Colombia Today HTML (Tourism) FINAL 07-11

July 11, 2014
Colombia: Latin America’s Hottest Tourist Destination
With its expansive historical and cultural heritage, beautiful landscapes and great culinary offerings,
Colombia is one of the hottest tourist destinations in Latin America and the world. According to the World
Tourism Organization, the growth of foreign tourism to Colombia in 2012 was 3 percent higher than global
tourism growth (4 percent), at 7 percent. In 2012, the United States, Spain, Venezuela, Ecuador,
Argentina and Peru were the main countries of origin of tourists in Colombia.
Spotted on Saturday, June 28, in Neiva,
Colombia: Actor Will Smith and Singer Marc
Anthony celebrating Colombia’s World Cup win
over Uruguay on June 28. According to El Tiempo,
Anthony brought Smith as a guest while touring
different cities across Colombia.
The famous actor and singer aren’t the only
celebrities traveling to Colombia. The country has
recently been visited by:
• Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain (to film an
episode featuring the country as a top tourist
destination for his CNN television series,
“Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”);
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Photo: Will Smith and Marc Anthony in Neiva, Colombia; Photo Credit: Twitter
Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger;
Microsoft Founder Bill Gates;
Television anchor Anderson Cooper;
Director of “Love in the Time of Cholera” Scott Steindorff;
Socialite Paris Hilton (who recently opened one of her fashion stores in Bogotá); and many more.
In addition, other international superstars and bands, including Beyoncé, Madonna, Lady Gaga and
Aerosmith, have held concerts in Medellín and Bogotá.
For more information, visit: http://www.colombiaemb.org/node/1332
In C a se Y o u M isse d It
World Leaders Attend “Third Way” Summit in Cartagena
On Tuesday, July 1, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos hosted a summit, “The Third Way: The
Path to Economic and Social Prosperity,” in Cartagena with five former heads of state – British Prime
Minister Tony Blair, Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez, U.S. President Bill Clinton, Brazilian
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Chilean
President Ricardo Lagos – who expressed support for the
peace negotiations currently underway in Colombia.
During the summit, President Santos highlighted
Colombia’s progress over the years, stating: “Colombia,
thanks to our progress in these years, is ready to take off
toward new horizons … to be part of major international
decision-making, and to be part, for example, of the
OECD. … Today we have inflation below 3 percent and an
economy that grew 4.7 last year and 6.4 percent in the
first quarter … In the past four years the unemployment
rate has fallen every month, month after month, and have
created two and a half million jobs.”
Photo: Third Way Conference; Photo Credit: Juan Pablo Bello,
Presidencia de la República de Colombia
Colombia’s ‘Los Cafeteros’ Welcomed Home After Success at World Cup
Los Cafeteros during their homecoming parade in Bogotá Photo Credit: Federacion Colombiana de Futbol
After much success in the 2014 FIFA World Cup – winning against Japan, Côte d'Ivoire, Greece and
Uruguay – the Colombia national soccer team, “Los Cafeteros,” was welcomed home by thousands with a
parade in Bogotá on Sunday after losing to Brazil in the quarterfinals last Friday.
While talking to a reporter about the team, President Santos stated: “Well [I] just talked to them, told them
all Colombia is very, very proud of our team. We were very happy, they got very far, we've never gone that
far. They did a great show for the whole world, the whole world is admiring Colombia.”
This was the fifth time, and the first time since the
1998 World Cup in France, that Colombia has
competed in the World Cup.
For more information on Los Cafeteros and the 2014
FIFA World Cup, visit:
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“World Falls for Colombia’s World Cup Dance
Moves,” Colombia Reports, July 7, 2014
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“Colombia World Cup Team Get Epic Greeting
Upon Returning Home From World Cup,”
Bleacher Report, July 6, 2014
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“In Praise of Colombia, the World Cup’s Most
Fun Team,” SBNation.com, July 5, 2014
President Santos and Los Cafeteros coach José Néstor Pekerman
Photo Credit: Andrés Piscov, Presidencia de la República de Colombia
Colombian IndyCar Driver Juan Pablo
Montoya Wins Race at Pocono
On Sunday, July 6, Colombian IndyCar
driver Juan Pablo Montoya won the Pocono
IndyCar 500 race, his first IndyCar win in 14
years.
After racing in Formula One from 2001 to
2006 and NASCAR from 2007 to 2013,
Montoya returned to IndyCar racing this
season. He won the 1999 CART and 2000
Indianapolis 500 races.
Click here for more information.
Photo: Montoya with C olombian fans; Photo Credit: Indycar.com Get to know Colombia.
Learn more at www.colombiaemb.org.