Colombia bets on the future with the construction of a new airport

The technical studies of the Aeropuerto del Café project entered the review and validation phase, which suggests that the work will be key in the process of economic reactivation of the Eje Cafetero.

The initiative, which is in the Development Plans at the national, departmental and municipal levels (Manizales and Palestina), has an approximate cost of $ 450 billion (first stage) and is under verification, review and validation of technical studies and designs existing by the Temporary Union KPMG-ARTEC and which is sponsored by CAF - Development Bank of Latin America (formerly Andean Development Corporation, with resources provided by the British Prosperity Fund.

Today the macro-project has $ 150 billion of the nation's resources. The Government of Caldas will contribute $ 120 billion, of which $ 60 billion correspond to future validities approved by the Caldas Assembly and another $ 60 billion will be used in the construction of the access road. In addition, the Mayor of Manizales will contribute $ 15 billion.

The commitment of the region's resources is $ 120 billion that guarantee access routes and viability of the work.

“For the National Government, Aerocafé is one of the most important projects in the face of economic reactivation, since it will not only generate more than 8,000 jobs but will also have a considerable impact on the economic and infrastructure development of the region and, therefore, of the country ”, said the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, José Manuel Restrepo.

The construction of Aerocafé is a commitment to the future that will also have an impact on exports and tourism in Caldas, since it is an avocado region and producer of specialty coffees.

It also has the economic benefits offered by the Coffee Cultural Landscape, the main tourist attraction in the region, to which is added the thermal route that positions it as a strategic area to boost employment and development of the department.

According to a socio-economic feasibility study projected by Findeter, Aerocafé seeks to open the borders of foreign trade by creating a new cargo transfer node in the national physical distribution network, which allows the reduction of transport costs aerial. This advantage facilitates and favors the exchange of goods and services from the region with the rest of the country and the foreign market.

“My commitment is to the future of Caldas and Aerocafé is the airport of the future. As we face the consequences of the health emergency, we see the need to promote strategies for the economic recovery of our department and this megaproject is the most important we have to achieve it, ”said the governor of Caldas, Luis Carlos Velásquez .

At the same time, the Director General of Civil Aeronautics, Juan Carlos Salazar, confirmed that Aerocafé is an opportunity for high engineering, which will complement the national aeronautical system ascribed to article 67 of the National Development Plan.

With the commitment of the National Government, the Government of Caldas and the Municipalities of the Metropolitan Area (Palestina, Villa María, Neira, Chinchiná and Manizales) the airport of the future takes flight.