The earthquake struck Colombia's Choco province on Monday (10 August), with its epicentre near San Jose del Palmar, affecting cities such as Cali and Pereira. Hundreds of people are feared to have died, with thousands more having been registered missing.
Funds raised by the appeal, which is being led by the not-for-profit Intrepid Foundation, will support impacted communities with essential medical supplies, food and lodging for volunteer medical staff, as well as fuel to transport volunteers and supplies to the scene.
The foundation has partnered with Colombian NGO Patrulla Aerea Civil Colombiana (PAC) for the appeal, which provides free medical services to remote areas across Colombia. Intrepid said with access to volunteer pilots, medical professionals and aircrafts, it was well placed to respond to the needs of communities affected by the earthquake. The foundation will match donations up to £15,000.
Intrepid continues to operate in Colombia, with trips being rerouted away from affected areas where necessary. All of its travellers and staff in Colombia are safe.
The operator's aim is to resume normal operations as soon as possible to ensure affected communities continue to benefit economically from tourism.
"In moments like this, solidarity can make an immediate and meaningful difference," said Hernan Acevedo, Intrepid's General Manager in Colombia, where Intrepid began operating in 2019. It runs eight trips in the country, supported by a local office in Bogota with eight full-time staff. The Intrepid Foundation has been partnering with PAC for three years.
Biheng Zhang, General Manager of The Intrepid Foundation, added: "By giving to this appeal, the international travel community can directly contribute to the humanitarian relief efforts, supplying immediate medical needs to communities impacted by this devastating earthquake, while supporting a locally led NGO that is deeply rooted in the community and trusted by the local people."
Meanwhile, Simon Locke, Founder and Co-Owner of Colombia-based operator and Lata member Colombia57, said it was important the international tourism community didn't give the impression tourism to and in Colombia had stopped.
"From a tourism perspective, I think it is very important we provide an accurate picture of what is happening and do not create the impression that Colombia, or even the entire Coffee Region, has stopped operating. In fact, the situation is already evolving positively. Several airports that were temporarily closed are now operating again, including Cali, Armenia, Manizales and Quibdo.
"Pereira Matecana airport remains temporarily closed following damage sustained during the earthquake. However, the latest information we have received indicates the damage was not structural, and inspections and repair work are continuing with the expectation operations will resume relatively soon. Armenia El Eden Airport is operating, although it is handling increased traffic due to the closure of Pereira. This may result in some delays over the next few days.
"On the ground in the Coffee Region, the picture is also more positive than some of the initial reports may have suggested. A large proportion of the hotel infrastructure used by international visitors continues to operate normally. Salento and Filandia are functioning normally, as are many of the main hotels in the region. Some individual properties are operating with temporary limitations to services such as electricity, water or internet, but these situations are being assessed individually.
"There may also be some additional road congestion, particularly around Pereira, during the coming days while emergency work and infrastructure inspections continue. Again, these are localised issues rather than a reason to avoid the Coffee Region as a whole.
"It is also important to put the geography into perspective. Although the epicentre was in the department of Choco on Colombia’s Pacific Coast, Bahia Solano was completely unaffected, with flights, hotels and tourism services operating normally.
"The response from the Colombian authorities has also been very quick. The new president and his government have acted rapidly, visiting affected areas, coordinating the emergency response and announcing support for damaged homes, schools, hospitals, infrastructure and businesses. This quick decision-making has helped the country move forward during what has obviously been an extremely difficult few days.
"For the international travel industry, I think the message needs to be one of awareness and responsible travel rather than avoidance. Travellers visiting affected areas should, of course, follow local advice, allow some additional time for transport and check individual arrangements before travelling. Some communities have suffered very serious damage and we should not underestimate that.
"However, the earthquake should not deter people from travelling to Colombia as a whole. In fact, one of the greatest forms of support Colombia can receive over the coming months is for people to continue travelling. Tourism supports thousands of Colombian families and local businesses, including guides, drivers, restaurants, hotels, coffee farms, artisans and small tourism operators. Many of these businesses are operating normally and need visitors to continue arriving rather than suffering cancellations because of the perception that the whole country has been affected. Cartagena, Bogota, Medellin, Tayrona, Santa Marta and Rosario Islands all continue to function as normal.
"The best support we can give many of these communities is not simply sympathy from overseas, but to continue bringing visitors, employment and income into the destinations that are open and ready to receive them. Colombia has experienced a major natural disaster, but it has also shown its resilience. Much of the country’s tourism infrastructure remains intact, services are progressively returning to normal and Colombia continues to welcome international visitors.
"Colombia remains open, and tourism can play an important part in helping the country and its communities move forward."
Simon Locke is Founder and Co-Owner of Lata member Colombia57.