Vaova Travel DMC
Vaova Travel DMC of Colombia is a leading Destination Management Company and an experienced creator, focused on university treks and group travel. Its mission is to share an authentic and unique perspective of the destinations they travel to by creating memorable experiences that bring people together through happenings. Happenings at Vaova are a way to combine art and tourism, which allows them to bring life to the culture and people behind their destinations and create truly unique and irreplaceable experiences.
Vaova Travel DMC is a pillar of sustainability, where they strive to bring sustainability to the tourism industry by creating plastic and waste reduction plans in their operation, offset their carbon footprint and create a culture of environmental awareness in travellers. In terms of social sustainability they directly and positively impact the life of the communities where they operate through training, linking and reincorporation to work in vulnerable people.
Vaova Travel DMC has the highest quality and service standards through the quality of their teams, flexibility in their operations and have developed close relationships with key contacts in Colombia. Each team member is fully bilingual and has at least 5 years of experience in this sector of work. Risk management is extremely important to Vaova, some key procedures include: 24/7 medical support from doctors and first aid certification for the entire accompanying team, relationships and connections with hospitals, police, state department and local community leaders in their destinations and formalised supplies agreements to guarantee the highest security standards.
Colombia
Colombia is transforming! They have made pledges towards modernisation and investments into renewable energies and technologies. They are invested in development programs, striving towards an improvement in living conditions in rural conflict-affected areas, and also reconciliation - building a culture of peace. Its citizens care deeply about their country and care for its development and success.
This culturally rich country is bursting with multicultural heritage with indigenous, European, African and Arab roots to name a few. Colombia is deeply proud of its culture and love to celebrate it with over 500+ cultural and music festivals each year. Colombia's citizens are known for being welcoming and friendly, another key part of their culture. Its citizens take pride in showing their culture and customs to tourists, encouraging to try their Colombian dishes and learning about Colombian music and dance.
Colombia has some of the most stunning landscapes and terrain, Bogota being one of their biggest cities nestled in a mountain terrain. It is an extremely biodiverse country with 31 eco systems, 365 days of tropical climate, 6 snow-capped mountains, 3 deserts, 36 moorlands, 3 mountain ranges, 2 oceans and 3,800km of coastlines. Colombia is blessed with some of the most beautiful white sand beaches in South America, notably Rosario Islands off Cartagena and San Andres & Providencia.
Facts & Figures
Key regions
Bogota: The capital city of Colombia and is one of Latin America's most vibrant capitals. It is a diverse city with its cosmopolitanism and rich history.
Cartagena: This city is considered the real deal of Colombia's Caribbean region. It is known for its vibrantly coloured buildings and its African heritage.
Medellin: Located in a stunning valley, this city is a hub of creativity and innovation with modern transport, sustainable architecture, and award-winning neighbourhoods.
Coffee Region: Known as the Coffee Axis nestled in the Colombian Andes, it has stunning landscapes with clear rivers, impressive mountains and farms producing award-winning coffee, avocados, bananas and more.
Santa Marta: This coastal city is one of the country's oldest and most historically significant cities. It was founded in 1525 by Spanish conquistador Rodrigo de Bastidas.
Key airports
El Dorado International Airport serves the capital of Colombia, Bogota, and is the country's main gateway. A direct flight from London to Bogota takes around 10h50m.
Other notable airports are:
Rafael Nunez International Airport, serving Cartagena
Jose Maria Cordova International Airport, serving Medellin
Alfonso Bollina Aragon International Airport, serving Cali
Time Difference:
UTC -6H
Main Languages:
Colombian Spanish
Currency:
Colombian Peso ($, COP, COL)
Weather and Seasons:
Being close to the equator, Colombia only has two seasons: a Dry season - summer (December to March and June to August) and Rainy season - Winter (April, May, September to November). In some cities the weather may vary from each other due to the terrain. For example, Bogota is in the mountains so is cooler than Cartagena.
Conferences
Colombia has more than 600 venues, distributed in 27 convention centres, 455 hotels with meeting rooms and 117 non-traditional locations. In recent years Colombia has hosted important events, such as the 16th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, the FIFA World Council and One Young World. These three events brought together more than 5,000 attendees, generated nearly 2,500 jobs and made it clear that Colombia has the capacity and capability to host big events. This country has developed an expertise that allows it to present itself as a reliable partner to potential clients. Bogota has all the necessary infrastructure to host world-class events. Cartagena's tropical climate and blend of colonial and modern architecture creates the perfect environment to organise cultural events and conventions.
Incentives
Colombia offers so many amazing experiences for tourists to enjoy, it is an up and coming destination filled with its rich cultural history and completely biodiverse terrain. Colombians love fiestas, the most famous of the many annual parties being Barranquilla's Carnival, consisting of dressing up, colourful flower displays, Caribbean music and enormous quantities of rum! You can explore some amazing restaurants in the heart of each city, notably dinner at the iconic Andres Carne de Res in Bogota. Whilst in Bogota you can take a Downtown city tour and discover Bogota's hidden historic treasures in La Candelaria or visit its famous art galleries. Whilst in the tourist hotspot, Cartagena, you must visit Rosario Islands and Baru beach clubs to enjoy a unique experience of swimming in the warm waters of the Caribbean. Why not take a Caribbean cooking class to learn how to cook in the best Caribbean style and discover the secrets of traditional Caribbean cuisine.