Author: Frank1235058

Colombia-MICE is part of the Pelecanus Travel Group. We are located in Bogota, Colombia. We are specialized in corporate travel and all services around Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions.

More and more foreigners want to settle in Colombia. However, this usually comes with some problems.

What do you need to work in Colombia?

In Colombia, as in any other country in the world, there are many requirements for practicing a profession or setting up a company. Depending on the profile and the activity to be performed, these requirements may vary.

General requirements for employing foreigners in Colombia

It is at the sole discretion of the Colombian government to authorize the entry and stay of foreigners in the country.

Following are the requirements or limitations to consider when applying for a job in Colombia:

• When entering Colombia as a tourist, foreigners are not permitted to work in the country or apply for a work visa.
• As a foreigner, if you want or plan to have a job, employment or activity in the country (through an employment contract or as a civil servant), you must belong to the general social security system as an employee (health, pension and occupational risks).
• Being able to join the pension system and contribute is entirely voluntary, as long as the foreigner certifies that they contribute to the pension system of their country of origin or another country.
• Important to know that Colombian companies have an obligation to inform you about your rights and obligations as a worker in Colombia.
• If you wish to practice a regulated profession, it is essential that you provide evidence of your professional qualifications and obtain a license or permit from the relevant professional bodies or competent authorities.

The most important thing to be able to legally work or hold an occupation in Colombia is a work visa. Below you will find all the information you need to apply for a visa.

What you need to start a business in Colombia

If you want to incorporate a company in Colombia, there are several steps to follow. First of all, these documents are required:

• Certificate of incorporation and legal representative of the company issued by the official body of the company’s registered office. If the representative is a non-resident, they must provide a copy of their passport.
• Authorization of the appropriate person to act on behalf of the company.
• Articles of Association.
• Resolution of the company: Purpose of the company, amount of capital allocated, business address, the appointment of a legal representative and an auditor.

The above documents are required for the next phase, which is to formalize the public deed. This must be signed by the legal representative of the company in Colombia.

In addition, declarations of acceptance from industry representatives are required. These letters must include the full name of the person accepting the position, their position, ID card type and number, and your signature.

You must then register with the responsible tax authority. The process of obtaining the company’s Tax Identification Number (NIT) can be carried out in person or through a legal representative at the National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN).

In addition, the business registration form must be completed and submitted, detailing the taxes to which the organization is subject, and the company must be registered with the Chamber of Commerce. Every company must register its accounts with the Chamber of Commerce.

On the other hand, it is of paramount importance to open a corporate account in the name of the company into which the investors will deposit the initial capital.

Finally, don’t forget to register the foreign investment with the Central Bank of Colombia. Once the investment has been made, ie the initial capital allocated to the company, any subsequent capital increase must be registered with the Central Bank of Colombia. Depending on how the investment was made, the procedure for registering the investment differs.

Visa for entrepreneurs in Colombia

You may be wondering if you need a work visa to start your business in Colombia… and the answer is yes. In this case, we recommend the M-Worker visa, which is valid for a maximum of three years and requires the following documents to apply for:

• Valid passport with at least two blank pages.
• A valid photocopy of the front and side with the entry stamp of the applicant’s passport.
• A photo with a white background of 3×4 centimeters.
• A letter of introduction from the legal representative of the company.
• Certificate from the Chamber of Commerce showing that the value of the new business exceeds 100 Colombian minimum wages (approximately $26,000).
• Existing personal or professional bank statements.
• An F-4 interchange statement.
• Accountant’s professional card and national identity card and a background report.
• Foreign Investment Certificate (optional).
• Complete the relevant application form on the government’s migration website.

What does it take to invest and live in Colombia

Colombia has positioned itself as one of the most interesting countries in Latin America for investors. So if you are planning to invest in a Colombian company and work in the country, this information is of interest to you.

There are 3 ways to do this:

Visa for resident investors in Colombia

In order to obtain this visa, you must invest capital of at least $180,000. This amount can be used for direct investment in a business in Colombia or for the purchase of the real estate.

The foreigner holding such a visa is entitled to engage in any legal activity in the country, including that exercised on the basis of an employment relationship or contract.

Entrepreneur visa for investments in Colombia

The Entrepreneur Visa (or Owner-Partner Type – M) allows entry and residence in the country to start, develop and manage a business. In other words, in order to apply for this visa, the foreigner must establish a business in Colombia that is active, producing goods and services, paying taxes, etc. This visa is only allowed to carry out activities for the relevant company.

Investor visa as a real estate owner in Colombia

This type of visa allows foreigners to stay in Colombia to take advantage of purchasing a property in the country. In order to apply for this type of visa, the applicant, as a foreigner, must have an income intended solely for the acquisition of real estate or land in the Colombian territory.

Working as a clerk in Colombia

If a Colombian company hires you and you want to settle in Colombia, you need to consider the following:

• As already mentioned, depending on the activity, you must have a visa that allows you to practice the activity, profession or licensed trade.
• You need a Cédula de Extranjería if your stay is three months or more.
• The employer company must notify the Administration Office for Migration in Colombia in writing within 15 working days of the commencement or termination of work of the employment, hiring or admission, as well as of your dismissal or termination of the contract.
• It is very important to know that there are some regulated professions in the country. These require a temporary special registration issued by the professional councils for the exercise of the profession in the respective field of knowledge.
• Keep in mind that as long as the foreign worker is employed abroad to perform a job in the country, the employer or contractor must cover the costs of returning the foreign worker (as well as the costs of his family or beneficiaries). (Art. 2.2.1.11.5.7 Decree 1067 of 2015).

What you need as a “digital nomad” to work in Colombia.

There are a number of companies in Colombia that hire foreigners to telecommute. Currently, the conditions for applying for this visa are not specific (it depends on the company), but like many other, mainly European countries, Colombia is also striving to introduce the so-called nomad visa.

The aim of this visa is to allow you to stay in the country for a specified period (between 30 days and one year depending on the permit) and work legally over the internet.

Among the possible requirements, the most basic can be:

• Valid identity card and passport.
• Certificate of remote income.

Visa to work in Colombia

A work visa in Colombia is a permit for foreigners to enter and stay in Colombia and, as the case may be, to carry out a specific job. It is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The cost of the visa is currently $230.

In order to apply for any of the different visas that we will talk about shortly, you (as an employee) must first produce an employment contract.

If you are hired by a company, they must prove that they have an average turnover of 100 minimum wages (around USD 25,000 in 2022). If the employer is a natural person, he must prove that his average monthly income is 10 minimum wages. In addition, upon termination of the employment contract, the employer must cover the costs of returning the foreign worker to his country of origin or residence and, if applicable, also to his family.

What other types of visas are there for work in Colombia?

As established by Decree 1067 of May 26, 2015, there are several categories or types of visas to work in Colombia, depending on the work to be done.

These are some of the categories or types of visas:

• TP-4: Foreigners wishing to move to Colombia to enter into an employment or service contract with a resident of Colombia, whether a person or entity. This option also applies to artistic or cultural groups planning a public performance in the country. The validity of the visa corresponds to the duration of the contract and may not be longer than three years.
• TP-7: This type of visa is intended exclusively for foreigners entering Colombia to carry out certain activities or professions, e.g. B. as a pensioner or retiree, as a partner or owner of a company, for medical treatment, as the owner of real estate, to exercise a self-employed trade or activity and to exercise professions or activities not provided for in this decree. The visa is valid for one year.
• TP-9: This option is offered by the national government to foreign nationals arriving as refugees or asylum seekers. This visa entitles the holder to engage in any legal work, including that carried out by virtue of an employment relationship or contract. The visa is valid for 5 years.
• TP-12: Visa for foreigners wishing to enter the country to participate in academic, scientific, artistic, cultural or sporting events (regardless of whether they have an employment contract or not), an interview as part of a personnel selection process public or private To run facilities, undergo business training, establish commercial or business contacts and report journalistically. This visa is valid for 90 days.
• TP-13: Visa for foreigners wishing to enter Colombia to provide specialized technical assistance (regardless of whether they have an employment contract or not) for public or private entities. The visa is valid for 180 days.
• TP-15: Exclusively for foreigners from Mercosur and its Associated States who apply for temporary residence in the country, based on the Agreement on Residence of Nationals of Mercosur , Bolivia and Chile. The foreigner with the TP-15 visa is entitled to engage in any legal employment in the country, including that which is exercised by virtue of an employment relationship or contract. The visa is valid for two years.

