Accommodations and Travel

Official Travel Agency

SPE has named Gema Tours as the official tourism agency for housing, ground transportation, and touristic activities. Please contact them directly to make your housing, transportation, and tour reservation or upload the reservation form in English or Spanish:

Gema Tours S.A. American Express Travel Services
Contact: Ivonne Carleo at ivonnecarleo@gematours.com
Phone: +57.4.3120180 or +57.4.3125873
Fax: +57.4.3125873
Cl. 16 #28-51 Hotel Intercontinental Local 3 y 4
Medellín, Colombia

Visa and Passport Requirements

Attendees are strongly advised to ensure they fulfill all legal requirements to enter Colombia.

A valid passport, an entry visa, and invitation letter may also be required. 
SPE offers an official invitation letter to assist you in the visa process upon registration confirmation. Please contact Victoria Munoz-Vivero at LAC@spe.org for invitation letter requests.

Note: It is the sole responsibility of the attendee to obtain the necessary paperwork for entry to Colombia. This letter does not guarantee that you will be granted a visa, nor does it commit SPE to assist you in obtaining a visa. SPE will not pay any additional expenses incurred. We cannot send the letter to the embassy or consulate for you, nor can SPE contact the embassy or consulate on your behalf.

Travel Safety Tips

When traveling, as in any major city, take certain precautions whether you are traveling or exploring the city. Here are some general tips to help make the most of your trip:

• Lock up your valuables. Hotels provide safety deposit boxes in their rooms. It’s recommended that jewelry, airline tickets, money, and any important documents be stored in the hotel safe.
• Try not to use mobile telephones in the street and be aware of your surroundings.
• Keep cameras and video recorders out of plain sight. Avoid wearing excessive jewelry, carrying any valuables, or large amounts of cash.
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• Withdraw cash from ATMs that are inside banks and commercial centers.
• Notify hotel management as soon as possible in the event of a lost or stolen room key card.
• Travel in a group and plan your itinerary before leaving the hotel to ensure you make your destination smoothly. If you get lost, call a taxi to take you to your destination. Your hotel can recommend a reputable taxi company.
• Keep an eye on your luggage.
• Change currency in exchange shops or at the hotel’s front desk. Currency in Colombia is theColombian Peso.
• Pack casual spring and summer clothes. Because of warm temperatures ranging from 52 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, they are appropriate for almost every region and occasion.

Venue

Hotel San Fernando Plaza
Carrera 42 A No. 1-15 El Poblado
Phone +574.444.53.53
www.hotelsfp.com

The San Fernando Plaza is located in the exclusive area known as The Gold Mile (Poblado AV.). This area is home to the most outstanding enterprises of the financial network, the services of the city and the country. The San Fernando Complex location has many privileges, including easy automobile access, as well as being surrounded by the comfort and services that Medellin offers. The hotel is also located near the "Zona Rosa" district, where you will find many leisure activities, including casinos, bars, pubs, restaurants, discotheques, and malls.

Medellin

The city of Medellin is Colombia's second largest city and said to be one of the most beautiful cities in all of South America. There is plenty to do and see in this wonderful and vibrant city in Colombia.
The metropolitan area of Medellín is settled within the Aburrá Valley at an elevation of 1,538 meters and is bisected by the Medellin River which flows northward.

The city's average annual temperature is 22ºC (72ºF) and because of its proximity to the equator, its temperature is constant year round with minimal temperature variations. Temperatures range from 15ºC (52ºF) to 30ºC (86ºF).

Medellin is a modern and vibrant city and yet remains true to its regional characteristics with its beautiful and stunning natural scenery. Though it was founded in 1616 it remained small until the coffee boom. It is now the center of the textile industry in Colombia.

Home to more than three million residents throughout Antioquia who have a reputation for being very industrious and hard-working. The residents are hospitable and are great hosts when it comes to showing off their country to foreign visitors. Colombia is known to have some of South America's friendliest and sophisticated people who seem to enjoy life to the fullest.

Medellin is a modern world-class city with great restaurants, hotels, popular museums, as well as the biggest collection of Fernando Botero's works on display.