A French national was killed and at least five people wounded Saturday when an explosion rocked an upscale Bogota mall, the mayor said.
"This cowardly terrorist attack at the Centro Andino mall is deeply distressing," Mayor Enrique Penalosa said, without giving details on the blast or who may have been behind it.
A French national, a woman, was killed, he said.
President Juan Manuel Santos condemned the attack and ordered National Police chief General Jorge Nieto to investigate.
Police said an explosion tore through a restroom area of the mall, crowded with shoppers ahead of Father's Day, in an upscale area of the Colombian capital that is popular with foreign nationals.
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Showing posts with label Juan Manuel Santos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Juan Manuel Santos. Show all posts
Monday, 19 June 2017
Saturday, 17 June 2017
SAMOA: Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi Appointed Special Ambassador Of The International Year Of Sustainable Tourism For Development By UNWTO
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has appointed the Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi,
as Special Ambassador of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism 2017.
The ceremony took place in New York on the 7th of June on the side-lines of the UN Ocean Conference, where among other activities the Prime Minister addressed participants on the value of tourism to sustainably advance the blue economy.
“The designation of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development was due to the recognition by the United Nations of the potential of the tourism sector to contribute to the fight against poverty, to help curb climate change, promote gender equality and foster mutual understanding and peace amongst diverse cultures” said the Prime Minister.
“Tourism is a sector that is vital to the livelihoods of our people and touches all the three dimensions of sustainable
development, the social, economic and environmental aspects.
As a people-to-people activity, it has helped and continues to contribute to the revitalization of our culture,customs and traditional crafts, and plays a pivotal role in the preservation of our cultural heritage and is a force that promotes peace and understanding” he added.
“The International Year is a unique opportunity to promote common action and enhance the power of tourism to build a better world. We thank Samoa for leading the initiative for the adoption of the UN resolution declaring the International Year and for its sustained, exemplary contribution in promoting the value of our sector towards the achievement of the 2030 Development Agenda, particularly for the Small Islands Developing States (SIDS)” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.
The Special Ambassadors of the Year are leaders and prominent personalities committed to promote the role and contribution of tourism in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda.
While tourism is included in three of the SDGs – SDG 8:‘Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all’; SDG 12: ‘Sustainable Consumption and Production’ and SDG 14: ‘Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development’, it can advance all 17 SDGs.
The Ocean Conference was an opportunity to highlight how tourism can effectively contribute to Goal 14. UNWTO joined
the World Bank and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) to discuss and launch the report.
‘The Potential of the Blue Economy: Increasing Longterm Benefits of the Sustainable Use of Marine Resources for Small Island Developing States and Coastal Least Developed Countries’.
UNWTO was also co-organizing a Side Event on the “European Union tourism committed to Blue Growth” on the 8 June with DG MARE and NECstour. Coastal and Maritime Tourism is one of the key sectors of the European Union Blue Growth Strategy with a high potential for sustainable jobs and growth.
Tourism employs over 3.2 million people and generates a total of 183 billion Euros in gross value added, representing over one third of the maritime economy.
The universal dimension of the SDGs provides the EU regions with the opportunity to show leadership and share best practices to extend and scale up their Blue Growth strategy in other parts of the world, and in particular through their island territories in SIDS regions.
Special Ambassadors of the International Year of Sustainable
Tourism for Development:
- Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Samoa
- Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia
- Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera, President of Costa Rica
- Mai bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa, President of the Bahrain
Authority for Culture and Antiquities
- Simeon II of Bulgaria
- Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman of the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh
Organization
- Huayong Ge, CEO of UnionPay
- Michael Frenzel, President of the Federal Association of
the German Tourism Industry
as Special Ambassador of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism 2017.
The ceremony took place in New York on the 7th of June on the side-lines of the UN Ocean Conference, where among other activities the Prime Minister addressed participants on the value of tourism to sustainably advance the blue economy.
“The designation of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development was due to the recognition by the United Nations of the potential of the tourism sector to contribute to the fight against poverty, to help curb climate change, promote gender equality and foster mutual understanding and peace amongst diverse cultures” said the Prime Minister.
