Hotel reservations

The ECLAC Conference Services Unit has reserved a limited number of rooms at special rates in the following hotels:

• Hotel Las Américas Casa de Playa
  Anillo Vial
  Sector Cielo Mar
  http://www.hotellasamericas.com.co/

Single room: US$ 131*
Double room: US$ 150*
* Rates include breakfast and Internet access.

Please use the link 

• Hotel Las Américas Torre del Mar
  Anillo Vial
  Sector Cielo Mar
  http://www.hotellasamericas.com.co/

Single room: US$ 158*
Double room: US$ 177*
* Rates include breakfast and Internet access.

Please use the link 

• Hotel Holiday Inn Cartagena Morros
  Anillo Vial, Cra. 9 Nº 34-166
  La Boquilla
  https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/cartagena-de-indias

Single room: US$ 110*
Double room: US$ 110*
Contact person: Attn: Sandra Silgado
Mail: sandra.silgado@ihg.com 
Tel: (57)317 638 0391
Please use the attached form or the  link.

Reservations must be requested directly to the selected hotel before April 2, 2018. After that date, hotels reserve the right to modify the rate and do not guarantee the availability of rooms.

Delegates are responsible for their own reservations. It is advisable to check that the hotel has processed your request and to ask for a reservation number or confirmation code.

The hotel requires a credit card number to hold a reservation. Hotels in Colombia apply a no-show policy, whereby reservations may be cancelled up to 48 hours prior to arrival; otherwise, cardholders will be charged for the first night. All delegates must settle their own hotel bill at the end of their stay.
 

General information on Cartagena de Indias

Cartagena de Indias is the capital of the Bolívar department (Colombia). It was founded on 1 June 1533 by Pedro de Heredia. The government declared Cartagena a tourism and cultural district in 1991. The city is located on the shore of the Caribbean Sea.

Since it was founded in the sixteenth century and throughout the Spanish colonial era, Cartagena de Indias was one of the most important ports in the Americas. Most of the city's artistic and cultural heritage dates from this period. Cartagena declared its independence from Spain on 11 November 1811. This date is a national holiday in Colombia and the independence celebrations, the “Fiestas de Independencia”, in the city last four days.

Cartagena has long been associated with the history of pirates. During the colonial era the city was repeatedly attacked by pirates from Europe, as its location made it vulnerable to raids. As a result, it became the most heavily defended city in South America and the Caribbean, in fact it was almost as fortified as the whole Gulf of Mexico at the time. Its colonial architecture is now being preserved.

Over time, Cartagena has developed its urban area, by preserving the historic centre, and has become one of the most important ports of Colombia, the Caribbean and the world, as well as a famous tourist destination. Today, the city has a total population of 971,700 inhabitants, making it the fifth most populous municipality in the country. Its historic centre, the walled city, was declared National Heritage of Colombia in 1959 and a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1984. In 2007, its military architecture was chosen by the public as the fourth wonder of Colombia.

Climate
Cartagena de Indias has a humid tropical climate and an average temperature of 29ºC. Relative humidity in the city is 90%, and the rainy season typically lasts from April-May to October-November. Although the city tends to have hot temperatures year-round, there is a sea breeze that makes the climate agreeable.
The temperature in the city ranges from 30ºC to 33ºC.
The weather forecast for the days of the event can be consulted at the following link: https://www.accuweather.com/en/co/cartagena/107563/month/107563?monyr=4/01/2018

Useful information

Meeting venue

The sixth Ministerial Conference on the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean will be held in the Convention Centre of the Hotel Las Américas in Cartagena de Indias.

Hotel Las Américas, Cartagena de Indias
Address: Anillo Vial
Sector Cielo Mar
Tel.: (+57 5) 6567219
http://www.hotellasamericas.com.co/

Meeting coordination

The Conference is being organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Government of Colombia, through the Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies (MINTIC).
Questions on substantive and logistical matters relating to the meeting may be addressed to the following staff at ECLAC:

Mario Castillo: Chief of the Innovation and New Technologies Unit Division of Production, Productivity and Management
(+56) 2 2210 2286
mario.castillo@cepal.org 

Luis Fidel Yáñez: Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Secretary of the Commission
(+56) 2 2210 2275
luis.yanez@cepal.org

Guillermo Acuña: Legal Advisor and Chief of Protocol Office of the Secretary of the Commission
(+56) 2 2210 2488
guillermo.acuna@cepal.org

María Eugenia Johnson: Supervisor, Conference Services Unit (Logistical matters)
(+56) 2 2210 2667
mariaeugenia.johnson@cepal.org

Paula Warnken: Protocol Assistant Office of the Secretary of the Commission
(+56) 2 2210 2651
paula.warnken@cepal.org

Claudia Guerrero: (for questions on operational aspects) Division of Production, Productivity and Management
(+56) 2 2210 2024
claudia.guerrero@cepal.org
 

Entry requirements for Colombia

With the exception of Haiti, nationals of most countries in the Americas do not require a visa to enter Colombia. Visitors should have a passport with at least six months of validity. Visitors who have a permit to stay in Colombia should check that their visa or entry stamp is valid.

Local transport

Transport between the Rafael Núñez airport and Hotel Las Américas (meeting venue) will be provided by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies. Conference participants who stay in other accommodation are advised to use official taxi services at the airport. The average fare from the airport is US$ 7, or approximately Col$ 20,000. Ministry staff will be at the airport, carrying identification, to facilitate various arrival procedures.

Should you need a taxi, it is recommended that you use the taxis waiting outside hotels, which charge reasonable rates.

Online registration and participant registration

From Monday, 26 February 2018, an online registration system will be available on the ECLAC website (www.cepal.org/elac).

Registration of participants will take place in the lobby of the Nueva Granada room of the Conference Centre of the Hotel Las Américas de Cartagena, from 8 a.m. on Wednesday, 18 April. Participants will be issued with identification badges, which, for security purposes, must be shown at all meetings.

For any questions on registration, please contact Paula Warnken (paula.warnken@cepal.org, (+56) 2 2210 2651) or Claudia Guerrero (claudia.guerrero@cepal.org, (+56) 2 2210 2024).

Registering through the online system does not exempt delegations from the requirement to provide official notification to the Office of the Secretary of the Commission of the name of the head of delegation and all accompanying members.

Opening session

The opening session of the meeting will start at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 18 April, in the Nueva Granada room of the Hotel Las Américas.

Communications

A room with computers and an Internet connection will be available for delegates at the conference venue.

Internet

A wireless Internet connection (Wi-Fi) will be available in the offices provided for the meeting and in the conference rooms.

Languages

The official language of the Conference will be Spanish. Simultaneous interpretation into English will be provided.

Documents

As the Conference documents become available, they will be accessible on the website www.cepal.org/elac.

Medical services

The Government of Colombia will provide first aid services in case emergency medical assistance is required at the Conference venue.
Emergency telephone numbers are:

Red Cross: 132
Health services: 124
Ambulance: 667 5240
Police: 112
Fire services: 663 0042-663 0106 PBX 119

International press centre

To facilitate press coverage of the sixth Ministerial Conference on the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean, an international press centre will be set up in an office close to the conference rooms. Journalists wishing to cover the Conference must register online beforehand at www.cepal.org/elac and obtain accreditation from the press centre, which will be open daily from 8 a.m.

The centre will have an information and documentation office and cubicles and work spaces for accredited journalists and media representatives.

Questions relating to media coverage of the Conference should be addressed to Guido Camú, Chief of the ECLAC Public Information Unit (email: guido.camu@cepal.org, telephone: (+56) 2 2210 2440).