will have
specific musical dialects to accompany
their journeys, each contributing to
a soundtrack representing a specific
moment in the traveler journey.
For the Colombia: Land of Sabrosura
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