Basic visa requirements in Colombia

These are some of the main general requirements for applying for a work visa in this country:

• Valid passport with blank pages for the visa to be pasted.
• Current photo.
• letter of application
• Employment contract and letter of motivation in which the company explains the reasons for your employment.
• Employer bank statements for the last 6 months prior to the visa application.
• Certificates of professional experience in the relevant trade or profession.
• If you apply for the visa while in Colombia, you must prove that the applicant is in a regular migration situation and present the most recent entry stamp, exit stamp or security stamp.
• If the visa is applied for at a Colombian consulate abroad, a copy of the document proving regular residence in the country where the foreigner resides must be presented.

Requirements may vary depending on the job to be performed and the type of visa applied for. We therefore recommend that you obtain additional information for your case before applying for a visa. On the other hand, the Colombian visa authority has a period of about 5 days from the date of registration of the payment to consider the case accordingly. However, if it is necessary to request additional documents or to have an interview, the period can be extended by up to 30 days from the date of online registration of the visa application.

Entrepreneurship in Colombia

Want to start a business in Colombia but not sure if it’s a good idea? Or do you want to start a business in this country but don’t know how?

Colombia is a country where entrepreneurship is a great alternative because, despite being a competitive market, it is an alternative that allows you to earn a good income if you plan and carry out your project professionally.

According to the registrar Único Empresarial, more than 251,000 new companies were founded in 2021, up 16% year-on-year, which is not surprising as more and more people and companies are counting on success in this country. This is according to UK company Circle Loop’s ranking, which places Colombia in the top three most entrepreneurial areas in the OECD, beating countries like the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and Germany. In addition, this research found that 64.8% of Colombians have the ability to be entrepreneurs, 47.9% see good opportunities in Colombia and 33.9% intend to start a business by 2021.

Colombia also offers all kinds of support for entrepreneurs, such as: B. Advice, courses, financial support and much more.

Personal experience with visa in Colombia

I came to Colombia in 2015 and organized my student visa in advance in Switzerland. During my studies in Colombia I founded my company and applied for an entrepreneur visa. However, the visa as an entrepreneur was delayed for some time, so I had to extend the student visa. In the following I would like to describe what a dispute with the Colombian bureaucracy can look like:

Extension visa 2016

• I personally visited the Migracion office on Calle 100. I was turned away with the comment that I was still too early and should come back next week.
• A week later I went back to the same place and they asked for confirmation from the university. This had not been mentioned in the previous week. I left the Migracion office at 100 Calle and went to the secretariat of the University of Los Andes in the center of the city.
• The university secretariat explained to me that such confirmations were not issued.
• back in the Migracion in Calle 100 and after endless waiting in the long queue, I explained this to the responsible clerk. However, they were not interested in my request.
• I then went to reception and requested an appointment with the team leader.
• The lady, who was not so nice, was also not at all interested in my request and explained to me that this was my problem, that I would be in the country illegally in a few days. I then asked for her manager and she gestured to an office with her hand.
• After a short conversation with the superior and the nice hint that this situation was caused by the non-functioning of his office, he said he was helpful. All he wanted was a confirmation email from the university.
• After consultation with the university, the relevant secretary sent a short confirmation. However, since the local head left the office for the lunch break, I had to wait another 2 hours for his return. I was then granted the extension.

Renewal visa 2020

• To renew my business visa, I submitted all the documents online. Due to Covid, physical visits to the Foreign Office have been suspended.
• The application was rejected on the grounds of insufficient capital.
• I submitted the application again, pointing out that the company had a multiple of the required capital.
• The application was again rejected on the grounds that the share capital was too small.
• After a capital increase, I submitted the visa application again.
• The request was again denied without justification.
• I submitted my application a fourth time and reserved an appointment, visits were again possible at that point.
• During the interview, I explained the whole situation to the clerk, whereupon a second lady intervened. It was noted that formal mistakes had already been made by the office with the last visas.
• Finally, I received my new visa. The compensation I mentioned (submit 4 times = pay the fee 4 times) was ignored.
• In a four-page letter, addressed directly to the Foreign Minister, I described my experiences and my dismay at the visa process. I asked if Colombia didn’t know How and capital interested.
• A few weeks later I received a reply letter signed by a secretary. The letter contained only one sentence, “Thank you for your letter, we will look into it”. There were no further communications.

Conclusions

Colombia has a horde of officials and complicated and outdated processes. Because of the culture, only what is instructed by the next higher authority is carried out. However, if you have problems with applications and disputes with officials, you should be polite but persistent.

Colombia-MICE is part of the Pelecanus Travel Group. We are located in Bogota, Colombia. We are specialized in corporate travel and all services around Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions.

Ports have an impact on the economy and globalization of any country, as they mainly serve as entry and exit channels for all types of products, thus ensuring trade relations with the rest of the world countries.

Several port areas exist in Colombia, such as the ports of: Santa Marta, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Buenaventura and Tumaco.

Port of Cartagena

Located in the city’s bay known as “La Heroica “, the Cartagena Group port is the Caribbean’s most important logistics platform. Thanks to its strategic location, it is an important point for international trade.

Currently, this is the country’s top export port as more than 60% of trade with the United States passes through this port. On the other hand, it is connected to 750 other ports in around 150 countries around the world and serves 25 shipping lines.

The main goal of the Port of Cartagena Group is to facilitate Colombia’s foreign trade and global connectivity in order to promote the socio-economic development of the region and the country. This goal is achieved thanks to the advanced infrastructure, cutting-edge technology, high safety standards and excellent staff training.

Port of Cartagena group services

• Maritime services: loading and unloading; supply of drinking water and fuel; bilge and refuse disposal and treatment; Berths for cargo ships, cruise ships and smaller vessels; Possibility to moor ships up to 16,000 TEU.
• Freight services: container, refrigerated cargo, autoload, general cargo, IMO cargo.
• Logistics services: warehousing, nationalization of cargo, preparation for onward shipment and international distribution, sending of reports, stamping and serialization.
• Cruise ship services: ship handling, passenger handling and embarkation.

Domestic transport times from the port of Cartagena

The transportation time from Cartagena is about 2-3 days to the interior ( Bogota, Medellin, Cali) and 3-4 days to the south of the country. This is under normal transit conditions (ie no detours, no obstructions on the route affecting vehicle traffic).

Container transport rate

The average cost of transporting a 20-foot container from the port of Cartagena to Bogotá in 2022 is: 5,216,269 million Colombian pesos (COP).

