Colombia hosts top global business and tourism events

Colombia Hosts Top Global Business and Tourism Events: PGA Tour, World Economic Forum and Intel Latin America Event

Colombia is rapidly becoming Latin America’s leading destination for high-profile meetings, conventions and incentive travel, thanks to the its incredible attractions, world-class infrastructure, abundance of capacity and cost-effective services. Tellingly, in 2009, the city of Cartagena hosted as many meetings as New York City.

Colombia is rapidly becoming Latin America’s leading destination for high-profile meetings, conventions and incentive travel

The country was also the site of the PGA Tour’s first sanctioned event in South America, the World Economic Forum on Latin America for more than 400 global leaders, and Intel Latin America’s President’s Club Event – and that was just in the first few months of 2010.

Easily accessible from the U.S. and the world – and a central hub for Latin America – Colombia offers a range of new, tech-savvy convention centers and outstanding hotel meeting venues that cater to meetings of all sizes. Recognizing Colombia’s rise on the meeting scene, JW Marriott and Sonesta Collections are both opening hotels in 2010. And getting to Colombia has never been easier with 29 weekly non-stop direct flights from the U.S. on all major U.S. airlines, as well as two low-cost carriers - JetBlue and Spirit. Last year, total visitor arrivals to Colombia grew 10.7%, with 23% of this from the United States, while the rest of the world decreased 4% in Tourism

Colombia offers:

• Proximity to the U.S.: The closest South American destination to the U.S., Colombia is just 2.5 hours from Miami and 5 hours from New York City.
• A Cost-Effective Choice: During peak travel season, Colombia’s rooms are 30% lower than half the average of hotel rates in the U.S. Foreign visitors are exempt from sales tax on hotel rooms, food and beverage rates are 65% less on average than hotels in the U.S. and AV is 80% lower than in the US.
• Unique Experiences: Colombia has 3rd highest biodiversity of any country in the world, and offers access to the Amazon Jungle, as well as some of the most cosmopolitan, yet historic, cities in Latin America.
• An Increasingly Popular Destination: In 2009, Cartagena hosted the same number of meetings as New York City, and Bogota hosted nearly the same number of meetings as Chicago. Both cities hosted more meetings than Miami, Los Angeles or San Diego.
• Unparalleled Assets: Colombia provides readily accessible world-class healthcare, a temperate, yet diverse, year-round climate, and no visas are required for U.S. citizens to visit.Unparalleled Assets: Colombia provides readily accessible world-class healthcare, a temperate, yet diverse, year-round climate, and no visas are required for U.S. citizens to visit.