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Hero · Incentive travel

Incentive travel
that can't be replicated.

Six defining experiences that position Cartagena de Indias as the incentive destination your top performers will spend years talking about. None of them exist at any resort.

  • Historic private venues
  • Author gastronomy
  • Private islands
  • Cultural immersion
  • Exclusivity & privacy
  • Authentic luxury

30+

Boutique buyouts

30+

Private islands

500+

Max. group size

20+

Specialized DMCs

Cartagena de Indias · Mejor Destino Internacional 2026

Incentives · Author Gastronomy

Gala dinners in private historic venues of the 16th & 17th century

Best International Destination 2026 · Travel and Food Awards

Why Cartagena is different

A city that earns its own awards.

In 2026, Cartagena de Indias was named Best International Destination at the Travel and Food Awards, beating London, Berlin, Austria, and Turkey. The award recognizes what incentive planners have known for years: this city delivers a combination of historic colonial charm, vibrant Caribbean culture, and a culinary scene that rivals Europe's top gastronomy destinations.

For incentive groups, this translates into six experiences that no resort can manufacture: private historic venues of the 16th and 17th centuries, author gastronomy at the world's best level, exclusive Caribbean islands, genuine cultural immersion, complete privacy and exclusivity, and a new standard of authentic luxury anchored by the 2026 opening of the Four Seasons Cartagena.

Groups range from intimate executive retreats of 10 to full reward programs of 500+. Every program is designed with the same standard: nothing shared, nothing staged, nothing that could happen anywhere else.

"Here, incentives go beyond reward they inspire, connect, and create lasting value for every participant."

Cartagena CVB · Meetings & Incentives Team

The six pillars

What makes a Cartagena incentive unforgettable.

Pillar 01 · Historic private venues

01

Historic private venues

Cartagena holds a collection of 16th and 17th century venues that exist nowhere else in the Caribbean. Colonial fortresses, centuries old mansions, and cloister courtyards become entirely private for your group, turning every dinner, reception, or ceremony into a scene from another era that your delegates will recount for years.

  • •Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, 17th century fortress, up to 500 guests, 360° Caribbean views
  • •Casa 1537, 16th-century colonial mansion, 6 rooms, up to 1,362 pax · private exclusive
  • •Four Seasons Cartagena, three restored colonial and republican buildings, opened 2026
  • •Sofitel Legend Santa Clara, former 17th century Clarisa convent, cloister courtyard, up to 300 guests

Exclusively yours · No shared access

Pillar 02 · Author gastronomy

02

Author gastronomy

Best International Destination 2026 · Travel & Food Awards

Cartagena just won one of travel's biggest honors Best International Destination 2026 at the Travel and Food Awards recognized specifically for its culinary scene that rivals Europe's top gastronomic destinations. For incentive programs, this means food is not catering. It is a headline experience.

  • •Private author tasting menus by award winning chefs in colonial settings Caribbean ingredients, world class technique
  • •Interactive cooking workshops: private market access, local ingredients, hands on sessions with top chefs
  • •Curated private food tours through Getsemaní, neighborhood spots reserved exclusively for your group
  • •Rooftop dinners overlooking the Walled City and Caribbean Sea at sunset

Best gastronomy destination · 2024 & 2026

Pillar 03 · Private islands

03

Private islands of the Caribbean

The Rosario Archipelago, Barú, and Isla de Tierra Bomba a collection of private Caribbean islands minutes to an hour from the city, are the most requested incentive experience Cartagena offers. Your group arrives by chartered catamaran or private yacht. The island is entirely yours. Turquoise water, coral gardens, open bar Caribbean lunch, complete privacy. The day that defines the trip.

  • •Rosario Archipelago 30+ islands, 45 min by catamaran or yacht, full exclusivity, eco lodge buyouts available
  • •Isla de Tierra Bomba 15 min from the Walled City, private beach venues and exclusive coves
  • •Barú pristine white sand beaches, private access, ideal for large groups
  • •Activities: snorkeling, diving, paddleboarding, sailing, Caribbean team building · Groups 20 to 500+

Most requested experience · Year round

Pillar 04 · Cultural immersion

04

Cultural immersion

Cartagena's culture is not staged for visitors it is lived every day in the streets, music, food, and communities of the city. For incentive groups, this means experiences that feel genuinely real: cumbia workshops with actual musicians in Getsemaní, craft sessions with local artisans, and private access to traditions that belong to a living city rather than a resort activity menu.

  • •Private cumbia and champeta workshops with local musicians in Getsemaní courtyards, entirely for your group
  • •Master artisan sessions Caribbean craft traditions, jewelry, pottery, and textile workshops
  • •Private guided walks through 500 years of UNESCO heritage stories, architecture, and living history
  • •Community based programs rooted in regenerative tourism genuine exchange, lasting impact

Living culture · Not a show

Pillar 05 · Exclusivity & privacy

05

Exclusivity & privacy

Today's top performers and senior executives expect a world that is entirely theirs. In Cartagena, this is achievable at every scale: entire boutique hotels bought out in the Walled City, private fortress dinners, exclusive island days, and a destination that becomes your group's personal backdrop rather than a shared tourist environment.

