As globalisation takes over in most industries – a phenomenon to which tourism is no stranger – it is fundamental to connect people to what is really important and unique about a place: Its culture, the idiosyncrasies of its people, the traditional food. One should even go further and show international travellers how local people live, what their views are and what their day-by-day existence is like.

Local Travel is not about a trend or a marketing strategy; rather, it is about generating value from what it is present right here right now and showing with great pride that each of us has a personal way of doing things, of thinking. It’s about demonstrating that our views, although perhaps similar to those of people in other regions, are unique and diverse.

Local Travel should also bring long-term social development, in the short term, to the people and geographical areas where tourism activities take place. This is only achievable when you use your comparative and competitive advantages and bring people to experience the special characteristics and factors of place that can be found in the place.

For that reason, we at Colombia Quest are very fond of working with the kinds of people who are committed to making a change (to bringing together and building a better society) but, too often, go unacknowledged. These people are the everyday citizens, the farmers and the culture generators.

There are way too many examples to mention, but you can check out the following websites to get a better idea of what’s cooking in Colombia, South America: Fundación Yo Creo en Colombia, The Colombian Connection Project and Heart For Change. We work closely on long-term, positive, high-impact developments that start with the fundamentals to change people’s perceptions about Colombia. From there we work our way up.

Nowadays and in the near future we will see the rapid growth of people looking for unique experiences. As the world is now more connected than ever and nations talk about integration and regional alliances, it is crucial that we express to the world how special our destinations, our people and our cultures and traditions are and how they can contribute to creating a more informed and real perception of the world that lies before us.

Colombia needs travellers with a broad and open vision, who can accelerate the process of improving the international image and reputation that is present today. This is only possible when you convince people to seek out something more than just a standard tourist experience.

Learn more about Colombia Quest