International shipping times

Below are the shipping times of goods from some of the main international ports to the port of Cartagena:

• China: Shanghai (29 days), Hong Kong (31 days)
• Singapore: Singapore (35 days)
• South Korea: Busan (28 days)
• Germany: Hamburg (15 days)
• Belgium: Antwerp (14 days)
• Netherlands: Rotterdam (14 days)
• United States: Los Angeles (10 days), New York (5 days), Georgia (9 days)

Advantages of the Port of Cartagena

• It is on the list of the top 100 container ports.
• It offers port and logistics services not only for cargo ships but also for passengers.
• More than 50 companies and industries are based in the bay which has made it an economic cluster for the Caribbean and the country.
• He specializes in container handling.
• Its sea terminals, SPRC and Contecar, are equipped with the most modern ships and have all the instruments for the arrival of the largest ships in the world.
• He has the infrastructure to handle car transport.
• Management of project loads such as heavy or oversized parts.
• As a logistics center, it creates added value for the freight and offers its customers storage, labeling and repacking options, among other things, depending on their needs.
• 98 percent of the cruise passengers that reach the country arrive here.

Port of Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Buenaventura

The Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Buenaventura port is located on the Colombian Pacific coast, in Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca, near the main sea routes that cross the planet from north to south and from east to west.

The port of Buenaventura is among the ten most important ports for maritime import and export traffic in Latin America and among the most important ports in the country as it is the main seaport for the arrival of goods from all over the country. In Colombia, it is the logistics hub through which most goods are handled, namely around 45% of the country’s international sea freight volume.

It is connected to 300 ports around the world and has 14 docks, a 1050 meter mooring line, a terminal with forklifts, 2 multipurpose terminals and 3 mobile cranes.

This port has an immense impact on the Colombian economy, mainly because of the wide variety of bulk cargoes it receives. In addition, its geographical location makes it one of the most interesting seaports in Colombia for international trade.

Services of the Regional Port Company of Buenaventura

The most important services are as follows:

• Integral security program.
• pilot service.
• Handling, reloading, loading and unloading and packaging.
• towing boats.
• Provision of water, fuel, lubricants and supplies.
• Wharfage, storage, power supply, inspections, weighing.
• Ship Maintenance: Repair of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and refrigeration systems.
• Medical, dental and migration services for ship crews.
• Storage services for shipping company LCL storage.
• Monitoring and control of transshipment containers.
• Consolidation and deconsolidation of LCL containers.
• Treatment of solid and liquid waste.
• use of cranes.

Domestic transport times from the Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Buenaventura.

Shipping time from the port of Buenaventura is approximately one day (Cali) to two days (Bogota, Medellin). This occurs under normal transit conditions (ie no detours, no obstructions on the route affecting vehicular traffic).

container transport rate

The average cost of transporting a 20-foot container from the port of Buenaventura to Bogotá in 2022 is 5,920,097 million Colombian pesos (COP).

International shipping times

Below are the shipping times of goods from some of the main international ports to the port of Buenaventura:

• China: Shanghai (29 days), Hong Kong (31 days)
• Singapore: Singapore (34 days)
• South Korea: Busan (27 days)
• Germany: Hamburg (18 days)
• Belgium: Antwerp (17 days)
• Netherlands: Rotterdam (17 days)
• United States: Los Angeles (9 days), New York (7 days), Georgia (11 days)

Benefits of the Buenaventura Regional Port Company

• The port of Buenaventura has excellent infrastructures such as corridors, warehouses and natural sea basins that facilitate the arrival of ships.
• It is the most important port on the Pacific coast because it is close to the main sea routes that cross the planet from north to south and from east to west.
• It is one of the Latin American ports closest to the Far East, which makes it easier to connect to the Asian market.
• It has a multipurpose capacity for port services near the Panama Canal.

Port of Barranquilla

The port of Barranquilla is located north of the port of Cartagena and close to the capital of the Atlantic, on the west bank of the Magdalena River, 22 km from its confluence with the Caribbean Sea. It is currently the fourth most modern and most important port in the country in terms of transported cargo volume.

It is also known as the Golden Gate of Colombia, as it was through this port that the most innovative and important technological achievements entered the country, such as B. Radio, cinema, television, aviation, railways, river navigation and other things that were possible thanks to its natural features as a city port.

One of the main features of this port is that it can store more than 350,000 barrels of oil and other products from the refineries. In the coming years it is expected to become the port with the largest storage capacity for barrels of crude oil, vegetable oils and other liquid substances.

In addition to the port terminals, 372 companies are operating in various fields such as consulting, warehousing, transport, cargo handling, logistics, etc., creating more than 13,000 jobs.

Barranquilla Port Services

• Container Service: Storage, Reach Stacker, Elevators, Platforms, Telescopic Handler, Container Yard, XPS and N4 Software.
• Logistics platform: storage, distribution, repairs, packaging, picking, deliveries, delivery service, printing, photo documentation.
• Refrigerated and frozen goods: official controls, cross-docking, storage, order picking, palletizing, labeling, stowage, weighing.
• Cargo: sorting of cargo, river handling, land transport, bagging service, CDLI, crate repair, thermopackaging, cleaning, and vehicle maintenance.
• Bulk cargo: bagging, storage, loading ships, pallets, removal of compartments on ships, laboratory, cargo inspection, moisture control equipment.

Domestic times from the Port of Barranquilla

The transportation time from Barranquilla Port is about 2-3 days to the interior (Bogota, Medellin, Cali) and 3-4 days to the south of the country. This is under normal transit conditions (ie no detours, no obstructions on the route affecting vehicle traffic).

Container transport rate

The average cost of transporting a 20-foot container from the Port of Barranquilla to the city of Bogotá in 2022 is 5,720,859 million Colombian pesos (COP).

International shipping times

Below are the shipping times for goods from some of the major international ports to the Port of Barranquilla:

• China: Shanghai (29 days), Hong Kong (32 days)
• Singapore: Singapore (35 days)
• South Korea: Busan (28 days)
• Germany: Hamburg (15 days)
• Belgium: Antwerp (14 days)
• Netherlands: Rotterdam (14 days)
• United States: Los Angeles (10 days), New York (5 days), Georgia (9 days)

Barranquilla Port Benefits

• The Port of Barranquilla has the ability and excellent management to expand due to the growing warehousing needs of most of the country’s private and public terminals. This expansion includes the construction of a large coal storage facility for the Barranquilla SPR.
• There is an area exclusively dedicated to separating the coal from the other deposits, to avoid waste and waste of this resource and to prevent possible fires.
• Ease of multimodal transportation, with access to the country’s major trunk roads in less than an hour to move cargo by land and sea.
• Broad portfolio of container routes and shipping companies such as: MAERSK, SeaLand, King Ocean Services, SEABOARD MARINE, Hapag-Lloyd, Hamburg Süd, Cosco Shipping, Evergreen, Ocean Network, Yang Ming, CMA CGM, MARFRET, ZIM, Melfi Marine.

Port of Santa Marta

The port is located at the northwest end of the city of Santa Marta and is bounded by the hills of San Martin to the north and by Cerro Ancon and Taganguilla Bay to the west.

This seaport has many advantages for Colombia, such as: B. its capacity for container transport and storage, as well as a growing cargo activity of fuel, grain and other products such as the traditional palm oil. In addition, it has 7 docks and an exclusive rail freight service that allows unloading and loading of these goods upon their arrival at the port.

The Sociedad Portuaria de Santa Marta is mainly used by shippers who carry out their professional activity on the commercial routes intended for the maritime transport of goods in the Atlantic Ocean.

Santa Marta Port Company Services

• Container terminal: cold rooms, warehouses, storage and operational centers, isolation areas, motor vessel maintenance.
• Bulk terminal: storage, warehouses, mobile crane, suction systems, unloading in silos.
• General cargo terminal: storage, loading and unloading, provision of personnel, equipment rental, provision of ships, loading of motor vessels.
• Liquid terminal: loading and unloading, railcar cleaning, storage, tank and pipe cleaning.
• Coal terminal: loading and unloading, storage, tippers, dampening systems, barriers to control particle dispersion.
• Ro-Ro Terminal: parking, surveillance, wifi, driver availability, loading and unloading service, maintenance, battery charging, transfers.
• Cruise ships.