“Tourism is a sector that is vital to the livelihoods of our people and touches all the three dimensions of sustainable
development, the social, economic and environmental aspects.
As a people-to-people activity, it has helped and continues to contribute to the revitalization of our culture,customs and traditional crafts, and plays a pivotal role in the preservation of our cultural heritage and is a force that promotes peace and understanding” he added.
“The International Year is a unique opportunity to promote common action and enhance the power of tourism to build a better world. We thank Samoa for leading the initiative for the adoption of the UN resolution declaring the International Year and for its sustained, exemplary contribution in promoting the value of our sector towards the achievement of the 2030 Development Agenda, particularly for the Small Islands Developing States (SIDS)” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.
The Special Ambassadors of the Year are leaders and prominent personalities committed to promote the role and contribution of tourism in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda.
While tourism is included in three of the SDGs – SDG 8:‘Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all’; SDG 12: ‘Sustainable Consumption and Production’ and SDG 14: ‘Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development’, it can advance all 17 SDGs.
The Ocean Conference was an opportunity to highlight how tourism can effectively contribute to Goal 14. UNWTO joined
the World Bank and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) to discuss and launch the report.
‘The Potential of the Blue Economy: Increasing Longterm Benefits of the Sustainable Use of Marine Resources for Small Island Developing States and Coastal Least Developed Countries’.
UNWTO was also co-organizing a Side Event on the “European Union tourism committed to Blue Growth” on the 8 June with DG MARE and NECstour. Coastal and Maritime Tourism is one of the key sectors of the European Union Blue Growth Strategy with a high potential for sustainable jobs and growth.
Tourism employs over 3.2 million people and generates a total of 183 billion Euros in gross value added, representing over one third of the maritime economy.
The universal dimension of the SDGs provides the EU regions with the opportunity to show leadership and share best practices to extend and scale up their Blue Growth strategy in other parts of the world, and in particular through their island territories in SIDS regions.
Special Ambassadors of the International Year of Sustainable
Tourism for Development:
- Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Samoa
- Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia
- Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera, President of Costa Rica
- Mai bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa, President of the Bahrain
Authority for Culture and Antiquities
- Simeon II of Bulgaria
- Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman of the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh
Organization
- Huayong Ge, CEO of UnionPay
- Michael Frenzel, President of the Federal Association of
the German Tourism Industry
Saturday, 22 April 2017
COLOMBIA: Tourist Arrivalas Doubled In Last 6 Years
The amount of tourists visiting Colombia almost doubled since 2010, according to the Administrative Department of National Statistics (DANE).
DANE reported that the number of foreigners and Colombians living abroad visiting the Andean country rose from 2.6 million in 2010 to 5.09 million in 2016.
Bogota claimed almost half of last years visitors, with 46.8% of travelers visiting the capital. The Atlantic region was found to be the second most popular destination, offering plenty of beaches and port towns, including Cartagena, known for its UNESCO world heritage fortress and old town.
The region of Antioquia came third, while also showing the highest growth in tourism, increasing on 2015’s numbers by 24%. This was attributed to the four distinct components available for tourists: nature, culture, patrimony and events.
Tourism is fast becoming a pillar of Colombia’s economy, sustaining a growing numbers of travel and adventure companies as well as hotel and restaurant businesses.
Spurred on by the sector’s dramatic growth, the government has launched the “100 actions in 500 days” initiative.
The program seeks to employ strategies that will make Colombia the most desirable destination in South America, focusing on eight core ideals that include training, education and infrastructure, according to El Espectador.
Security will also be a focus of the initiative, as Colombia’s police division dedicated to tourism will grow from 918 officers to 1300 by the end of 2017.
The ongoing peace process between Colombia’s government and the Marxist-inspired FARC rebels has received a lot of positive publicity in the international media over the past year or so.
Last year President Juan Manuel Santos was recognized for his work by being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which put Colombia’s drive for peace further in the spotlight.
