If there's a country poised to be the next
big "Ecotourism" destination, it's Colombia. With an area equal to that of Spain, France, and Portugal
combined, Colombia has coastlines on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, thick Amazon jungle, immense flat lands evoking the
American planes, scorching deserts, and snow-capped mountain peaks. All that plus 45 million residents mean that Colombia
is second only to Brazil in "ecological" and human diversity among South American countries.
Once considered the most dangerous country in the world, Colombia, having implemented "security improvements"
over the last half-decade, is slowly emerging from the internecine bloodshed of the 1980s and 1990s. Indeed, it's
entering an era of peace never before experienced by the country's younger generations. The homicide rates
in many Colombian cities, once among the highest in the world, have fallento levels similar to those of U.S. cities
such as Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Since President Alvaro Uribe took office in 2002, political kidnappings have
decreased by over 70% and a strong military and police presence have made land transportation reasonably safe again.
Thanks to this improving security situation, Colombia is a country ripe
for discovery by foreign tourists. Though politically one nation, it is made up of three (3) distinct regions,
each with its own customs and traditions.
•
The 'Atlantic and Pacific' coasts, inhabited mostly by descendents of African slaves, are culturally linked to the
Caribbean, and rich in musical tradition and spectacular tropical scenery.
• The 'Central" and most densely populated portion
of the country, crowned by the Andes Mountains, has managed to grow and prosper despite it unforgiving terrain. Dotted
by most of Colombia's largest cities, it is the economic engine of the country.
• The 'Eastern' portion of Colombia is sparsely inhabited by tough, hard-working farmers
and traditional indigenous tribes; it's a land of vast planes, thick jungle, unmatched natural beauty, and, unfortunately,
high levels of guerilla activity and cocaine production.
Like most
of the developing world, Colombia is a country of contradictions. Hip yuppies dress to the nines and sip cocktails at
über-upscale bars while the poorest Colombians can barely afford life's necessities.
Cosmopolitan cities offer luxury condos, theater, international cuisine, and all the amenities of the modern
world while many small pueblos seem stuck in the last century, stunted by high unemployment and
old-fashioned attitudes.
Despite all its woes—economic, social, and
political—Colombia remains a fascinating country to visit.
The region I (Ecotourism-Colomba-Boricua.com) am trying to market
is
ANTIOQUIA
& THE EJE CAFETERO.
This is Colombia's cowboy country, not to mention
one of its wealthiest regions, blessed with magnificent mountain scenery, coffee-terraced slopes, and old-world small
towns. But Antioquia and the Eje Cafetero aren't all country: Armenia, Manizales, and Pereira are thriving
cities with a coffee-based economy and Medellin, Colombia's second largest metropolis, is one of Latin America's most
progressive and innovative cities.
