QCOSTARICA TRAVEL – Colombia’s largest airline, Avianca, said on Tuesday that it will cut prices of international tickets to 25 destinations within the South American country by 15 to 50%.
A flight from San Jose to Bogota, Medellin or Cali is now US$429. The price cut is temporary and part of a strategy to attract more travelers during low season.
“We’re offering several countries the possibility to travel to 25 destinations in Colombia and we are doing this with discounts ranging from 15% to 50%,” Avianca director Fabio Villegas said in a press conference in the capital Bogota on Tuesday.
The price cuts are valid for travel from September 2015 to the end of May 2016 for flights from 48 cities in both the Americans and Europe. Tickets must be purchased before September 10, 2015.
The low price is for online purchases only, add US$25 for tickets purchased at the airline airport counter or office in San Jose.
Restrictions. Black out dates apply: from Costa Rica from October 11 to 13, December 10 to 23, January 2 to 17, 2016 and March 25 to 28, 2016; to Costa Rica from October 2 to 5, December 11 to 23, January 2 to 9, 2016 and March 17 to 20, 2016. Maximum stay is 30 days or May 31, 2016, whichever occurs first; minimum stay 3 days or one Sunday night. Fares are not refundable.
With the discounts, Avianca said to join efforts of the national government to stimulate tourism to the country that already has seen a major boom in tourism over the past decade.
The Colombian government said to be happy with the discounts and expressed hope that the cheap flights will stimulate visits outside of summer holidays.
“One of the problems we have in the country is that we have peeks on certain moments and lows on others. This will level the seasons,” said Enrique Stellabatti, the vice-president of promotion agency ProColombia.
According to the Avianca director, the discounts could generate “an increase in the flow of visitors of more than 20%” and promised to repeat the action if results are positive.
The Colombia destinations wih discounts includes: Armenia, Barrancabermeja, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Florencia, Ibagué, Leticia, Manizales, Medellín, Montería, Neiva, Pasto, Pereira, Popayán, Riohacha, San Andrés, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Valledupar, Villavicencio and Yopal.