A host of international diplomats have visited the South American country over the course of the process and this year Colombia welcomed the presidents of France and Ireland, publicizing further that security is improving and it is a viable destination for travelers.
Colombia received more than 2.5 million foreign visitors in 2016, a 13% increase compared to the year before, according to the country’s Trade Ministry.
Visitors from the United States topped the list of visiting foreign nationals. The country brought nearly half a million visitors to the South American country.
Almost 400,000 Europeans, 350,000 Venezuelans and 180,000 Brazilians visited Colombia last year.
The majority of visitors, 58.5%, was male. However, as the country’s tourism offer slowly but surely diversifies, female foreign visitors grew as much as 16.6%.
This diversification was also regionally evident. Until last year, Bogota received more than half of the visitors. The capital city’s share as tourist recipient dropped to 46.8%.
The big winner was the Caribbean Bolivar province, home of tourist hotspot Cartagena, which saw its share rise to 14.2% of visits.
Antioquia, the province around Medellin, received 13.2% of the foreigners.
The vast majority of visitors came to Colombia for vacation. Corporate tourism dropped 1.1% while visitors coming to Colombia for medical procedures boomed with 37.6% more visitors than in 2015.
While tourism boomed, employment in the tourism sector did the opposite, it dropped 1.5 percentage point from 3.6% of all employment to a meager 2.2%.
DANE reported that the number of foreigners and Colombians living abroad visiting the Andean country rose from 2.6 million in 2010 to 5.09 million in 2016.
Bogota claimed almost half of last years visitors, with 46.8% of travelers visiting the capital. The Atlantic region was found to be the second most popular destination, offering plenty of beaches and port towns, including Cartagena, known for its UNESCO world heritage fortress and old town.
The region of Antioquia came third, while also showing the highest growth in tourism, increasing on 2015’s numbers by 24%. This was attributed to the four distinct components available for tourists: nature, culture, patrimony and events.
Tourism is fast becoming a pillar of Colombia’s economy, sustaining a growing numbers of travel and adventure companies as well as hotel and restaurant businesses.
Spurred on by the sector’s dramatic growth, the government has launched the “100 actions in 500 days” initiative.
The program seeks to employ strategies that will make Colombia the most desirable destination in South America, focusing on eight core ideals that include training, education and infrastructure, according to El Espectador.
Security will also be a focus of the initiative, as Colombia’s police division dedicated to tourism will grow from 918 officers to 1300 by the end of 2017.
The ongoing peace process between Colombia’s government and the Marxist-inspired FARC rebels has received a lot of positive publicity in the international media over the past year or so.
Last year President Juan Manuel Santos was recognized for his work by being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which put Colombia’s drive for peace further in the spotlight.
A host of international diplomats have visited the South American country over the course of the process and this year Colombia welcomed the presidents of France and Ireland, publicizing further that security is improving and it is a viable destination for travelers.
Colombia received more than 2.5 million foreign visitors in 2016, a 13% increase compared to the year before, according to the country’s Trade Ministry.
Visitors from the United States topped the list of visiting foreign nationals. The country brought nearly half a million visitors to the South American country.
Almost 400,000 Europeans, 350,000 Venezuelans and 180,000 Brazilians visited Colombia last year.
The majority of visitors, 58.5%, was male. However, as the country’s tourism offer slowly but surely diversifies, female foreign visitors grew as much as 16.6%.
This diversification was also regionally evident. Until last year, Bogota received more than half of the visitors. The capital city’s share as tourist recipient dropped to 46.8%.
The big winner was the Caribbean Bolivar province, home of tourist hotspot Cartagena, which saw its share rise to 14.2% of visits.
Antioquia, the province around Medellin, received 13.2% of the foreigners.
The vast majority of visitors came to Colombia for vacation. Corporate tourism dropped 1.1% while visitors coming to Colombia for medical procedures boomed with 37.6% more visitors than in 2015.
While tourism boomed, employment in the tourism sector did the opposite, it dropped 1.5 percentage point from 3.6% of all employment to a meager 2.2%.
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