Colombia › SME Development Pilot for Sustainable Tourism and Handcraft in La Guajira, Colombia
We partnered with CREATA to enhance the lives of the Wayúu people in La Guajira, Colombia, by focusing on local entrepreneurship. The project began with a tourism assessment conducted by a consultant to evaluate and develop local guesthouses, known as rancherias. The project aimed to boost tourism services, promote the rancherias internationally, and support local craft development through targeted marketing and redesign efforts.
Key Achievements:
A thorough assessment of four rancherias in La Guajira was conducted, evaluating market trends, infrastructure, services, and business management practices.
The rancherias in Santa Rita and Aiwa were selected for the pilot project due to their promising infrastructure.
CREATA partnered with Colombian tourism organization Mambe, which provided an expert in community tourism, Sandra Milena, with over 15 years of experience.
Initial training was received on the Colombian tourism value chain, and immediate training and infrastructure improvements were carried out at Santa Rita and Aiwa.
Improvements included customer service training, hygiene practices, and infrastructure upgrades such as bed sheet changes, bathroom mirrors, wall shelving, painting, door repairs, and composter construction.
Donor: JP Morgan
Start Date: October 2013
End Date: October 2014
Number of Beneficiaries: 50 Artisans
Training Hours: 12,000
Number of Businesses Supported: 3
