{"id":3618,"date":"2019-08-29T12:37:37","date_gmt":"2019-08-29T10:37:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.revistaitransporte.com\/?p=3618"},"modified":"2019-09-02T08:18:43","modified_gmt":"2019-09-02T06:18:43","slug":"small-airports-with-big-prospects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revistaitransporte.com\/small-airports-with-big-prospects\/","title":{"rendered":"Small airports with big prospects"},"content":{"rendered":"

Secondary airports are essential for connectivity in a country with a territory as extensive and rugged as Colombia. The Andes Mountains and large rivers such as the Magdalena, Orinoco and Amazon crisscross the country, and many areas are isolated and have minimal land transport infrastructures. More than a dozen communities across the country depend on air or river transport, including Puerto Carre\u00f1o (Vichada) in the east of the country, bordering Venezuela. In 2018, Ineco, in consortium with the Colombian consultancy firm Concol (now WSP), produced the Master Plan for Germ\u00e1n Olano Airport in Puerto Carre\u00f1o and the airport planning schemes for Contador de Pitalito and San Bernardo de Mompox Airports. The three airports are administered directly by Aeron\u00e1utica Civil, Colombia\u2019s Civil Aviation Authority.<\/p>\n

Pitalito<\/h4>\n

This is the provincial capital of the southern subregion of the department of Huila, Colombia\u2019s main coffee-producing area and one of the most dynamic economic hubs in the region. It is a municipality with a vocation for tourism, strategically located close to the departments of Putumayo, Caquet\u00e1 and Cauca, boasting several tourist attractions, including the San Agust\u00edn archaeological park, one of Colombia\u2019s most important archaeological sites. Since the beginning of the peace process, the number of tourists who visit the area has increased and the regional government has set its sights on turning Pitalito into an important node of development thanks to its significant agricultural, commercial and tourism potential and its strategic location within the country.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Proposal for the development of Pitalito Airport involving runway extension and a new terminal.<\/p><\/div>\n

Puerto Carre\u00f1o<\/h4>\n

This is the capital of the department of Vichada, the second largest in Colombia. It is located on the border with Venezuela. It is an area with great ecological, hydrological and ethnic richness, with some of the principal activities including recreational fishing and commercialisation of ornamental fish. The region is also home to part of the El Tuparro National Natural Park, a national heritage site that was recognised as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1982. The city is surrounded by three important rivers, the Orinoco, one of the most important river systems in South America, the Meta and the Bita, the latter of which is listed as a protected river. Germ\u00e1n Olano Airport is located in an urban environment and is the principal means of access to the municipality as river navigation is only possible at certain times of the year, and because of its location far from other major population centres and the major difficulties for access by land.<\/p>\n

The three airports have good growth prospects linked mainly to the development of tourism, which has increased thanks to colombia\u2019s peace process, among other factors<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mompox<\/h4>\n

This municipality was listed as a heritage site by Colombia in 1959 and a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1995, thanks to the preservation of its colonial architectural features. The city hosts two important cultural events that currently generate most of the airport\u2019s business: the Holy Week celebration, ranked second in importance in the country after Popay\u00e1n, and the Mompox Festijazz jazz festival. The local economy revolves around fishing, its famous ornamental gold filigree work and tourism, which is one of the most important factors for creating passenger demand. In addition, aviation has great potential due to the area\u2019s important tourist attractions and the difficulty of accessing them by land, as well as the best regional integration once the new Bodega-Yat\u00ed bridge goes into service, which will improve the area\u2019s connectivity by land.<\/p>\n