Shipping times from the Port of Santa Marta

The transportation time from Santa Marta Port is about 2-3 days to the interior (Bogota, Medellin, Cali) and 3-4 days to the south of the country. This is under normal transit conditions (ie no detours, no en route inconveniences or natural situations affecting vehicular traffic).

Container transport rate

The average cost of transporting a 20-foot container from the port of Santa Marta to Bogotá in 2022 is 5,754,006 million Colombian pesos (COP).

International shipping times

Below are the shipping times for goods from some of the major international ports to the Port of Barranquilla:

–           China: Shanghai (29 days), Hong Kong (32 days)

–           Singapore: Singapore (35 days)

–           South Korea: Busan (28 days)

–           Germany: Hamburg (15 days)

–           Belgium: Antwerp (14 days)

–           Netherlands: Rotterdam (14 days)

–           United States: Los Angeles (10 days), New York (5 days), Georgia (9 days)

Benefits Port of Santa Marta

• Due to the high volume of bulk cargo in Colombia, this is the third most important seaport in the country.
• It has the best climatic and environmental conditions of any port in the country.
• He works non-stop 24 hours a day.
• This port is the only one on the Atlantic coast served by rail.
• It has an anti-drug police base.
• The Port of Santa Marta has the greatest natural draft (depth) in the country, allowing for the berthing of large and/or heavy vessels.

Tumaco Regional Port Society

This port is located in the municipality of Tumaco in southwestern Colombia, near the border with Ecuador. It is considered the second largest port in Colombia on the Pacific after the port of Buenaventura.

This port is known as the “Pearl of the Pacific” because it is a major port on the Pacific Ocean and is close to its maritime landscapes such as Cabo Manglares, Tumaco Bay and Isla del Gallo to name a few.

It has facilities specially designed to receive enormous quantities of liquid and dry bulk goods, and its main activities include the enormous oil exports abroad, as well as the export of crude oil and bananas.

Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Tumaco Services

• Cargo handling: loading and unloading of general cargo and liquid bulk cargo in sea transport, land transport, loading and unloading ashore, filling and emptying of containers, stowage and unloading, lashing, unlashing, inspection and classification of cargo.
• Trained personnel for piloting, lashing and unloading cargo.
• Boat and towing services, transport services depending on the type of cargo.
• Maritime and port security.

Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Tumaco

International shipping times

Below are the shipping times of goods from some of the main international ports to the port of Tumaco :

• China: Shanghai (29 days), Hong Kong (31 days)
• Singapore: Singapore (34 days)
• South Korea: Busan (27 days)
• Germany: Hamburg (18 days)
• Belgium: Antwerp (17 days)
• Netherlands: Rotterdam (14 days)
• United States: Los Angeles (9 days), New York (7 days), Georgia (11 days)

Benefits of the Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Tumaco

• The Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Tumaco has good connections to the country’s major cities, such as Cali and Bogota.
• It is a port with growing commercial activity and technology.
• Optimal infrastructures for the storage of different materials.
• It creates thousands of jobs.
• It has the greatest tax advantages that any coastal community can have anywhere on the Pacific Rim.

Colombia has a large number of ports and companies in charge of the logistics processes of all types of traders. We hope you found this information useful and if you need advice or have any questions, please contact us. We’re here to help.

Colombia-MICE is part of the Pelecanus Travel Group. We are located in Bogota, Colombia. We are specialized in corporate travel and all services around Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions.

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The main industries in Colombia that contribute to the country’s economy and its economic sectors are agriculture, livestock, mining, energy, industry and fisheries.

The main export sectors are agriculture, mining, industry and fisheries, which are developing in different regions of the country. But what you may not know is that Colombia is made up of 6 natural regions with an enormous variety of geographical aspects, industries, traditions, accents and gastronomy.

Therefore, below we present everything you need to know about the different economic sectors of Colombia and the contribution of its regions (Caribbean, Pacific, Andes, Orinoco, Island and Amazon) to the market and economic development of the country.

The main economic sectors of Colombia

The Colombian Agricultural Sector

The agricultural sector, also known as the agricultural sector, is one of the most important sectors in the country and the primary sector. Products such as palm oil, coffee, cocoa, bananas and flowers are produced.

Products of the agricultural sector in Colombia

Colombia is among the 5 largest producers in the world for:

• Coffee
• avocado
• Palm oil

The country is among the top 10 world producers of:

• sugar cane
• bananas
• pineapple
• cocoa

Colombian Agricultural Sector Exports

In 2020, the main destinations of the country’s agricultural and agro-industrial exports were as follows:

Destination country	% share of exports	Export dollar value	Tons
USA	38,4%	US $1.723 millions	651.305
Netherlands	5,7%	US $257 millions	276.964
Belgium	5,0%	US $224 millions	282.501
Germany	4,2%	US $190 millions	132.898

Country of destination % of exports Dollar value of exports tons

United States 38.4% US $1,723 million 651,305

Netherlands 5.7% US $257 million 276,964

Belgium 5.0% US $224 million 282,501

Germany 4.2% US $190 million 132,898

Exports in this sector increased by 34.6% and amounted to around US$1,876 million in the first two months of 2022.

The Colombian Livestock Sector

This sector aims at the production or extraction of food or other products. According to the results of the DANE Report 2021, the Colombian livestock industry with all its activities contributed 8.8% to the national GDP, which represents a significant growth compared to the results of the previous year.

Colombian livestock products

Dairy and meat products are mainly produced in Colombia. But other products such as wool and leather are also in high demand.

Exports of the Colombian livestock sector

Livestock sector exports are classified as follows:

• According to the DANE, between January and September 2021, meat exports totaled nearly 40,880 tons, worth US$175 million, exceeding the figure for all of 2020.
• Export of cattle reached 102 million US dollars, equivalent to 282,000 cattle.
• International trade in dairy products has also increased significantly. From January to September 2021, a total of 5,213 tons were exported, for a total value of US$22 million. International trade in milk powder, cheese, butter and yoghurt increased by 130.2%.
• Exports of leather, shoes and leather goods reached 167 million US dollars.

Colombia’s mining energy sector

The energy sector in Colombia corresponds to the primary activities of the economy and is based on the use of energy and non-renewable natural resources.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy said that in July 2021, the sector’s royalty income reached COP 4.1 trillion, exceeding the set target, up 27% from an estimated COP 15.4 trillion at the end of 2021 and early 2022.

In the third quarter of 2021, the mining sector recorded growth of 10.3%.

Products of the Colombian mining and energy sector

This sector is made up of three sub-sectors: Electricity, Mining and Hydrocarbons.

Colombia is a country rich in energy resources such as:

• Petroleum,
• Money,
• natural gas
• and hydropower.

It is also rich in minerals such as:

• Gold,
• Silver
• copper
• platinum
• and especially emeralds.

These are mined in different regions of the country and are an essential part of the economy. In Latin America, Colombia ranks first in the production and export of emeralds, while globally it is surpassed only by Zambia.

The country is on track to develop up to 30 gold and copper projects by 2024, according to the Colombian engineering school.

This could mean investments of around US$5 billion and the creation of more than 7,000 jobs.

important to know that a large part of the mining in Colombia is illegal. The country suffered more than $5.6 billion in damage from 2010 to 2018.

Colombia’s Mining Energy Exports

Finally, the petroleum industry is of great importance for Colombia’s exports, which accounted for 34.8% of the country’s total exports in 2021.

