Welcome to Colombia Colombia dreams to show the world its true face: a face full of color, flavor, beautiful cities and unimaginably varied scenery. It is a country with millions of people waiting to welcome you with open arms, and with much passion in their hearts. Colombia’s privileged position in the continent and the presence of the three chains of the Andean mountains, has produced a combination of all possible natural regions from the tropics to the perpetual snows of the high mountains, the warm beaches of the Caribbean, the exotic jungles of the Amazon basin and the Pacific coast, to the dry deserts of the Guajira peninsular and the flatlands of the Orinoco basin. Colombia is also a modern and dynamic nation, with good infrastructure and excellent human capital. A mixture of races and cultural backgrounds amongst its people has resulted in a country rich in tradition, particularly cheerful, welcoming and passionate.
Some facts about Colombia
Our country is located in the middle of American continent that gives us a strategic geographical position. This location allows it to be the gateway to South America and have connection points to the rest of America, Asia, Africa and Europe. Colombia is part of the new emerging economic group of the world. They are call CIVET. The country ranks first place in amphibians, butterflies and flower production and second place in biodiversity in the world with a variety of 1,865 bird species. The Colombians are lovers of culture. Proof of this are the hundreds of activities and cultural events thought the year: Iberoamerican Theater Festival in Bogota, the Film Festival in Cartagena de Indias, the Manizales Theater Festival, the Barranquilla ´s Carnival of arts and the Medellín Festival of Poetry. The Colombian cuisine is as varied as our regions, the result of ethnic and cultural contributions of indigenous, Spanish, African and Arab. We produce the smoothest coffee in the world Colombia has hosted over the last 10 years more than 490 international events including the World Economic Forum Latin America 2010, the 50 InterAmerican Development Bank Assembly 2009, FIFA World Cup U-20 2011, Global Development Network 2011
Visas Nationals of the following countries do not need visa to enter as a tourist and stay up to 90 days. Andorra Australia Brabados Bolivia Costa Rica Czech Republic Dominica El Salvador Germany Guatemala Hong Kong Indonesia Jamaica Liechtenstein Malaysia Monaco Norway Peru Rumania Slovakia St. Lucia Switzerland United Kingdom Venezuela
Antigua and Barbuda Austria Belgium Brazil Croatia Chile Dominican Republic Finland Granada Guyana Hungary Israel Japan Lithuania Malta Netherlands Panama Philippines San Marino Spain St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States of America
Argentina Bahamas Belice Canada Cyprus Denmark Ecuador France Greece Honduras Iceland Italy Korea Luxembourg Mexico New Zeland Paraguay Portugal Singapore St Kiits and Nevis Sweden Turkey Uruguay
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Countries with visa exemption whose nationals are given visitor permits by Colombian consulates: Armenia Bhutan Burundi Chad Eritrea Gabon Guinea Bissau Kirghizstan Madagascar Marshall Is Moldova Nauru Palau Samoa Slovenia Tajikistan Turkmenistan Zimbabwe
Azerbaijan Botswana Cameroon Comoro Is Estonia Gambia India Kiribati Malawi Mauritania Mongolia Nepal Papua N. Guinea Sao Tome e Principe Salomon Is Timor – Leste Tuvalu
Bangladesh Brunei-Darussalam Cape Verde Congo Ethiopia Ghana Ivory Coast Lesotho Maldive Is Mauritius Morocco Nicaragua Poland Senegal Swaziland Togo Vanuatu
Benin Burkina-Faso Central African Republic Equatorial Guinea Fiji Guinea Kenya Lettland Mali Micronesia Namibia Niger Rwanda Seychelles Tanzania Tonga Zambia
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Did you know that Bogotá…
Has the same number of inhabitants that Colombia had in 1938: 8 Million people. Hides a pre-Columbian treasure. The Gold Museum has 34,000 pieces of pre-Columbian gold jewelry, the world's largest collection of its kind. Has 1,066,643 trees that release about 126 million kilos of oxygen per day. Offers 2,500 restaurants and over 250 other places, between bars and nightclubs in six different areas of the city Plannign on bringing back lots of presents?: you have over 100 shopping malls where you will find from international couture to 100% Colombian handcrafts. It is the Athens of South America, Iberoamerican Culture Capital, World Book Capital and has over 120 museums and 90 art galleries as well as the best network of public libraries in Colombia and the region. It has the longest bikeway in Latin America complemented with 300 kms on Sundays / holidays by 120 km of bikeways from the main roads of the city. It is your gateway (only 2 hours) by plane to one of the hidden jewels of the Caribbean: Cartagena de Indias
