How Colombia Became One of the Most Desired Caribbean Cruise Destinations Proof of this was the inclusion of Bahia Solano, on the Pacific coast, in the cruise lines’ travel itineraries. In this regard, the joint effort was—and remains—vital as a channel to better understand the needs of the cruise lines and visitors.
After over a decade without cruise arrivals, primarily driven by mistrust and uncertainty about the nation’s situation, the U.S. cruise liner arrived in the country.
Another key element has been to design activities for the crews—for example, onboard and on-the-field trainings about the different tourism products available (adventure, well-being, culture, nature, sun and beach) and unique experiences visitors can enjoy at Colombian ports. The opinion from the cruise lines
It has not been an easy task to overcome stereotypes and perceptions, but changing the negative image in the minds of tourists and foreign entrepreneurs was the largest obstacle. It required constant work, perseverance and dedication by many individuals and organizations.
is vital, given the contact and influence they have with the passengers. Likewise, a great marketing effort has been done by Proexport Colombia’s network offices in Latin America to promote departures from Cartagena, and the constant design and implementation of campaigns and activities alongside tour operators and travel agencies. As a result of all these efforts, which began in 2004, the arrival of cruises to Colombia has grown significantly.
T h e F C C A C r u i s e C o n F e r e n C e & T r A d e s h ow
OR A nj e STA d : Sh U T T e R STO Ck ; OPP OSI T e : PhOTOS COU RT e S y OF PROe x P ORT COLOM BI A
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NorwegiaN Cruise LiNe’s berthiNg in the port of Cartagena on May 7, 2005, marked the first event in a string of great achievements paving the road for Colombia to become one of the most attractive Caribbean destinations of the cruise industry today.
One of Proexport Colombia’s first tasks was to create a partnership between the public and private sectors. To achieve this, Colombia’s central mission was to join the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), where the country has enjoyed Platinum Membership since 2004. In addition to participating in events such as trade shows and meetings in several locations around world, Colombia has hosted conferences, such as the one in Cartagena in 2006, with 120 members attending. Another key step was to start a promotional push for Cartagena, Santa Marta and San Andres as cruise destinations. Many executives and industry professionals visited several times to ascertain what the Caribbean coast has to offer. Once these opinion leaders started coming to Colombia, they not only discovered how profitable Cartagena would be for their businesses, as it has been for Pullmantur and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines since 2008, but they also fell in love with the natural, cultural and human elements that are present in every corner of the country.
Cartagena
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