In the same year, over $129 million worth of emeralds were sold abroad. This is a triple increase compared to 2020.

The industrial sector in Colombia

In the technical sense, the Colombian industry summarizes the mechanized processes of raw material processing. In 2021, it contributed 8.3% to Colombia’s GDP.

Within the industrial sector in Colombia, there are several sub-sectors such as food, beverage, textile and chemical industries, which are the main economic sectors in the country.

This sector generated 25.97 trillion COP in the first quarter of 2021 and according to figures from DANE, textile manufacturing was the one that grew the most in 2021, registering an increase of 16.8% compared to 2020. In addition, the Colombian Industrial Production Index (IPI) rose by 10.3% in the same year.

Products of the Colombian industrial sector

• Food and beverage industry: Meat, fish, oils, animal and vegetable fats, dairy products, starches, coffee, sugar, panela, cocoa, confectionery, animal feed, cereals, alcoholic liquids, vinegar, among others
• Textile industry: cotton textiles, nylon, wool, polyester, fiber products, yarns and fabrics.
• Chemical industry: petrochemicals , oleochemicals , plastics, rubber, paints, agrochemicals, containers and packaging.

Exports of the Colombian industrial sector

Among the most exported products of the industrial sector are:

Product	Value in exports
Chemical products	US $2.570,7
Manufactured goods	US $1.675,8
cut flowers and foliage	US $1.317,6
machinery and transport equipment	US $1.090,8
animal feed	US $822,9
raw materials	US $560,3

Exports of manufactured products in 2019 were US$18,752.4 million, which represented a growth of almost 8.6% compared to 2018.

In 2019, the top destinations of the country’s industrial exports were:

• United States with 25.8% of exports
• Ecuador with 8.7% of exports
• Mexico with 6.3% of exports
• Brazil with 6.0% of exports
• Peru with 5.1% of exports
• China with 3.3% of exports
• Puerto Rico with 3.3% of exports
• Chile with 2.7% of exports
• Canada with 2.6% of exports

Colombian fisheries sector

The Colombian fisheries and aquaculture sector is present on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and other areas across the country, particularly in the major rivers such as the Magdalena, Amazon, Orinoco and Sinu, where fish are caught for food consumption and the ornamental fish market. Traditional fishermen and farmers account for about a third of total capture and aquaculture production.

Although this sector accounts for only 0.7% of GDP, it is one of the most important sectors in Colombia, employing 14.5 million people. The national fish market is about 350,000 tons annually.

Products of the Colombian fisheries sector

Aquaculture contributed 175,580 tons, while fisheries recorded a catch volume of 81,200,698 kilograms, divided between artisanal and industrial fisheries, according to the Statistical Service for Fisheries in Colombia.

In addition, there is fish farming in Colombia, ie the rearing of fish with the aim of producing meat, oil and ornamental fish. Fish production involves three production stages: hatching, rearing and fattening, in order to market the various fish either as a whole or as part of a process that produces different end products depending on the product. By-products such as oils, fish cakes and nuggets are also obtained.

Exports of the Colombian fisheries sector

Exports have grown by 119% over the past decade and in the first two months of 2021, exports have grown by 28%.

The main exporter of the sector is the industrial tuna fishery, which has a turnover of between 280 and 300 million US dollars abroad, followed by other fish species such as :

• tilapia,
• Trout,
• aquaculture of shrimp,
• crabs
• and ornamental fish.

Regions in Colombia and its economy

Colombia-MICE is part of the Pelecanus Travel Group. We are located in Bogota, Colombia. We are specialized in corporate travel and all services around Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions.

Colombia is one of the countries in Latin America with the best business environment. According to the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 report, Colombia ranks third among the best business opportunity countries on the continent, after Chile and Mexico.

Over the past decade, Colombia has made efforts to improve its investment climate and as a result, foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country has evidently increased sharply. Considered by investors as a reliable and stable location, the country has several cities where trade plays the leading role and which offer opportunities for all domestic and foreign industries.

The Cities Competitiveness Index (ICC) conducted a 2020 study listing the country’s most competitive cities for business. Among them are Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, Barranquilla, Manizales, Bucaramanga and Villavicencio.

Below you will find information about trade in these cities, as well as the main commercial areas.

The Business in Bogota

Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, is the country’s most important city, and one of the most competitive cities in Latin America.

The great attraction for this city lies in the great investment opportunities. Today there are more than 1,300 foreign-invested companies, it has been cataloged as one of the Cities of the Future and holds second place in fDi Magazine’s (2021 – 2022) ranking of Cities of the Future in Latin America.

Most of the industries in Bogotá are textiles, clothing, leather, rubber and plastics, printing, chemicals, food, beverages, tobacco, wood, machinery and equipment, and metallurgy products, to name a few.

Also, the country’s largest city has a variety of shopping options, which you can find below.

Business district in Bogota

Bogota is the cradle of commerce in the country and in this great city you will find numerous opportunities of sectors and shops of all kinds of industries.

There are also several multinational companies and supermarkets in the city, such as Almacenes Éxito, Carulla, Alkosto, Olímpica, Homecenter, Makro, Cafam and others.

Center of Bogota

You can find everything in this area. The main attractions include the Historical Center, the International Center of Bogota and Carrera Séptima (between 12th Street and 19th Street).

Here you will find mainly

• clothing stores
• jewelry stores
• Specialized bookstores
• Hotels
• banks
• exchange offices
• travel agencies
• music stores
• cigar shops
• restaurants and cafes

International Center Bogotá

The International Center of Bogota (CIB) is an area of downtown Bogota that is home to several of Colombia’s tallest skyscrapers, mostly made up of offices and close to several plazas and pedestrian streets. This sector has evolved to become the city’s premier financial sector.

Chapinero in Bogota

in Chapinero, mainly along with the city’s Carrera 13. According to the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, Chapinero is the district with the second-highest number of businesses in the city (26,196), representing 10.8% of the total number of registered businesses.

The north of Bogotá

The north of the city of Bogotá hosts a large number of the most important commercial establishments, shopping malls, hypermarkets and department stores. There are a variety of boutiques, jewelry stores, antique shops and currency exchange offices.

In the Zona Rosa, around Calle 82, you will find art galleries, department stores and luxury shops with the best national and international brands.

Usaquén sector shops are selling woolen fabrics, antiques and curios. There are several streets such as 109 and 116 and Avenida 19 that offer a wide range of commercial activities.

On the weekends there is also the Mercado de las Pulgas, where Colombian artisans are represented.

Shopping centers in Bogota

• Urban area: Centro Chía, Fontanar, El Trébol ( Mosquera), Metrosur, Gran Plaza Soacha, Mercurio.
• City center: Terraza Pasteur, Mallplaza NQS, El Gran San, Neos center.
• North: Unicentro, Palatino, Atlantis Plaza, Andino, El Retiro, Santa Ana, Avenida Chile, Hacienda Santa Bárbara, Santafé, Unilago.
• West: Portal of the 80, Cafam Forest, Poplars Diverplaza, Gran Estación, Salitre Plaza, Galerías, Titán Plaza, El Eden, Hayuelos, Plaza Claro, Nuestro Bogotá, Metropolis.
• Northwest: Bulevar Nice, Paseo San Rafael, Iserra 100, Centro Suba, Subazar, Plaza Imperial.
• South: Multiplaza Bogotá, Plaza de Las Americas, Ciudad Tunal, Tintal Plaza, Centro Mayor, Plaza Central.

Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá

The Bogota Chamber of Commerce is the main ally of entrepreneurs and businessmen in creating successful businesses.

The Chamber supports companies in their various life cycles by offering them legal certainty and developing measures to improve the competitive environment.