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Yes, Bogota is, for better and for worse, one of the best kept dazzling secrets of the continent. The ones that visit the city will be compensated by the surprise of a voluptuous city, surrounded by green hills, with colors and changing climates. And like any capital of the world you will find everything you need from the most sophisticated perfume to the legendary and magical potions of the Amazon Indians. Alejandro Saldivar, Journalist. AIESEC Colombia, the Bogotá Convention Bureau and Proexport Colombia (country's TPO, in charge of Promoting exports, foreign investment and tourism) welcomes you to this city, Bogotá, a cosmopolitan city that surprises all visitors and that is looking forward to host the 65 AIESEC Congress 2013 to give participants an event they will never forget. Welcome to the city that is 2,600 meters closer to the stars.
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Why should Bogotá host the 65 AIESEC International Congress 2013? We give you 5 reasons 1. The perfect Host: AIESEC Colombia Some facts:
53 Years in Colombia. Top 12 countries in the international Network. In 2013 we will be celebrating our 55th anniversary. Reserves: 30.000 USD (Excellent partnership with the bank, we have easy access to credits). We have never hosted an AIESEC Congress
2. Ideal Venue: Crowne Plaza Tequendama Hotel Set in the heart of the business district, within minutes of the area's biggest companies, the historic center of the city “La Candelaria”, the best Museums of the City (Gold Museum and National Museum) and at just 20 minutes from the international airport ElDorado the Crowne Plaza Tequendama Hotel welcomes all the participants for the AIESEC Congress 2013. The hotel counts with 32 elegant meeting rooms with capacity up to 1.500 people, 850 covered parking spaces and up 578 rooms. Due to its location participants will find a Transmilenio station at just 5 minutes walking distance that will connect them not only to the airport but to the north part of the city and the city center.
The Crowne Plaza Tequendama Hotel is the perfect venue for international events. That is why many international associations have chosen it as the official venue and hotel for their events. The Latin American International Road Federation Congress, the Global Development Network Conference, the International Writers Encounter “Matilde Espinoza” among others, are just a few examples of the experience of the hotel in hosting international events.
3. Bogotá counts with world class connectivity: Its privileged location provides direct flights connections with the main cities in the world making Bogota the strategic option in the hemisphere. Bogota has 457 direct weekly flights to different cities of the world.
City Atlanta Aruba Barcelona Buenos Aires Caracas Curacao Fort Lauderdale Frankfurt Guayaquil
Time 5 hr. 30 min 1 hr. 45 min 11 hr. 6 hr. 10 min 50 min. 1 hr. 50 min. 3 hr. 30 min 11 hr. 30 min. 2 hr.
City Habana Houston Lima Los Ángeles Madrid México D.F. Miami New York Orlando
Time 2 hr. 30 min. 5 hr. 3 hr. 11 hr. 13 hr. 4 hr. 20 min. 4 hr. 40 min. 5 hr. 30 min. 3 hr. 40 min
City Panamá City Punta Cana París Quito Rio de Janeiro San José de Costa Rica Sao Paulo Santiago de Chile Toronto
Time 1 hr. 30 min. 2 hr. 40 min. 11 hr. 30 min 1 hr. 30 min. 3 hr. 50 min. 1 hr. 45 min. 3 hr. 50 min. 5 hr. 7 hr. 10 min
In addition to this, 23 airlines fly to Bogota: Air Canadá
Lufthansa
Aerolíneas Argentinas
Air France
Lan Airlines
Dutch Antilles Express
Avianca – TACA
Varig
TAM
Aeroméxico
Iberia
Aerogal
Copa Airlines
Spirit Airlines
American Airlines
JetBlue Airlines
Delta Airlines
Continetal Airlines
Singapore Airlines Emirates Airlines
Lasca Mexicana de Aviación
Cubana de Aviación
Regarding national connectivity, the city has 1651 flight frequencies to various domestic destinations such as Medellin, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, Cali, Barranquilla and so on.
