Buenaventura welcomes its first international cruise ship

Buenaventura, the most important port on Colombia’s Pacific coast, experienced a historic moment on 22 November when it welcomed its first international cruise ship. The MS Hamburg, belonging to the German company Plantours Cruises, dropped anchor with 400 German tourists, highlighting the tourist potential of this destination.

MS Hamburg in the port of Buenaventura (Credit: FONTUR)

The cruise passengers were warmly welcomed with folklore shows on arrival. During this stopover, visitors had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the richness and tradition of the Colombian Pacific, savour the local cuisine, take a ride on typical transport and dance to the rhythm of the marimba de chonta, the typical instrument of the Pacific coast, also nicknamed the “jungle piano”. They also visited the San Cipriano Nature Reserve, famous for its natural ecosystem, trails, waterfalls and tropical forest.

The Colombian Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Germán Umaña Mendoza, stressed the importance of this event in promoting tourism and protecting ecosystems. He expressed the wish that international visitors should perceive Colombia as a destination in harmony with nature.

Carmen Caballero, President of ProColombia, said: “This event marks an important milestone for the cruise industry in Colombia and confirms the results of our strategy to promote this type of tourism in unconventional destinations. (…) that bring together the essence of Colombia, the land of beauty“.

Economic and cultural impact

Visit to the San Cipriano Nature Reserve (Credit: R.N. de San Cipriano)

The arrival of this first international cruise in Buenaventura is seen as a potential driver for the local economy, with positive spin-offs expected in various sectors, including trade, hotels and services.

“Buenaventura has all the infrastructure needed to welcome cruise ships, so all we had to do was welcome passenger ships. The arrival of these tourists shows that it is possible, that there are not so many obstacles and that we can improve the infrastructure problems. We’re going to improve the quality of tourist services, by supporting Buenaventura’s tourism service providers”, said Fontur’s Managing Director, Álvaro Balcáza.

Outlook for the 2023-2024 cruise season in Colombia

The new cruise season promises to be good for the Colombian economy, with an estimated $50 million in economic spin-offs. A total of 220 calls on 30 different cruise lines, with an estimated 334,000 passengers expected in the ports of Cartagena de Indias, Santa Marta and Buenaventura.

The arrival of the MS Hamburg in Buenaventura is an important milestone for tourism in Colombia, paving the way for new economic and cultural opportunities. This marks the beginning of a new era for Buenaventura, which is now positioned as a key destination for international cruises on Colombia‘s Pacific coast.