Commercial in Medellin

The City of Eternal Spring is one of the most competitive business cities in the country. The industries with the greatest participation and relevance in the greater Medellín area are textiles, chemicals, food, beverages, metalworking, electrical engineering and electronics.

There are many national and international companies of global competitiveness that are based in this city and promote the economic development of the city. A clear example of this is that Medellín is the headquarters of the largest electricity transmission company in Latin America and the city controls the general electricity system of the country thanks to its cutting-edge technology in this sector and its optimal functioning.

The Business district of Medellin

The city of Medellín offers a wide range of shopping opportunities, most of which are focused on the city’s main activity, fashion. Still, there are two areas to consider:

Laureles in Medellin

This district of Medellín is one of the main reference points of the city, not only for its history and tradition, but also for its gastronomic offer and its commercial activities.

Laureles consists of the Avenidas Nutibara , Jardín , Calle 33, Carrera 76 and Carrera 70 and is today an important axis for trade and services. Here you will find major shopping malls and chain stores including Éxito, Jumbo, Carulla, Euro and Makro.

With a traditional French style and lots of green space, you’ll also find a variety of restaurants, specialty shops, banks and more. Many houses and buildings still have their original facades and structures.

El Poblado of Medellin

This sector is one of the most recognized in the country for its location in the most exclusive area of Medellin, with the best infrastructure for high-end housing and luxury shops. It is also the safest area, with large shopping malls, brand shops, the best hotels in Medellín, all kinds of restaurants and the most exclusive bars and business centers nearby.

In recent years, business activity in Medellín has been concentrated in El Poblado as this is the cradle of the city’s economy and business development. Why is that? In this sector, there is the Golden Mile, which brings together the most important and diverse business centers of the capital of Antioquia, of which the financial sector is the most important.

El Poblado is strategically located in the Aburrá Valley and is served by major avenues such as Av. El Poblad , the Av . Las Vegas, Calle 10 and Av. Crosses regionally as well as the upper, middle and lower cross streets.

In addition, in Medellín and the Aburra Valley there are more than 40 industrial parks such as La Regional Industrial and Warehouse Park in Sabaneta or ZOFIVA (Free Trade Zone in Caldas) and more than 10 industrial zones such as Barrio Colombia, Belén, Guayabal and others.

Shopping centers in Medellin

These are 14 of the biggest and best malls in Medellín:

• City Center: Mayorca, Arkadia, Premium Plaza, El Parque, Viva Envigado
• North: Terminal del Norte, Unicentro, Los Molinos, Puerta del Norte
• West: Obelisco, Viva Laureles
• East: National Palace
• South: El Tesoro, San Diego

Chamber of Commerce of Medellin

The Medellín Chamber of Commerce is a leading body in the Antioquia region that offers business services advice and manages the commercial registers of companies and corporations incorporated in the department.

This organization promotes economic growth in the city, and competitiveness also improves the quality of life of citizens and entrepreneurs by understanding their needs and therefore has developed a wide range of services.

Some of the most important services are

• Business training
• The Godfather Plan
• Center for Mediation, Arbitration and Amicable Settlement
• Digital Certification Services
• Subsidiaries in Trayectoria Mega

Commercial in Cartagena

Cartagena de Indias not only has a wonderful natural wealth, an incredible gastronomic offer, or important hotel infrastructures but also has a solid economy thanks to sectors such as industry, tourism, commerce and logistics for international maritime trade due to its strategic location on the Caribbean Sea, in the north of South America and the center of the American continent.

The Business district in Cartagena

In the city of Cartagena, you will find several industrial and commercial areas, because Cartagena is the largest economic metropolis on the Colombian coast.

One of the most important sectors of the city is Bocagrande, the city’s most modern area with luxurious hotels as well as numerous restaurants, discos and casinos that make this area a popular tourist area.

However, in the list below you will also find other areas that are more trade-oriented.

La Matuna in Cartagena

The Matuna sector has gradually become the financial, commercial and business center of the city and includes industries such as tourism, international trade, education and transport, among others.

In this area there are countless colorful hostels, bars and restaurants with excellent typical Cartagena cuisine.

La Matuna, which was built precisely on one of the places where part of the wall was cut, divides the historic center of Cartagena in two: on one side there is Avenida Venezuela and the neighborhood of San Diego. On the other side are Avenida Daniel Lemaitre and the Getsemaní neighborhood. The strategic location makes it easy for visitors to explore the city and reach the main attractions.

Cartagena Industrial Park

Most of the city’s industries are located in the Mamonal Industrial Park, considered one of Colombia’s most important industrial areas.

It is home to around 209 large and medium-sized companies and the El Bosque industrial zone, which houses the city’s main free trade zones.

Free Trade Zones in Cartagena

• La Candelaria Free Trade Zone
• Central Park Free Zone
• Industrial Free Trade Zone for Goods and Services Cartagena Zofranca SA
• Tourist Free Trade Zone
• Uniempresarial de la Refinería de Cartagena Free Zone
• Argos SA Permanent Special Free Trade Zone
• Permanent Special Free Zone Puerta de Las Americas

Shopping centers in Cartagena

The main shopping centers in Cartagena include the following:

• Bocagrande Plaza
• La Serrezuela
• Plaza el Castillo Shopping Center
• Caribbean Plaza
• Nao shopping mall

Chamber of Commerce of Cartagena

The Cartagena Chamber of Commerce is a private, not-for-profit organization whose main objective is to serve as the body of the general interests of commerce vis-à-vis the government and the traders themselves and to promote regional development.

This entity is authorized by law to provide mediation, arbitration and dispute resolution services. In addition, as part of its general services, it offers advice, administration and processing in the formation of companies.

For more information about the Cartagena Chamber of Commerce and its services, please click here.

Commercial in Barranquilla

Barranquilla is a major industrial and commercial center, with major economies including industry, commerce, finance, services and fishing.

Major products manufactured in Barranquilla include: oils, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, shoes, bus bodies, dairy products, cured meats, beverages, soaps, building materials, furniture, plastics, cement, metal-mechanical parts, clothing and boats, to name but a few to name a few.

According to the National Statistics Office (DANE), in 2019 Barranquilla was a major player in the Colombian economy, contributing 17% to the growth of the national industry, being the city with the highest increase in real retail sales and an increase of 66, 6% and 37.4% respectively in exports from its La Cayena and ZF Barranquilla permanent free zones.

The Business district of Barranquilla

The city of Barranquilla is divided into 5 localities: Riomar , Norte-Centro Histórico , Sur Occidente , Metropolitana and Sur Oriente . There are between 24 and 40 districts in these places and each of these places has a strong presence of both retail and wholesale.

These are 3 of the sectors where the city’s commerce is most concentrated:

Paseo de Bolivar in Barranquilla

Paseo de Bolívar is the main avenue in Barranquilla. A large part of the city grew and expanded around this avenue.

Located in the historic center of the city, this neighborhood is home to the City Hall, the Church of San Nicolás, and numerous commercial and financial buildings. There is a lot of trade and commerce of all kinds in the streets as well as in the big shops and shopping centers.

It is a very busy sector and since 2021 a relocation process has been initiated for more than 100 sellers who will move from the public space of Paseo Bolivar to the Robertico and Volpe shopping centers. An excellent alternative to free up public space in this area, improve pedestrian traffic and encourage formal commerce.

Riomar in Barranquilla

Riomar is a very exclusive area. Although residential use predominates in this part of the city, there are also other uses such as industry, institutions, tourism and commerce. Here you will find several 4 and 5-star hotel chains, several shopping malls, bars and restaurants. It is considered an ideal place for shopping as the latest trends in various industries, especially coastal fashion, can be found here.

