TENDANCE NOMAD MAGAZINE INTERVIEW: " YOU CAN COUNT ON US ! "
Tendance Nomad: In Latin America, what are your prospects for recovery?
Claudia Terrade: The prospects for recovery vary from country to country. According to reports, all countries will reopen by August 5th at the latest. Airports will start operating between July 22 and September 1st, and the only country that won’t reopen in October will be Peru. Then, each country has defined several stages for recovery that will depend on the evolution of the health situation of each of them. We maintain a table which we update regularly and which is on our web page: https://quimbaya-tours.com/en/covid19-updates/. Here is a summary :
Claudia Terrade, CEO Quimbaya Latin America
| COUNTRY | DATE OF END OF LOCKDOWN | REOPENING OF AIRPORTS |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 12/07/2020 | From 01/09/2020 |
| Bolivia | Since 06/30/2020 | No date yet |
| Colombia | From 07/15/2020 | From 01/09/2020 |
| Chile | Dynamic containment by zones. No date yet scheduled for total deconfinement | Airports open for domestic flights. No specific date for international flights |
| Costa Rica | No containment | Airports open and operating |
| Ecuador | Containment by exit restrictions, according to license plates | No date set yet |
| Guatemala | From 08/05/2020 | From 08/01/2020 |
| Mexico | No more containment | Airports in operation partial |
| Panama | No date yet, but possible in early August | From 07/22/2020 |
| Peru | Since 06/30/2020 | In October, date not yet fixed |
Tendance Nomad: For the months to come, what “meaningful” MICE operations can you offer?
Claudia Terrade: As soon as the countries reopen, the proposals will depend on the sector of each company and the specifications that we will have to respect, but, in general, we will offer outdoor activities in smaller groups than in the past and places open, spacious and clear where the physical distance can be respected without difficulty.
Technology will undoubtedly have a very important role to play in avoiding the delivery of documents and the manipulation of objects. Compliance with biosecurity standards will be the keyword for
each operation and the selection of third party companies involved will be strict and rigorous. Our ability to adapt will be our main ally. Creativity in our countries has never been lacking, so we will continue to adapt and use our creativity without moderation! You can count on us!
Tendance Nomad: What do you recommend to your customers? In view of the health crisis, what is your added value?
Claudia Terrade: We are aware that the restart of MICE trips will not be immediate or easy, but when trips resume, if we were to give advice to our customers, it would be to be well informed about the measures taken by the country where they will take their customers and the way in which these measures are applied by the various parties involved in each operation. The health situation in Latin America is not as deplorable, or generalized, as it is presented by some media. To date, the death rate for the 11 countries where we work, which represent a population 65% larger than that of France, Belgium, Spain and Italy combined, is only 0.22% then that of these 4 countries is 0.55%. (Ratio between the number of deaths and the number of inhabitants of all the countries mentioned). Containment in most countries was strict and long lasting. All countries have taken stringent measures and are demanding that companies establish strict biosecurity protocols in order to resume operations. We are in the process of obtaining certifications in each of our countries and we will also obtain international labels which will reassure our customers. Passenger safety will be the priority throughout the chain. Our added value remains our presence in each country, our reputation and our solid relationships based on trust, respect and professionalism with each of our partners throughout our 33 years of existence. We have already started to establish our internal protocols to be well synchronized with our different partners in each country and to be ready when our activity resumes.
Tendance Nomad: What message would you like to send to advertisers and event organizers?
Claudia Terrade: Despite the difficulties that some of our countries in Latin America have presented to overcome this crisis, our countries will always be welcoming, festive, and full of ideas so that each operation and each trip is unforgettable. We will do everything possible to make the reunion between us even happier than every time we have had the honor of working with you!
