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The mid-year holiday season has established itself as a crucial period for the tourism sector. For this reason, and with the aim of giving a significant boost to this era and to the industry, the Colombian Chamber of Electronic Commerce (CCCE) announced the first edition of the “Travel Sale”. This event, scheduled from June 14 to 21, 2024, promises eight days of discounts on a wide range of tourism products and services, giving travelers a good opportunity to plan their vacations at more attractive prices.
The Travel Sale comes at a crucial time for the domestic tourism sector, as it has shown signs of recovery and growth. In fact, according to the report from the Economic Studies Office of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, more than 10% of citizens traveled through Colombia in 2023. Furthermore, according to the DANE Domestic Expenditure in Tourism Survey, the 14.6% of Colombians carried out domestic tourism or excursions in 2023, which represents an increase of 4.1 percentage points compared to the previous year.
We spoke with María Fernanda Quiñones, executive president of the CCCE, who said that “our main objective is to promote and enhance digital transactions in the tourism sector, promoting a category that has traditionally been relevant in electronic commerce, even before the pandemic. , and that undoubtedly contributes to the economic reactivation of the country. “We want consumers to take advantage of this space, as it represents a joint effort by the industry to provide them with access to exceptional travel experiences, taking advantage of the advantages offered by online platforms.”
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But what is the Travel Sale 2024?
The Travel Sale is the first event of this magnitude in Colombia that unites all tourism sectors on the same page to offer exclusive offersIn fact, among the companies that have already confirmed their participation are recognized names such as Despegar, Viajes Falabella, TiquetesBaratos.com, Hoteles Estelar, Atrápalo Colombia, Iberia, Latam, Servservicios, Hoteles Marriott, among others.
“Although we do not establish a mandatory minimum discount, experience has shown that “Participating companies offer really attractive discounts that can reach up to an impressive 70%,” says Quiñones. Furthermore, it emphasizes that, although each company that joins the sales activation event has the freedom to offer the discounts that it considers appropriate according to its own strategies and analysis, the organization will monitor that there is a real and substantial discount that provides a significant added value to the product delivered to the consumer.
An exclusive platform will be presented in the form of a website designed specifically for this event. Here all the accumulated experience of the CCCE will be condensed, promising fluid navigation, attractive offers and a simplified purchasing process for the customer.
However, this portal is not transactional, that is, it does not allow payments to be made directly on the platform. In fact, it works as a virtual showcase where users can explore and view the different offers available and, once they find a promotion of interest, they are redirected to the transactional page of the corresponding brand to complete the purchase safely.
For this reason, Quiñones extends his recommendations by emphasizing the importance of users protecting their data: “We demand high standards of protection from participating companies, since companies affiliated with the Chamber have prestigious certifications and robust cybersecurity schemes, which provides users greater peace of mind when making their transactions. However, the responsibility for maintaining a safe environment does not fall solely on the CCCE and participating companies. Consumers also play a crucial role in protecting their personal and financial data.”
This involves avoiding accessing the platform from public networks or untrusted devices, as well as being alert to any suspicious activity or unusual requests for personal information. Users should take appropriate security measures, such as using strong passwords, keeping their operating systems and antivirus up to date, and never sharing sensitive data unless they are certain of the legitimacy of the request.
How to enter the Travel Sale platform?
To make the most of the opportunities offered by the Travel Sale, those interested can register now on the official website: www.travelsale.com.co. In this way, starting at 12:00 p.m. on June 14, you will begin to receive the most convenient offers according to your preferences and desired destinations. Once the event is officially launched, you will be able to access an extensive list of participating brands. They will only need to click on the brand of their interest, which will display detailed information about the destinations and tourist packages available.
This platform has the support of the National Tourism Fund (Fontur), an entity that is expected to actively participate in the event through the inclusion of promotional banners on the Travel Sale website. The main objective of this alliance is to support the event as an initiative aligned with the strategies and work routes that the National Government is promoting to promote tourism throughout the country.
Will this event continue in the future?
“This is the first edition of the Travel Sale, so we are exploring the market and observing consumer reaction. Our goal is for it to become a solid event for sales activation in the tourism sector. We intend to do it more than once a year, although a final decision has not yet been made in this regard,” says Quiñones.
Therefore, the future frequency of the Travel Sale will depend on the positioning and reception achieved by this first edition. In fact, Quiñones mentions that it is likely that the initial version of the Travel Sale will be replicated next year, if this event does well, although it may not be in June, but on another date, since the peak seasons will be carefully analyzed. tourist demand to hold one or two editions of this event a year.
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However, the long-term vision is to consolidate and expand this initiative with the primary objective of it becoming an accessible platform at the national level. “By bringing vacation offers and packages to travelers’ mobile devices and computers, geographic barriers are broken and the reach is expanded, allowing more people to enjoy the natural and cultural attractions of Colombia.”
He concludes by saying that the invitation is for all consumers to make the most of these types of opportunities, since these are moments in which the tourism industry comes together to make a great joint effort and offer truly competitive value propositions. “It is very likely that they will find options adapted to their needs, budget and desire to enjoy a well-deserved vacation. Trust in electronic commerce and take the step to start carrying out your tourism transactions digitally.”