  • •30+ boutique hotels with full property buyout colonial courtyards, rooftop terraces, private pools (10 to 80 rooms per property)
  • •Private historic venues fortresses, mansions, cloister gardens entirely reserved for your group
  • •Dedicated CVB and DMC team managing every detail from arrival to farewell no shared transfers, no public queues
  • •VIP arrivals, private immigration fast track, personalized welcome experiences from the first minute

Your world · Your rules

Pillar 06 · Authentic luxury

06

Luxury redefined through authenticity

Four Seasons Cartagena · Opened 2026 · 5 year restoration

In 2026, Cartagena added the Four Seasons to its portfolio a five year restoration of three historic colonial and republican buildings in the heart of the city. Together with the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara (a converted 17th-century Clarisa convent) and Hotel San Agustín, these properties redefine what luxury means: not a brand-new resort, but centuries of architecture brought to world-class service standards.

  • •Four Seasons Cartagena opened 2026 · three restored colonial and republican buildings · Historic Center
  • •Sofitel Legend Santa Clara 17th century Clarisa convent · Leading Hotels of the World · cloister courtyard
  • •Hotel San Agustín, historic colonial property · intimate luxury · Walled City
  • •InterContinental, Radisson Ocean Pavilion, and Marriott, premium corporate properties in the North Zone and Bocagrande, available for incentive programs requiring convention facilities

Four Seasons · Sofitel Legend · San Agustín · UNESCO setting

Sample program

Three days in Cartagena. A program they will never forget.

Sample for 50 to 150 participants. Every program is custom-designed, contact our team to build yours.

Day 1 · Afternoon

Arrival, into the Walled City

Delegates land at Rafael Núñez Airport and transfer directly to their boutique hotel in the UNESCO Walled City, privately bought out for the group. 15 minutes door to door. No long transfer. No lost afternoon. Cobblestone streets begin immediately outside the door.

15 min airport transferFull property buyoutUNESCO Walled City

Sample program for 50 to 150 participants, 3 nights. All programs are fully custom-designed, group size, duration, budget, and objectives determine the configuration. CVB design support is 100% free. Contact us to start building yours.

Signature incentive venues

Spaces that are impossible to replicate.

Venue · Rosario & Tierra Bomba

Private island · Caribbean Sea

Rosario Islands & Tierra Bomba

15 to 45 min by catamaran or yacht · Full exclusivity

Rosario Archipelago (30+ islands, 45 min) and Isla de Tierra Bomba (15 min). Both available for full exclusive buyout by chartered catamaran or private yacht. Snorkeling, sailing, Caribbean dining, complete privacy.

500+

Max. pax

30+

Islands

15 to 45'

Transfer

View all venues→
Venue · Casa 1537

Historic venue · 16th century · Fully private

Casa 1537

Historic Center · 5 min from Four Seasons & Sofitel

A 16th-century colonial mansion with 6 versatile rooms and open courtyard. Most requested venue for private author dinners. Entirely reserved for your group, no other events on the same night.

1,362

Max. pax

6

Rooms

16th c.

Built

View profile→
Venue · Castillo San Felipe

Historic fortress · 17th century · Gala dinners

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

San Lázaro Hill · 10 min from the Walled City

The most iconic venue in Cartagena. Gala dinners and cocktail receptions on the ramparts of a 17th-century Spanish fortress with 360° views of the Caribbean Sea and city skyline. Completely private access available.

500

Max. pax

17th c.

Built

View profile→
Venue · Four Seasons
New · Opened 2026

Luxury hotel · Historic restoration

Four Seasons Cartagena

Historic Center · Three colonial & republican buildings

Five years of meticulous restoration of three historic colonial and republican buildings in the heart of the Walled City. The 2026 opening adds the world's most recognized luxury brand to Cartagena's incentive portfolio, inside a UNESCO heritage setting.

2026

Opened

3

Buildings

See all hotels→

What sets Cartagena apart

A destination that offers what others simply don't have.

Infrastructure & scale

  • ✓15,000+ hotel rooms across all categories
  • ✓4 convention centers, up to 8,000 delegates
  • ✓81 event venues, traditional and non-traditional
  • ✓Groups 10 to 500+, all sizes, same quality
  • ✓15 min airport to hotel, no lost time
  • ✓20+ specialized DMCs with international standards

Unique to Cartagena, impossible elsewhere

  • ★Best International Destination 2026, Travel & Food Awards
  • ★UNESCO World Heritage city, 500 years of living history
  • ★Historic private venues, 16th & 17th-century fortresses, mansions, convents
  • ★Four Seasons (2026) · Sofitel Legend · Hilton · Hyatt · InterContinental · Marriott · Radisson
  • ★Private Caribbean islands, Rosario Archipelago, Tierra Bomba, Barú
  • ★Author gastronomy that rivals Europe's top culinary destinations
  • ★Genuine cultural immersion, living city, not a resort activity

Logistics & confidence

  • ✓#12 in the Americas for international meetings · ICCA
  • ✓Hurricane-free zone, reliable year-round planning
  • ✓Direct flights from Miami, New York, Madrid, Bogotá, Panamá
  • ✓CVB bid support, 100% free, from first RFP to on-site execution
  • ✓300+ events hosted annually at international standards
  • ✓Response in 24 hours, no waiting, no uncertainty

Ready to design your program?

Let's craft an incentive they will never forget.

Tell us your group size, dates, and objectives. We'll respond within 24 hours with venue options, DMC recommendations, and a custom program proposal, at no cost.

100% free CVB support
Response within 24 hours
No fees · No obligations
Email our team