DON'T FORGET: "ENJOY COLOMBIA, TRAVEL BY THE COUNTRY"
Bogotá, October 11 (CNE) - Starting from today, and during the whole weekend, Colombians don't have an excuse to rest. Either by bus, car or any other means of transportation, everybody is able to make tourism through the principal highways of the country.
"Enjoy Colombia, travel by the country" is a campaign of the National Government that pretends to encourage citizens to enjoy the beautiful landscapes and traditional tourist places of the country with no risks.
To accomplish this objective, hundreds of policemen, personnel from the Army and Civil Defense, and the rest of military and civil authorities, will vigil over the security and comfort of Colombians while traveling by land.
The highways of the Atlantic Coast, Coffee Axis, el Valle (Valley), Cundinamarca, and other regions, will be protected specially to foment tourism and, perhaps, employment generation.
The Commerce Minister, Jorge Botero, affirmed that Colombia's tourism has been seriously affected by the insecurity on roads. "That is why the Government is fomenting the mobilization of citizens to all tourist places," he said.
The Development Vice-Minister, Carlos Zarruk, pointed out that the Government's intention is to organize tourist convoys that travel along the roads. "We pretend to bind tourist development with the Democratic Security Program," he explained.
The Defense Minister, Martha Ramírez, assured that approximately 15 thousand policemen belonging to the Police of Highways and to the Metropolitan and Departmental Commandos, will be destined to face possible terrorist attacks, sabotages or massive kidnappings on different routes.
Special units of rural anti-terrorism, judicial police, intelligence, and emergency attentions will also reinforce Colombia's highways. The Minister underscored that aerial services (through helicopters and planes) will coordinate the convoys' vigilance.
The President of the Hotel Corporation of Colombia, Jaime Cabal, explained that this measurement will foment tourist development and, perhaps, motivate Colombians to travel with tranquility and confidence through the country.
Cabal assured that the demands of hotels in cities like Santa Martha could be of 90% during this weekend. Moreover, he said the tourists could receive a 50% discount on accommodation rates.
The convoys of "Enjoy Colombia" will travel by the following routes:
- Medellín-Riosucio-Pereira-Armenia
- Ibagué-Armenia
- Cali-Armenia
- Riohacha-Santa Marta
- Sincelejo-Cartagena-Barranquilla-Ciénaga-Santa Marta
- Valledupar-Ciénaga-Santa Marta.
ARMENIA: EPICENTER OF TOURISM
Armenia is ready to be the epicenter of tourism during this weekend.
According to Mario Londoño, the city's Mayer, Armenia's habitants are prepared to receive hundreds of tourists from all regions of the country.
Two of the chosen routes have their encountering points in Armenia. The first "Enjoy Colombia" convoy will part from Medellín on Saturday at 6:00 a.m., and will arrive to the capital of Quindío at 1:00 p.m. All tourists will meet at that time on Cuyabra Fonda, in front of the Quimbaya Museum. The second convoy will part from San Francisco Square, in Cali, at 9:30 a.m., and will also arrive to Armenia at 1:00 p.m.
Londoño manifested that businessmen prepared the following tourist programs to Colombians: Quindiana Fonda, Park of Coffee, National Park of Agricultural Culture, and two new country hotels. Moreover, he mentioned that, during the weekend, the different coffee restaurants, parks, and farms will offer visitors the best of the Coffee Axis.
SANTA MARTHA, WITHIN EVERYONE'S REACH
Important hotels of Santa Martha will offer great discounts on accommodation rates during this weekend. Luz Durán, Director of the Tourist Company of the city, manifested that, with musical and folklore groups, regional videos, and gastronomic, tropical, and handcrafted samples, the city will salute the members of the convoys.
The Caribbean Highway counts with three routes:
1. Sincelejo-Cartagena-Barranquilla-Ciénaga-Santa Marta.
The first encountering point will be on Sincelejo, Sucre, at 6:00 a.m. The convoy will arrive to the Clock Tower of Cartagena at 9:30 a.m., then to the Makro Market of Barranquilla at 11:30 a.m., next, to the principal park of Ciénaga at 1:00 p.m., and finally, to the Rodrígo de Batillas Ridge, Santa Martha, at 1:30 p.m.
2. Riohacha-Santa Marta.
The encountering point of the "Enjoy Colombia" convoy is on the Simón Bolívar Park of Riohacha at 11:30 a.m.
3. Valledupar-Vía Fundación-Ciénaga-Santa Marta.
This route's convoy meets at the Government of Cesar at 11:00 a.m.
At 11:30 a.m., all convoys will meet at the Rodrígo de Bastidas Ridge. The welcome party will begin at this time, as well as the celebration for tourism and the national roads' security.
