The Limited Liability Company Colombian Adventure saw the light of day on Aruba in 2016 with Lina Rios at its head. The company’s headquarters lies in Pereira, Colombia. Colombian Adventure is a tour operator that creates tailor-made tours and events for tourists with a very wide range of interests (culture, sports, ecology, ruralism, and holistic health) who want to visit beautiful Colombia. Proud of her Colombian heritage Lina wanted to introduce people to the diversity and beauty of Colombia, making every trip a once in a lifetime experience.
Exploring a new Business Adventure
Back in 2013, driven by their decades-long experience in the tourism industry and their passion for tourists and travelling, Lina and her two brothers decided that they wanted to show people a different side of Colombia with a focus on preserving the planet and showing Colombia in its true nature. They didn’t want to just send tourists out on a pre-packaged tour, since this had already been done before. In keeping with the trend of creating authentic and ecology-friendly experiences, they offer (potential) tourists individualized tours with the prospect of creating highly personal and memorable experiences while providing them with knowledge on the values and traditions of the people they meet on this adventure. They work closely with their clients to create a travel adventure that combines the clients’ interests with what Colombia has to offer. For instance, Colombia’s biodiversity accounts for 20% of the world’s bird species. This draws in large groups of birdwatchers as well as people interested in a pure and authentic travelling experience. Their certification in Standard Sustainable Tourism helps them manage the additional footprint and guarantees their tours are environmentally responsible. It was the right time and the right place for their venture; the business took off.
Lina is currently manning the Aruban Colombian Adventure branch alone, though she recently got a part-timer to assist her with the finances and accounting aspect. A welcome help when looking at their exceptional growth. In 2016 some 100 clients made use of their services, but in 2017 their clients’ base grew to about 500 people, and for 2018 between 700 to 800 people have either already made use of the personalized tours, or will be going on an adventure of a lifetime later this year. The projection for next year is even higher, thus showing the growing demand for their unique offer. For Lina it has been a dream come true and many years in the making. She prides herself on being the only specialized Colombian tour operator on Aruba and the Caribbean.
“He told me he believed in my business and that he believed in me”
Overcoming Challenges
Starting or even expanding a business always comes with its own challenges. One of the challenges this particular business faces on a regular basis is to set themselves apart as tour operators. They don’t book flights, but assist with making the trip an authentic experience. Another challenge is getting their name known. The use of traditional media sources, such as radio and the age-old form of networking makes a world of difference, but with a team of one, the possibilities are limited. To overcome these challenges they rely on their vast experience and use their previous clients as references. Clients are happy to spread the word.
Maintaining quality when creating such custom-made travel tours for each individual or group might also be a challenge on its own. Currently, she’s working on a program for the anniversary trip for Grupo di Betico, a group of about 50 people, for later this year. Earlier this year Colombian Adventure was involved in organizing the agreements between ATIA and the Chamber of Commerce of Pereira. Intermediating between the parties and making the necessary approaches between the business guilds culminated in the signing of this important agreement.
Qredits helps everyone with a good Plan
After years of talking to banks and trying to get loans that she inexplicably didn’t receive, her son saw an advertisement for a new microcredits company on Aruba. ‘My son told me to try it, because you already have a no’. Armed with the plans for her enterprise, she made her way to Qredits. All her fears and nerves were unwarranted the moment she was warmly welcomed into the office. ‘Geraldine [Bardouille, business advisor Qredits] guided me through everything.’ Lina got help with the e-learning and the application. This was essential as Lina wanted to make sure nothing got lost in translation. From then on it went very quickly, ‘the period from sending in the documents to The Netherlands and getting the approval took less than one month!’ Initially Lina could not believe she had gotten the approval, ‘25 years of living on Aruba and this is the first time a loan got approved’.
Lina is grateful to Qredits for not only assisting her in the application process but also for the continuous aftercare they offer: business coaches, the e-learning platform, and trainings, which she makes full use of. ‘Of course’, she says, ‘I want to learn and do well’. During her final meeting with the director of Qredits she got another heartwarming message that was nearly equally empowering and encouraging as the loan itself, ‘he told me he believed in my business and that he believed in me.’ Following her experiences with Qredits she encourages everyone to go there. She was even able to share that a friend of hers recently got her loan through Qredits approved as well.
What the Future holds
With the micro-financing from Qredits, Lina can now move her office from inside her house to a building next to it and take on more staff such as a marketing specialist. She has grand ideas for the new office, ‘it is inspired by Filandia. As soon as you walk in, it will feel as if you’re in Colombia’, meaning it will be colorful, quaint, and warm. Ever the businessperson, she is looking past the office and thinking about further expansion with branches in Curacao, Suriname, Saint Martin, and beyond. She leaves with these finals words of advice, ‘never leave the dream and don’t be afraid’. It certainly worked out for Lina.