In 2007 the Colombian Government adopted an official strategy of positioning Colombia as a world-class Business destination for large scale events, congresses and conventions. It boasts excellent facilities and offers a modern infrastructure of international airports, luxurious hotels, extensive road and transport systems and good public areas for recreation and entertainment.

Bogota is the capital of Colombia, it has a population of approximately 7 million, an area of 1,587 square kilometers (612.74 sq. miles) and an average daily temperature which ranges from 9 to 22 degrees Celsius (48.2 and 71.6°F.) After La Paz (Bolivia) and Quito (Ecuador) it is the third highest elevated, major city in the world. Located in the central region of the country it is 2,640 meters above sea level, on a plateau of the Eastern mountain range of The Andes.

31% of the country’s meeting space is located in Bogota which has 62 convention and meetings facilities. The city hosts more than 20 international fairs each year and is home to the three Convention Centres:

• The ‘Corferias’, which is the country’s main fair and convention site and offers a total covered exhibition area of 62,500 square metres as well as 15,000 square metres of open area. It has 22 pavilions, several meeting rooms and the main hall can accommodate up to 8,000 people. A recent study carried out by Fedesarrollo (Colombian think-tank) stated that Corferias’s business tourism benefited the local economy the equivalent of 1.3 per cent of Bogota’s gross domestic product. Future plans by the company are a new pavilion of 15,000 square metres of indoor exhibition space which will bring the total to 77,500 square metres and make it the biggest individual pavilion in Latin America.
• The ‘Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada Convention Centre’ located in the financial district which enjoys easy access to luxury hotels, international banks, museums and shopping malls. The Conquistadores great hall may be divided in to three sections and has an auditorium with a capacity for 2,250 people.
• The ‘Compensar Convention Centre’ home to a 360 seat theatre.

There are also excellent and unique venues in which to hold events:

• The Bull Ring Plaza which has a capacity to hold 18,000 people, it’s a stunning Moorish style venue which opened in 1931
• The National Museum contained within a late 19th Century fortress which also served as the city jail during Colonial times can welcome 350 in its auditorium.
• The ‘Museo de Oro’ (Gold Museum) houses $200 million of gold and when the refurbishment is finished later this year will offer space for exhibitions and private functions

First rate hotels with excellent meeting facilities are in abundance in Bogota, there are currently 4324 rooms in the luxury and deluxe category with a further 1400 more beds promised by 2010:

• 2009 sees Hilton Hotels return to Bogota after 17 years absence when the 245 room $270 Hilton Bogota opens
• Marriot Hotels will open 2 new properties in 2009, the Marriott Bogota with 264 beds and the Bogota Marriott with 239 beds
• Madrid based NJ Hotels also have two hotels in the pipeline, the 140 bed ‘Parque de la 93’ for 2009 and in 2010 the 256 bed ‘NH Capital Towers
• ‘Sonesta Bogota’ a 127 hotel will open in 2010

There are over 30 golf courses in the Bogota region offering a more informal meeting facility for movers and shakers! There is a plethora of excellent and sophisticated restaurants offering international and national cuisine of premier standard. Groups can enjoy a superb view of the City from a choice of restaurants at the tip of Monserrate hill and enjoy the ride there and back in the funicular cable car!

Finally Colombia is the fourth largest country in South America and a major producer of gold, silver, emeralds, platinum and coal – don’t forget shopping as a pre or post event activity, there really is something for everyone to take home as a souvenir of their trip!