National Bucaramanga Barranquilla Cali Medellín Pereira Santa Marta San Andrés Cartagena
Destinations 1 Hora 1 hr 25 min 50 min 30 min 50 min 1 hr 25 min 2 hr 1 hr. 20 min
TransMilenio, the pride of Bogotá TransMilenio is a mass transit system with its own carriageways, which came into service in 2001. It uses twoor three-module “bendy-buses”. This system is an example, not only for the improvement of the traffic system, but also to help control climate change, since it works on diesel, and produces less than half the nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emitted by the former generation of buses. The TransMilenio model has been adopted by 12 other cities around the world including Mexico, Jakarta and Ahmedabad (India). Its efficiency is recognized by major public and private organizations including the United Nations.
Nowadays Transmilenio is expanding through the city. Currently the government is building the Tranmilenio line that will connect the airport with the city center among other lines that will increase mobility around the city. One of the stations of these new lines will be close to the Convention Center. In the last 10 years of Transmilenio… -
Has Has Has Has
107 stations 1,215 buses 84 km of roads exclusively for use of the buses traveled for 5.73 million kilometers and has reduce the
emission of carbonic gas in 1,671,045 tons
Given the Avianca coverage nationally and internationally and as a member of the Bogota Convention Bureau, this important airline is willing to work with us as the official airline for the AIESEC Congress 2013. Avianca has direct flights to and from: Aruba, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Ciudad de México, Ciudad de Panamá, Curazao, Fort Lauderdale, Guayaquil, Lima, Los Ángeles, Madrid, Miami, Nueva York, Punta Cana, Quito, San Salvador, Santiago, Santo Domingo, São Paulo, Valencia y Washington. Benefits for Organizers: 1. Promotion of the event in different points of sales and different bases of Avianca with material provide by the event organizers. 2. Design of E-Cards, with the benefits of Avianca to participants. They will be send by organizers to its database 3. Promotion of the event in Avianca.com event. 4. Preferential rates on mailings (national, international and cargo). 5. Location of a service point in the venue where attendees can confirm flights, make changes, make inquiries, buy tickets and tour packages, among others. 6. Exemption from charges for excess baggage. 7. Tickets with special discounts on the value of the air fare on routes operated by Avianca.
Benefits for Participants: Discounts to participants of the event upon presentation of registration or event invitation. This discount applies to the different sales channels except internet. Applied to the routes operated by Avianca. NATIONAL FLIGHTS Cabina Ejecutiva Turística
Descuento 20% 15%
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS Cabina Económica 8%
Cabina Ejecutiva 10%
Centroamérica (Panamá, San José de Costa Rica, El Salvador y México) Caribe (Aruba, Curazao y Santo Domingo)
15% 15%
15% 15%
Norteamérica (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, New York y Washington)
10%
15%
Pacto Andino (Quito, Caracas, Valencia, Guayaquil y Lima) Cono Sur (Buenos Aires y Santiago de Chile) Cono Sur (São Paulo)
10% 10% 8%
15% 10% 4%
Origen Europa (Madrid, Barcelona)
4. Colombia, the perfect destination for the Study Tour Bogotá and Amazonas, the perfect combination for a one time experience
From the best of culture to the renowned shopping malls to a tour of urban art in the city, Bogotá is a destination that offers something for everyone. History, Culture, Gastronomy, Nightlife, Shopping, Golf, Bogota and its surrounding area are just some of the activities you can enjoy during your stay in the city. Combine a two days in Bogotá with a direct flight to Leticia, capital of el Amazonas deparment to have a unique conection with mother nature. With the largest tropical rainforest and the most copious river in the world, the Amazonas Jungle we share with our neighbors is another of Colombia’s treasures. It is a prodigious place, not only for the aboriginal people that inhabit it and the sheer size of the river, but also for the life it spawns and nurtures on land and water. What you can´t miss in Bogotá:
What you can´t miss in Amazonas:
Andrés Carne de Rés, where the magic comes true. Gold Museum, one of the largest precolonial gold collection in the world. Monserrate, a mountain in the heart of the city with a perfect view of it.
