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Agents tapped their feet to the tango and swung to the rhythm of salsa dancers while savouring fine South American wines – it was all part of the annual South American Roadshows that began last night with a lavish event at the trendy Ivy Ballroom in Sydney.
It was the third consecutive year for the event, but Colombia joined in for the first time with Chile and Argentina, hoping to cash in on the growing number of Australians now travelling to South America. Representatives of tourist boards from the three Republics and 32 South American exhibitors were on a blitz to educate agents and wholesalers to help them to become specialists in selling the destinations. They said with a combined nine weekly flights by Qantas and Lan Chile to Santiago, Chile, South America has never been closer than now. “We’ve moved on from the image of the 1980s when Colombia was known for murders, drugs and the mafia,” said Jorge Montero, who represents Tourism Colombia. “We call it the Colombian Comeback and with a total of 10, 363 visitors from Australia last year, we’re hoping to open a tourist office in Sydney next year because we know we can build on those numbers,” he said. Colmobia, he added is full of tradition, colour and festiveness and it’s renowned for its gastronomy and for making the best coffee in the world. Montero said the politically stable country has over 300 beaches, 20 International hotel chains and luxury boutiques and was recently cited by the Wall Street Journal as one of the 31 best places to visit in 2012. “We also have no seasons – no winter, no summer, no spring, no autumn, just 24 degrees year-round. “We have an eternal spring,” he said. The roadshows move to Melbourne tomorrow and Brisbane on Thursday. Pictured from left are:Matt Donavan and Gisel Pacheco (in hats) from Tempo Holidays, Melbourne with Jorge Montero, Tourism Colombia |
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