Q & A CALAABLANCA

R/. Barú is a treasure of the Colombian Caribbean, its beaches, its natural environment, the cultural identity of the communities, its biodiversity, all these elements together make Barú a spectacular destination, where we feel that we can fully develop our luxury potential and connect our DNA with this natural sanctuary, creating incredible experiences for our guests and visitors, which will add to the tourism development not only of Cartagena but of this insular area. Our goal is to be the first luxury beach hotel in the Colombian Caribbean 

The Accor group arrived in Colombia since 1995 and we were pioneers of luxury hotels in Cartagena, because we saw an important development of the luxury market not only in the city of Cartagena but in other cities such as Bogotá. We now have the same conviction with this new project on the island of Barú. 

R/. We believe that our project strengthens the growth of the island of Barú, contributing to development, with job creation, which will bring better conditions and quality of life to the communities. 

Barú is a destination that has a lot to contribute to international tourism. Its biodiversity, its landscapes are one of the most important attributes that the island has to become a luxury destination internationally. Our objective goes further: we want to create a synergy with Cartagena and thus propose a cultural destination, that is, a destination that has everything from the beach, biodiversity, culture, history, romance, etc. 

R/. The Calablanca Beach Resort hotel is the result of the vision of a group of Colombian investors who saw in Barú a real option to boost luxury tourism to international markets. They are Grupo Argos, owner of the land and development partner; Architecture and Concrete, manager and builder; and the largest real estate investment vehicle in Colombia, PEI. The hotel is operated by Accor. 

R/. Worldwide, we see how tourists from the luxury market seek to connect with the destination they are traveling to and with the local culture, and that will precisely be our differential. We have created a number of unique experiences inspired by the history and ancient traditions of the community, as well as the biodiversity of the destination. 

Upon arrival, visitors and guests will be able to enjoy unique moments that show the culture of the island's communities. The cumbia, the traditional dance of the Caribbean will sound from the arrival of the guests and visitors who will be received with drinks and sweets from the region. 

On the other hand, for the hotel it is a priority to make them part of the Caribbean culture and, therefore, we have designed different workshops to learn to feel and play their different rhythms; learn the art of braids, the turban and the hat or massages on the beach that only Caribbean women do. Bike tours, ecological tours and recreation are other activities that involve the whole family.

R/. Our main market is the United States and Canada; however, we are also betting very heavily on the local market, which can reach between 25 and 30%; We are also looking at markets such as Brazil, which may be at 15%; and the markets of Europe and Asia are also very important, for which we are working on a plan to attract more tourists from outside the Americas.