"Colombia's Magical Realism" is the campaign's name that evokes the literary genre that made famous the Nobel-winning Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and in whose stories the protagonists live in scenes that blend reality with magic.
"This concept brings together perfectly the unique characteristics of our tourism product and the perceptions about it that exist in the world," said Lacouture.
Proexport reached this conclusion after doing a study to determine the differential factor that motivates foreign tourists to choose Colombia as their destination for vacations or to host their events.
Words were used like "magical", "unique" and "surprising" to describe the experiences of thousands of foreigners during their trips through the country, setting the tone to conceive what will be the brand moving forward for promoting Colombia and its attractions to the world.
"What for us is normal, like the seven colors of the sea in San Andres, the Cathedral of Salt in the mountains of Zipaquira, the nation that makes the richest coffee in the world at the Coffee Cultural Landscape or a walk through the streets of Cartagena de Indias that inspired Nobel-winning novels; for our international tourists these experiences are a discovery that they will not only treasure but will share with their loved ones forever," said Lacouture.
A strategy to awaken the sensesAccording to the Global Organization for Tourism and the Colombian Immigration, international tourist arrivals in the country have grown by an annual average rate of 10.4% in the last eight years (2005-2012), a rate three times higher than the rate registered worldwide in the same period.
Colombian regions now offer a greater variety of tourism products, allowing tourists to explore nature, experience the country's cultural offering and enjoy the traditional sun and beach attractions, all in the same destination.
"Through this campaign, we want the tourist to learn what Colombia has to offer," said Lacouture."We will include things that will awaken their senses: they will hear bird calls from our native birds or they will smell the scent of Colombian coffee just by opening a magazine."
The campaign will include interactive publicity pieces highlighting leading destinations and the experiences that are unique to Colombia: "Do you want to experience the same magic that inspired the Nobel Prize in Literature? Come. The answer is Colombia."
Likewise, through technological elements like QR codes that activate video testimonials and other special tools, the target public will be able to experience Colombia's tourist products with all their senses.
The campaign will lead the agency's promotion strategy for 30 countries of North and South America, Asia, Europe and Asia-Pacific. It will also be part of the trade shows and events in which the agency participates, with the goal of positioning Colombia in the minds of foreigners as the place that they can't wait to experience.
