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Press Release
Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) Celebrates the Transforming Destinations of Bogotá and Colombia at its
Annual Convention this September
Tuesday, September 20 – SATW celebrated its 2022 annual convention in Bogotá, Colombia, at the Hilton Bogota Corferias. It was a brilliant choice as the first post-pandemic destination for this distinctive group of travel professionals. Colombia and its capital city, Bogotá, have reinvented themselves into a top travel destination in South America showcasing their history, food, culture, beauty and biodiversity.
“It was heartwarming and exciting for SATW members to be here in Bogotá for our first international convention since the pandemic,” said Elizabeth Harryman Lasley, Immediate Past President of SATW. “We were thrilled to experience the city’s vibrant arts community, its award-winning restaurants, and its internationally trend-setting music. The courage and resilience of Colombia’s people inspired us all, and we’re eager to share what we have learned about this vibrant country with our readers, listeners, viewers, and followers.”
Bogotá stands out for its strategic location with more than 80 air connections within Colombia and the world with direct flights from the U.S. and Canada. Named a UNESCO City of Music, Bogotá showcases 60 annual music festivals and over 500 live music venues. Once maligned, graffiti has turned into colorful street art, and universities, libraries, museums and beautiful churches line the streets.
“Bogotá is a regional benchmark for hosting world-class international events, and this visit by SATW members represents a great opportunity to boost the city's tourist offer, which brings together a large part of the country's experiences in a single place. In our capital, international visitors can find activities that range from ecotourism in our wetlands, the Chingaza National Natural Park, through the entire cultural and gastronomic offer that houses the most emblematic areas of the city and that prove why Colombia is a world power of life”, said Gilberto Salcedo, Vice President of Tourism of ProColombia.
Almost twice the size of Texas, Colombia is the world’s second most biodiverse country with 56,343 species, and it is the leading country in terms of the number of birds, orchids, and palm species. The country features 314 different ecosystems across its six natural regions: Andean, Pacific, Caribbean, Orinoquía, Amazon, and Insular. Twelve percent of Colombia’s land is under preservation. The country is the second largest exporter of flowers in the world, including roses and carnations, and has over 50,000 species of flowers. Over 1,000 miles of coastline, 300 beaches and 1,920 species of birds beckon to those keen on nature, birding, the natural environment and out of doors.
The United States is the main issuer of tourists to Colombia, with a 49.5% share of the total number of international travelers who entered the country in the first half of this year, according to Colombian Migration Services records, with Bogotá being the main destination. “Today, more than 340 direct weekly air frequencies and more than 57,000 seats per week are available between nine Colombian cities and ten cities in the US. Also it is worth saying that the time it takes to fly to Colombia is faster compared to what it takes to travel between the east and west coast, hence one of the key messages that we want to share is that Colombians and Americans are a lot closer than they think”, Salcedo added.
Eighty-six indigenous tribes call Colombia home and 65 languages are spoken. Colombia is also home to famous authors, artists and places, such as the Coffee Cultural region, artist Fernando Botero, writer Gabriel García Márquez, and Cali, the salsa capital of the world.
Exciting pre and post tours explored Colombia, from the coffee region to the Colombian Amazon whereas day tours during the four-day convention dove deep into Bogota’s culture with themes, including the botanical garden, shopping, handicrafts and design, the Route of Hope, bicycle tours, indigenous heritage, cooking classes and more.
During the convention, the new Board of Directors, led by SATW President Kim Foley MacKinnon, took their places. Also, the winners of the 2022 SATW Foundation Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards were announced as well as the winners of the 2022 SATW Phoenix Awards and the 2023 SATW Bill Muster Photo Awards.
More information about Colombia and its social media can be found here:
https://en.investinBogotá.org/BogotáBigIdeas/tourist-activities-Bogotá
https://www.Bogotádc.travel/en/
https://colombia.travel/en
https://www.instagram.com/Bogotádc.travel/
https://www.facebook.com/BogotáDCTravel
MEDIA REQUESTS: For additional information and interviews with SATW President Kim Foley MacKinnon, contact SATW’s External Communications Manager, Victoria Larson, victoria@vklarsoncommunications.com. For information about SATW and its membership, contact SATW Executive Director Marla Schrager, mschrager@satw.org.
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