NATION journalist Nick Nunes recently returned from a familiarisation trip to Colombia, making the journey on Colombian carrier Avianca Airlines. In this article he examines some of the business potential of having Avianca and Colombia available to Barbados.
IT’S NOT A NEW STORY that Avianca Airlines has arrived in Barbados, bringing with it a whole host of opportunities and creating yet another hub to international business relations and much more.
What most people don’t know is that Avianca is the second oldest airline in the world. That accolade comes with an astonishing array of opportunity and possibility. More than just being the second oldest airline, Avianca is among the top tier of companies moving toward the future in the realms of comfort, convenience, and customisation.
Since 1919, Avianca has been the national airline and flag carrier of Colombia. With a fleet of more than 160 aircraft and over 120 destinations worldwide, through Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia, Avianca has opened up to Barbados an air-highway to the metropolis on our closest continental neighbour.
Not coincidentally, Avianca is owned by Germán Efromovich who is also proprietor of the Movich hotel chain, a Colombian entity that operates seven hotels in five cities: Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, Pereira, and Cartagena. It will soon open its eighth hotel, Movich Buró 51 in the city of Barranquilla.
For a little reference, think Marriott with an exceptional South American flair.
Being just shy of a 100th anniversary speaks worlds about any company, more so when it comes to the industry of air travel.
The country’s proximity to the Caribbean (three hours from Bridgetown to Bogota), its attractive no-season climate, absence of visa requirements for most and a variety of activities all make this country a top-notch destination in Latin America. And now, travel to and operation within the country can be done at essentially a 40 per cent discount, due to the devaluation of the Colombian peso.
As for hotels, during the last five years 120 new hotels have started operation in the country adding over 13 100 rooms.
And as a sign of the country’s will to keep on fulfilling the tourism growth necessities, there are many others already in the process of investment. International hotel chains like JW Marriot, Hilton Hotels, Marriot, AC hotels by Marriot, Hyatt, Sonesta, Radisson, Starwood, Intercontinental, W hotel, Four Seasons, Sofitel, Accor, IHG, Best Western, City Hotel and Estelar among many others have opened or are planning to open their doors to the public.
This expansion says many things but importantly it opens up more than just tourism but business opportunities as a central location with a vast assortment of activities catered to specific needs and interests.
Across the country are locales perfect for conferences, retreats, and opportunities for commerce at rates that don’t even need negotiating.
Everything from cuisine and shopping to adventure and lodging can be experienced with a smaller budget. As an example, last year, travellers could expect to pay approximately US$51 (or 97 500 Colombian pesos) for a three course meal in Cartagena.
Today, you could have the same meal for approximately US$20 less at US$32.
In the same vein, a designer women’s swimsuit would retail for approximately US$105 in 2014, whereas today, you’d be able to purchase that same suit for only US$66. Beyond the boardroom, though business tourism is a big draw to escape the regular corporate continuum, Colombia boasts more than 50 golf courses and the country is 49 per cent Amazon rainforest.
A trip to Colombia is a true adventure as a lifetime could be spent discovering new experiences.
From a selection of 418 cities in 111 countries, the International Congress and Convention Association Global Organisation which covers the main specialists in the events industry, chose the Bogota Public Relations strategy as the best of 2015.
The country’s revitalised PR harkens to famed author Gabriel Garcia Marquez (One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Love In The Time Of Cholera) who started the literary movement of magical realism and as tribute the new slogan for the country is “Colombia is magical realism”.
