Ibagué, 19/10/2021
- The Vice-Ministry of Tourism, the Government of Tolima, the City Council of Planadas and the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization -ARN- have set their sights on the Marquetalia Route and are working together on its projection.
- The Marquetalia Route is in the process of being formulated and the community is eager to learn about the history and transformation of this territory.
Representatives of the Vice-Ministry of Tourism visited the former Territorial Spaces for Training and Reincorporation (ETCR) of Planadas, Tolima, to learn about the 'Marquetalia Route' initiative and to guide the workshop on tools and skills for tourism projects called 'Consolidation of the portfolio of tourism services´.
The 'Marquetalia Route' has the purpose of telling the story of the territory where the illegal armed group Farc-Ep was born, and now represents a center of reconciliation, coexistence, and peace. This tourism initiative seeks to be a project of historical memory that allows the territory to be seen far from stigmatization, and where the landscapes, the coffee that is grown there and its high level of quality service are the key elements.
Likewise, beyond being a tourist and historical route, it will promote visits to coffee farms and other representative places of the municipality of Planadas in the department of Tolima.
The 'Marquetalia Route' is an emerging project, led by five people in the process of reincorporation who, thanks to the training provided by the Vice-Ministry of Tourism on Friday, October 14th, have acquired tools to build an attractive project, identify additional activities for its consolidation and improve customer service.
This idea has been socialized with members of the Government of Tolima, who, in their concern to share the history of this territory with the rest of the country, have allocated resources for the formulation and purchase of materials for the development of the project, which is expected to start in early 2022.
Andrés Felipe Stapper, Director General of the ARN, highlighted these actions “because they promote reconciliation in the territory by strengthening the capacities of ex-combatants of FARC-EP and their projects and initiatives, which will not only contribute to the economic sustainability of those who are committed to peace with legality, but also to the development of the country, in this case, from the tourism sector.
The visit of Isabelle León Mora, support professional of the Vice-Ministry of Tourism, represents the commitment of the national Government, with the support of the Government of Tolima and the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization, to join efforts to enable people undergoing reincorporation to have thriving and sustainable productive projects.
Interesting facts:
728 people are part of the reincorporation process in Tolima as of September.
9 collective productive projects have been disbursed, benefiting 218 people in the reincorporation process, and 162 individual productive projects involving 189 people.
A total of 407 people in the department received disbursements for productive projects. Of which 2 have tourism as a central axis, one in Icononzo and another in Planadas.