How two local tourism companies adapted their offer to conquer the international market

The Tourism Internationalization Factories program, led by ProColombia, seeks to transform small and medium-sized companies , driving them towards international markets. Through a focus on sustainability and global projection, this initiative helped beneficiaries in their export capacity in the sector and positioning in new markets.

According to Carmen Caballero, president of ProColombia, tourism is essential for the development, transformation and economy of the country. With this program, companies have managed to stand out on the international stage , while generating a positive impact on the communities and territories in which they operate.

The initiative was structured into four lines of intervention to address essential aspects of business internationalization . The first, 'Mentor', facilitates the transfer of knowledge from experts to companies, promoting their growth and adaptation to global markets. On the other hand, 'Export Excellence' supports companies in the creation of efficient and internationally competitive business models.

The third line, 'Export Consortia', encourages the formation of strategic alliances between entrepreneurs, allowing them to reduce operating costs and access international markets more easily. Finally, there is 'Sustainable Projects', which provides support to vulnerable communities in structuring their internationalization process, promoting practices that benefit both society and the environment.

At EL TIEMPO we spoke with two of the initiatives that benefited: Monte Adentro Cycling, in the 'Mentor' line, and Sacredd in 'Export Consortiums'.

Sacredd is a women-led consortium created under the ProColombia program that has managed to consolidate a wellness tourism offering. Its proposal is based on the richness of ancestral cultures and the diversity of the landscapes of Bogotá, Santa Marta and Cartagena.

Diana Milena Sánchez Castillo, founder of Vyve and Women4Women, is also part of the consortium. Castillo mentioned that ProColombia's support has been key to marketing its products abroad , guaranteeing high quality standards.

According to Sánchez, Vyve, in collaboration with Kaishi and Omm Wellness, have developed a tourism proposal that fuses wellness, ancestral traditions and luxury . At Sacredd they offer experiences that combine iconic places in Colombia with healing practices, guided by wellness experts, such as transpersonal psychologists, certified coaches and holistic therapists.

“With this program , we were able to transform and project our companies Kaishi, Omm Wellness and Vyve towards the international market with a more precise strategy aligned with the needs of our clients,” explained Sánchez.

He also mentioned that international tourists are interested in discovering Colombian biodiversity , as well as learning more about indigenous and peasant communities, both ancestral and living.

“Designing products for foreign tourists gives us the opportunity to highlight the richness of our people , their culture, knowledge and traditions, as well as their hard-working spirit. It also allows us to highlight the offerings of numerous emerging entrepreneurs who have developed high-quality products in little-explored destinations,” he adds.

Sánchez highlighted that wellness tourism has great potential in Colombia, not only because of the wellness techniques that are already known, but also because of other ancestral healing practices, guided by indigenous communities and traditional experts.

“The biggest challenge of working in the consortium area was to unify commercial efforts and develop collaborative strategies to create itineraries focused on the well-being and leisure of our travelers. Achieving this synergy allowed us to launch a high-quality product with the highest standards, designed specifically for international tourists,” he said.

On the other hand, Monte Adentro Cycling is a travel agency specializing in bicycle tourism, with more than five years of operation. The initiative arose because, according to Yesid Bautista, who is part of the administrative management of the company, this means of transport allows travelers to learn about new cultures , enjoy local cuisine and connect with the communities of each region.

Before participating in the ProColombia program, its business model was focused primarily on the local market . However, with the support of the Atuca Foundation, the company undertook an international mission in Spain, where it acquired tools to improve its offering and adapt it to a foreign audience.

“This foundation sponsored us for a while and taught us how to access these markets. Last year, we received their support and, later, for the mission we went to Europe, where we saw how an agency specializing in bicycle tourism operates and how it has incorporated new technologies to improve the experience and make it more comfortable for the tourist ,” explains Bautista.

Bautista noted that, thanks to the international mission, they identified opportunities to add value to their experiences and improve their products .

Based on what the Monte Adentro Cycling team has learned, they decided to develop self-guided bicycle products, since what many foreigners are looking for is greater independence in their tours.

Under this model, customers would no longer need a guide throughout the journey, but could instead find their way using digital apps. In addition, another key tool they plan to implement is the assisted bicycle, which allows travelers to reduce physical effort without losing the experience of exercise and exploration.

“These small changes have allowed us to broaden our vision, showing that tours can be done with both muscular and assisted bicycles . We understood that we can offer our tours by integrating technology,” explains Bautista.

Both Sacredd and Monte Adentro Cycling understand the importance of sustainability in the design of their products and the inclusion of local communities in their experiences , seeing them as key allies and suppliers.

“We always seek to socialize with the territories and for the communities to become our suppliers,” Bautista concludes.

ANGIE RODRÍGUEZ - TRAVEL EDITORIAL - @ANGS0614