Cartagena, Colombia on the Cover of Spirit Airlines inflight Magazine

gabolicious says on Jul 15, 2008, 17:52:

I think that the people who feel strongly about Colombia not becoming too much of a tourist destination are the ones who are stucked in their own bubble...

Poor guys if they never burst that bubble... they are missing an incredible country... lastima por ellos

Elección no canonización....

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Simon says on Jul 15, 2008, 18:33:

"I know that a lot of people feel strongly about Colombia not becoming too much of a tourist destination"

What people? The FARC?

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

gamm2 says on Jul 15, 2008, 18:51:

I've heard it commented many times that people dont want their "secret" to be discovered and overrun by tourists (gringos)...

I certainly don't want Cartagena to become another Cancun...

I live in a tourist destination myself and you hear locals complaining all the time about tourists while not really appreciating that tourists pay our bills. My tourist destination is actually where I was introduced to Colombians because hundreds of Colombian university students come every year to work in the summers.

Anyone have examples of tourist destinations that have developed responsably? What does that entail? What role does the Colombian government play?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

gabolicious says on Jul 15, 2008, 18:58:

"I've heard it commented many times that people dont want their "secret" to be discovered and overrun by tourists (gringos)... "

I am going to say this but I don't want to sound too radical since I do believe as you do regarding tourism help an economy lots of places live from it... son un mal necesario... you don't want Cartagena to become another Cancun?... I agree with that..

Good question gamm2... Anyone have examples of tourist destinations that have developed responsably?

Elección no canonización....

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Saltador says on Jul 15, 2008, 19:01:

No chance of cartagena being another cancun. Or overrun with tourists, no matter how many times the trolls and exaggeraters on this board say it's happening...
By the way, I know the girl on the cover of the Spirit magazine. Cartagenera, buena persona.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

gamm2 says on Jul 16, 2008, 05:37:

What about Huatulco in Mexico. They seem to be developing that place up extensively and there was nothing there before... like you said Gabo - i guess its helpful for the economy of Oaxaca, but its a mal necesario... I think there is a guy on here that has talked about Huatulco before.

Not really comparable with Cartagena... but that could happen in another part of Colombia if people get interested in it.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

droble77 says on Jul 16, 2008, 08:55:

Well, most of the tourism in CTG is internal so I'm not sure how ruined the city can be from that if it's not already. Maybe Colombians act like crazy college students on spring break when they get there? ;0)

Seriously, given today's fare prices and the iffy economy, I doubt CTG will be swamped by gringo tourists in the short run. Long run, is always a different story, anything is possible in the long run.

CTG does have competition though. Viejo San Juan in PR is lot like colonial Cartagena (though smaller), you've even got similar structures with the old forts and defenses. And Americans don't need a passport to go to PR, plus you can get by w/ English in San Juan, not really the case in CTG.

If Havana ever opens up again to Americans, that would also be even more serious competition. I think MILLIONS of Americans would be interested in visiting a "post-commie" Cuba.


On a side note, also agree it can be a bit of a strained "love-hate" relationship between the tourists and the locals. That's one of the risks when tourism develops too much or too fast.

Looking forward to my 1st trip to CTG in Sept. And yep it's on Spirit, got a good sale fare a few months back. Hope they can stay in business through September, lol! :))

0 funny, 0 helpful.

viajero123 says on Jul 16, 2008, 11:29:

Well, the city is pretty ruined already by internal tourism. As in many other parts of the world, the tourist there is now just seen as someone who has to be ripped-off whenever possible. It's sad but it's the reality of many touristy places in developing countries across the world. Tourism changes the way people behave and welcome outsiders.

Despite the fact that english might be an advantage, it's not true that a place can't compete. Look at Cuba, Costa Rica and Mexico for instance.

But the largest problem of Cartagena is the local government being run by the same old families for ages, without really giving a solution to the real problems of the city, although they have tons of $$ flowing in from tourism. Why would the No. 1 tourist destination be one of the poorest cities in the country if not for that?

0 funny, 0 helpful.