Monkey Island, where you will find them in their own home. Amacayacu National Park, a perfect place to get in touch woth nature. Enjoy in the Tarapoto Lagoon a one of a kind dolphing, the pink dophing from the Amazon.
Medellín and the Coffee Triangle, discover the land of eternal spring and the best coffee in the world
Due to the warmth and friendliness of its people, the year-round spring-like weather, and its gorgeous flowers and mountains, Medellín attracts like a magnet. As a city with a great gastronomic, commercial and tourist offer, it provides countless opportunities for AIESEC Study Tours. Pretty close to the beautiful city of Medellín you will find the Departments of Caldas, Quindío and Risaralda that are known as the Coffee Triangle, and they produce the best coffee in the world. All of this came from the modest, hard-working and thrusting mule –drivers from Antioquia, challenged and protected by the mountains, the creators of the coffee culture which now reigns in all three Departments. The Coffee Triangle is prosperous and generous. It seduces the visitor with the aroma of the coffee plantations and the delights of its scenery. What you can´t miss in Medellín: A trip on Metrocable, the only two cablecar systems linked to a Metro in the world. Culture Walks, Go round the Museum of Antioquia and Plaza Botero (where the sculptor exhibits his work) in the city center and see Parque Explora.
What you can´t miss in Coffee Triangle: Visit the Coffee Theme Park. Explore the traditional Coffee Haciendas and colect the best coffee of the world. Bird Watching at the Coffee Triangle mountains.
Cartagena and Santa Marta, a caribean experience.
The magic of Cartagena lies in its massive fortifications, the warmth of the people, the richness of the architecture and the infinite range of cultural expression of a doughty and valiant people. The city is full of romance, and there is the setting for many a tale of times past in every street and square, and along the walls that bound it, waiting for the sunset to evoke past struggles. On the other hand Santa Marta and all its surroundings are full of indescribable magic. To begin with, Santa Marta is the oldest city in South America and holds an unrivalled architectural heritage that evokes the times of the banana bonanza. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is home to a unique and complex network of ecosystems and guards archaeological remains of the Tayrona culture in sites like Pueblito and Ciudad Perdida, with their enigmatic terraces and perfectly designed roads.
What you can´t miss in Cartagena:
What you can´t miss in Santa Marta:
Visit the San Felipe Castel to take a trip to the colonial time.
Visit to the Tayrona National Park
Have a nice walk in the historic center and fortifications. Enjoy the best of gastronomie in one of the many plaza of the city.
Have a one of a time encounter with Kogis indigineus in “Ciudad Perdida” Visit the historic house where Bolivar spend his last few days. Quinta de San Pedro Alejandria.
5. Your event will be sustainable
In Bogotá, we care about the environment, which is why we work together in order to achieve what we call green events and be responsible with our planet. A green event incorporates environmental considerations to minimize its negative impact on the environment, this is very important not only because the future of our planet is in our hands but also because it can bring economic benefits in the organization of the events. Yes, is a reality, we can save money by being green, while we act responsibly with the planet.
With this initiative, AIESEC Colombia, would like to start a trend from now on, so that AIESEC can go further on by having an impact not only in the participants of the event but in the host destination by leaving a green footprint. This is an invitation to join efforts so that we can host in Bogotá – Colombia the first AIESEC Green Congress 2013.
Offset what we can Compensate what we can´t Welcome to the city that is 2.600 mt closer to the stars