El Gulf Barranquilla

Located to the north of the city, Barranquilla Golf is brimming with luxury and tranquility.

In this area, which hosts the most exclusive neighborhoods for its infrastructure and location, there are residential developments, modern high-rise buildings and skyscrapers such as the Grattacielo and the Mirage 5, as well as numerous drugstores, clothing stores, gyms, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and the main shopping and financial centers of the city.

Shopping malls in Barranquilla

• Riomar – North: Viva Barranquilla, Buenavista, Villa Country, Único Outlet, Miramar, Villa Carolina, Gran Boulevard, Country Plaza.
• Historical Center: Portal del Prado, Commercial Shopping Center, Aladino, Tropical Centro, Parque Central.
• Southwest: Americano
• Southeast: Panorama, Alegra
• Others: Metropolitano, Metrocentro, Gran Plaza del Sol, Carnaval

Barranquilla Chamber of Commerce

Focused on merchant needs, the Barranquilla Chamber of Commerce is a leader in fostering prosperity and competitiveness by activating flows of information, capital and knowledge that impact the region.

The company has excellent Headquarters and Service Points in Barranquilla, Soledad and Sabanalarga where the services are delivered with technical support and efficient and trained staff.

For more information about the Barranquilla Chamber of Commerce and its services, please click here.

Commercial in Manizales

The city of Manizales is the capital of the department of Caldas, which is located in west-central Colombia in the Central Cordillera.

Doing Business Colombia 2010 study conducted by the World Bank, Manizales ranked first. Manizales is considered the city in Colombia where it is easiest to start a business. Today, the city continues to position itself as one of the strongest industrial and commercial cities in the country.

The main activity and tradition of the city is the cultivation and production of coffee, but there are also many companies dedicated to the production of spirits, shoes, rubber, chocolate, car parts, household appliances, soap, metallurgy and other products.

In addition, thanks to the natural wealth and the large number of forests and nature reserves that surround the city, bird watching has become an important point of reference, giving a great boost to tourism and the economy.

Shopping in Manizales

In this Colombian city, also known as the City of Open Doors, these two areas are mainly commercial:

Zona Rosa de Manizales

East Manizales is home to the Zona Rosa, home to some of the city’s most elegant neighborhoods. The Zona Rosa is today an area dedicated to gastronomy, entertainment and commerce, in particular the shops of the most luxurious brands in the city and country, as well as the main shopping centers. In addition, a large part of the quality hotel offer in the capital of Caldas is concentrated in this sector.

This is also the closest area to La Nubia Airport, which is convenient for travelers to access and thanks to its excellent location, and easy access to the bus and taxi system.

The Historical center of Manizales

While the city center is the busiest part of Manizales, it is also the main area for cultural, commercial and administrative activity.

Around 20% of the city’s economic activity is concentrated in this sector alone, where the best of the city’s history meets growing trade.

In the center and its surroundings, two zones can be distinguished in which trade plays the main role:

• The upper zone made up of the neighborhoods of Los Agustinos, Las Américas and the west end of the center, is densely populated and has moderate economic activity, with about 50 establishments per thousand inhabitants.
• In the middle zone, which includes the entire Centro district and is home to around 20% of the city’s private economic activity, there are just over 400 businesses per thousand inhabitants.
• This neighborhood of Manizales is dominated by shopping malls, car companies, restaurants, clothing stores, drugstores, pharmacies, banks, currency exchange offices, and technology stores.

Shopping centers in Manizales

• Mallplaza Manizales
• Fundadores Shopping Center
• Cable Plaza shopping mall
• Caldas Park shopping center
• Shopping center La 19
• Shopping center Sancario
• Multicentre Estrella

Chamber of Commerce of Manizales

The Manizales Chamber of Commerce aims to be the best partner for entrepreneurs in the region. In fulfillment of the tasks entrusted by the state, this organization works to create economic value in the region and supports the strengthening and growth of traders.

Their key business development services and actions include:

• Attention in communities: training, business clinic, vender Más program, etc
• Strengthening the economy: training courses, sectoral programs to strengthen the economy, advice, etc
• clusters and productivity
• business growth
• internationalization

Commercial in Villavicencio

Villavicencio is a Colombian municipality, capital of the Meta department and the most important commercial center of the Eastern Plain. Agriculture, livestock and mining are the pillars of the city’s economy, which has developed greatly thanks to significant and constant trade and good financial backing. Villavicencio is an important storage center and transit point inland for most of the crops and livestock produced in the Llanos region.

In addition, in Villavicencio, as the place is traditionally called, and in the surrounding area, there is a significant rice processing industry, palm oil and concentrate production, seeds and metalworking industry.

Business district in Villavicencio

In Villavicencio, the departmental capital, there are some facilities of great importance for economic and commercial development. Some of them are: the seat of government of the Department of Meta, the Water and Sewerage Company of Villavicencio (EAAV), the company Electrificadora Del Meta (EMSA), the branch of the Bank of the Republic of Colombia and the Chamber of Commerce of Villavicencio (CCV).

Villavicencio city center

Villavicencio city center includes the entire central area of the city around the Parque de Los Fundadores. In this area, you will find the main and widest shopping streets of Villavicencio, as well as numerous restaurants and hotels of all kinds.

South area of the center of Villavicencio

Around Calle 27, to the south of the city center, is this neighborhood considered one of the safest and most luxurious in Villavicencio. The main features that make this sector one of the most important in terms of commerce include a wide range of typical Llanos gastronomy, the best range of hotels and a large number of shopping centers.

Shopping centers in Villavicencio

The town of Villavicencio has many shopping centers. The most important include:

• Llanocentro Shopping Center: This is where the Grand Hotel is located
• Unicentro shopping center
• Viva Villavicencio Shopping Center (formerly La Sabana Shopping Center )
• Villacentro shopping center
• Único shopping center
• Primavera Shopping Center Urbana

In and around these malls across the city, you can find supermarkets and businesses such as Falabella, Homecenter, Constructor, Exito Supermarkets, Makro, Alkosto, Tiendas Metro and Olímpica.

Chamber of Commerce Villavicencio

The Chamber of Commerce of Villavicencio is the most important chamber of commerce in the Meta department. This facility promotes corporate governance, alternative methods of conflict resolution, and public records in the jurisdiction. It should also contribute to the development and growth of companies in the region.

One of their most important services is business orientation. It also offers virtual company databases and the possibility of renting space, equipment and complimentary services.

For more information about the Villavicencio Chamber of Commerce and its services, please click here.

Colombia-MICE is part of the Pelecanus Travel Group. We are located in Bogota, Colombia. We are specialized in corporate travel and all services around Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions.

One of the biggest challenges for business travelers today is optimal time management. A large number of destinations can be visited in a short time. However, due to local infrastructure, bad roads, or a lack of flight connections, such visits sometimes cannot be carried out within useful time windows.

A possible, but also cost-intensive solution is to use helicopter transport. Although these are expensive, the bottom line is that such a solution can still be economically worthwhile, taking all costs into account.

Which option can business travelers use?

Below you will find useful information about helicopter travel in Colombia.

What types of business services do helicopter companies provide in Colombia?

Helicopter tourism companies in Colombia offer a variety of services such as: Visits and overflights of all types of landscapes in the country such as Guatapé or the Chicamocha Gorge, the main cities, for a day as a pilot or even for marriage proposals.

For tourist flights, we refer to our separate blog about tourist helicopter offers in Colombia.

Among the services aimed at business tourism, the following are the most important:

Passenger transport by helicopter

The transportation of people from one place to another is what is most requested by companies because a destination can be reached so quickly and directly.

Air taxi with helicopter

Some companies provide air taxi services that offer flights to any location in the country with a variety of fleet options, state-of-the-art technology and a satellite system that allows real-time tracking of flights across the country.

