By Holland House | February 5, 2024 | News

Pictured left to right, Elesier Angel, Miles Mercera, Maarten van der Scheer, Edison Rijna, Veroesjka de Windt, Bianca Peters, Natalia Serrano, Luite Berkenbosch, Camila Reina, Wessel Mol.

A prominent delegation from the island of Bonaire, belonging to the Kingdom of the Netherlands as a special municipality, carried out a significant visit to Colombia from Tuesday, January 30, to Friday, February 2.

The main purpose of this visit was the establishment of a direct flight route between Colombia and Bonaire, with the aim of encouraging tourism to the island, considering that Colombia is among the countries with the highest influx of visitors to this Caribbean destination. Furthermore, the objective is to strengthen economic relations between Colombia and Bonaire.

Edison Rijna, leader of the delegation and special envoy for the BES islands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba) to the EU and the UN, as well as economic development with Latin America and the Caribbean, mentioned why Colombia is such an important country for promoting tourism to Bonaire.

"Colombia is the country with the largest hub in Latin America, with numerous flights departing from Bogotá's El Dorado Airport to the Caribbean and the rest of the world, and we in Bonaire want to be part of that growth, to be able to bring people not only from Colombia but from all of Latin America, with El Dorado Airport being a hub to reach our beautiful island."

During its stay, the delegation held strategic meetings with key stakeholders in the aviation and tourism sectors in Colombia. These meetings were crucial to solidify alliances that will facilitate the achievement of the planned objectives to promote tourism in Bonaire.

Tourism plays a fundamental role in the economy of the island of Bonaire, being the main economic drive. Visitors can choose this destination not only to enjoy a vacation but also to find excellent business opportunities. Luite Berkenbosch, President of Bonhata (Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association), spoke about the development of the island and how they have prepared for the arrival of more tourists from Colombia and Latin America.

“In the last five years, many hotel rooms were added on the island and many constructions were carried out, so we have beds available for tourists. "BONHATA is an association made up of more than 120 companies in the tourism sector of the island of Bonaire."

The opening of new direct flight routes between the two destinations will not only boost the economic development of Bonaire but will also offer Colombian and Latin American travelers a more accessible option to discover the beauty of this Caribbean paradise.

The delegation was made up, in addition to Edison Rijna, special envoy for the BES islands (Bonaire, Saint Eustatius, and Saba) for the EU and the UN and economic development with Latin America and the Caribbean; by Bianca Peters, liaison for strategic partnerships for the BES islands with the EU, the UN, and Latin America; Luite Berkenbosch, President of Bonhata; Veroesjka de Windt, CEO of Bonhata; Maarten van der Scheer, CEO of Bonaire Flamingo International Airport; Miles Mercera, CEO of the Bonaire Tourism Corporation; and Elesier Angel, Coordinator of Cruises and Projects at the Bonaire Tourism Corporation.

The delegation's agenda was organized by the Colombian-Dutch Chamber of Commerce Holland House, which, in its efforts to link Colombia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, connected the delegation with key entities in tourism and airlines to achieve the delegation's objectives.