Air Freight Transportation

When transporting freight or goods by helicopter, the terms crane helicopter or cargo helicopter are also used. These terms are used because helicopters generally transport the cargo as a type of crane and dump the goods at the desired location.

Executive Charter Airline

Charter flights offer more flexibility than commercial flights, serving virtually any destination, at any time, according to customers’ needs.

These flights are not scheduled flights and are not part of the regular flight schedule of the various companies that operate them.

Ambulance and rescue service by helicopter

This type of service provides medical accompaniment to passengers in special situations and assists the patient with medical assistance from arrival to arrival at the airport or flight base.

Some companies also offer transfers to destination airports, clinics, hospitals, health centers and/or the patient’s place of residence.

In addition, this service also takes care of accident patients and sick people, rescue services and helicopter transport with immediate switching to other means of transport.

transport of valuables

Moving valuables is all about maintaining a high level of security from one destination to another. Companies offer this service for valuables with all security parameters.

The Helicopter Tourism Industry in Colombia

The helicopter industry for tourist travel in Colombia is becoming more and more popular. The topography and the lack of infrastructure favor helicopter transport immensely. Of course, a helicopter can land almost anywhere in the country provided it has permission from the local landowner (coordinates and pictures are usually required).

Generally marketed as a more expensive but less time-consuming alternative, this service caters to an adventurous and luxurious clientele.

Also, these services are performed by companies duly licensed by the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority.

The Colombian Aviation Sector

Colombia has 16 international airports and the main airport for cargo traffic (El Dorado International Airport, Bogota) in Latin America and has invested up to 20.2 million dollars to modernize its helicopters by 2021.

Special features of helicopter flights

One of the most important aspects of this sector and its services is the respect given to the topography of the country. Depending on the altitude or the terrain, the operation of a helicopter is more or less restricted. Helicopters have a greater capacity at sea level than at high altitudes.

In Bogotá, at an altitude of almost 2,700 meters above sea level, the capacity of a helicopter is reduced. A machine with a capacity for 10 people can only carry about half of them. In another city, e.g. B. Santa Marta, the helicopter can fly at full capacity at an altitude of only 2 meters above sea level.

Below is a table of the most important destinations in Colombia and their height above sea level.

Table of elevations in the main cities of Colombia

Ciudad	Elevación
Bogotá D.C.	2.640 meter – 8,660 feet
Medellín	1.495 meter – 4,856 feet
Cali	1.018 meter – 3,327 feet
Bucaramanga	959 meter – 317 feet
Santa Marta	6 meter – 20 feet
Villavicencio	467 meter – 1,532 feet
Casanare	350 meter – 1,150 feet
Guatapé	1.890 meter – 6,200 feet
Barranquilla	18 meter – 59 feet
Manizales	2.160 meter – 7,090 feet
Cartagena	2 meter – 7 feet
La Guajira	75 meter – 246 feet
Villa de Leyva	2.149 meter – 7,051 feet
Ibagué	1.285 meter – 4,216 feet

Restrictions on Helicopter Flights

In Colombia, certain areas are not allowed to be entered or flown over, e.g. B. Military bases, prisons and volcanoes, as well as indigenous areas such as the Guajira and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. There are also areas where flying at any altitude is prohibited. On the other hand, there are some additional aspects defined by AIP Colombia that must be taken into account for helicopter services and flights to be legal in Colombian territory, such as the minimum safe altitude, the ban on dropping objects, aerobatics, towing and area advertising, etc.

Potential customers of helicopter companies in Colombia?

Besides tourism, oil, mining and energy are the main industries in which helicopter companies in Colombia offer their services. As companies seek new, more efficient transportation alternatives to reach interesting destinations such as the Eastern Plains, Yopal, Arauca, Florencia, Mocoa and the North Coast.

In the mining industry, aerial imaging services enable a variety of highly complex tasks such as surveys, prospecting, drilling, rescue operations, and other services.

Helicopter tourism budget in Colombia

The cost of the services offered by helicopter companies for business tourism in Colombia can vary depending on the number of people, the destination and the type of service. In addition, helicopters can land almost anywhere, but for this the service providers need, among other things, coordinates, photos of the landing site and permission from the property owner.

The basic price for renting a helicopter can vary, the following factors are decisive:

• Cost per flight hour
• The cost of extra time to start the engines
• The cost of helicopter landing fees or airport landing fees
• FBO (Fixed Based Operator) costs associated with handling and using the terminal for private aircraft (airport only)
• Parking fees for requests that require the helicopter to wait for passengers at the destination
• The minimum flight or travel fare

The average price for a one-hour helicopter service for companies in Colombia in 2022 ranges from 1,200,000 Colombian Pesos (COP) to 7,500,000 Colombian Pesos (COP).

However, we warn you that these values depend on how many people are flying, where you are, what type of helicopter, what route and what company you choose.

Available helicopter models in Colombia

These are the helicopter models most used by companies for their tourism and business tourism services in Colombia:

DYNALI H3 SPORT:

• Type: twin turbine
• Top speed: 140 km/h
• Pilot: One
• Capacity: One passenger – 170 kilos

ROTORWAY A600:

• Type: twin turbine
• Top speed: 185 km/h
• Pilot: One
• Capacity: One passenger – 196 kilos

MOSQUITO XET TURBINE:

• Type: Single Turbine
• Top speed: 130 km/h
• Pilot: One
• Capacity: One passenger – 142 kilos

BELL 206-L3

• Type: single engine
• Top speed: 222 km/h
• Pilot: One
• Capacity: 4 to 6 passengers – 450 kg

BELL 206- B

• Type: mono turbine
• Top speed: 215 km/h
• Pilot: One
• Capacity: 4 to 5 passengers – 450 kg

ROBINSON R-66

• Type: mono turbine
• Top speed: 189 km/h
• Pilot: One
• Capacity: One passenger – 408 kg

ROBINSON 22

• Type: single engine
• Top speed: 189 km/h
• Pilot: One
• Capacity: One passenger – 408kg

AGUSTA WESTLAND 139

• Type: Four turbines
• Top speed: 310 km/h
• Pilot: Two
• Capacity: 10 to 15 passengers – max. 3,400 kilos

BELLY 212

• Type: Single Turbine
• Top speed: 223 km/h
• Pilot: Two
• Capacity: 10 to 13 passengers – max. 1,100 kilos

BELLY 414

• Type: Monoturbiuna
• Top speed: 259 km/h
• Pilot: Two
• Capacity: 10 to 13 passengers – 2,000 kilos

BELL 414EP

• Type: Monoturbiuna
• Top speed: 259 km/h
• Pilot: Two
• Capacity: 10 to 13 passengers – 2,000 kg

EMS/BK117

• Type: Four turbines
• Top speed: 278 km/h
• Pilot: One
• Capacity: 7 to 9 passengers – maximum 990 kilos

MI 171

• Type: Four turbines
• Top speed: 250 km/h
• Pilot: Two
• Capacity: 20 to 26 passengers – 4,000 kilos

MI 8 MTV-1

• Type: Four turbines
• Top speed: 230 km/h
• Pilot: Two
• Capacity: 20 to 24 passengers – 4,000 kilos

LEONARDO AW139

• Type: Four turbines
• Top speed: 164 km/h
• Pilot: Two
• Capacity: 12 to 14 passengers – 3,000 kilos

EUROCOPTER EC145

• Type: Four turbines
• Top speed: 268 km/h
• Pilot: Two
• Capacity: 8 to 10 passengers – 1,700 kilos

Do you need a helicopter flight? We would be happy to advise you and organize your desired flight.