General Information

Airline

AVIANCA was chosen as the official airline of this event.  All conference attendees will enjoy special discounts on domestic and international flights.  For further information please contact the local travel agency “CONTACTOS”.

Identification Badges

All attendees will be provided identification badges and must wear their IDs prominently for the duration of the conference.  Each badge will have a unique barcode which will be scanned at each entrance of the conference.  Lost badges will be replaced for a fee of $60,000 pesos which is the sole responsibility of the participant.

Bogotá

Bogotá is the capital of the Republic of Colombia and was founded on August 6, 1538 by Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada who named it Santa Fe de Bogotá. This beautiful city is located 2640 meters (8661 feet) above sea level, with an average temperature of 14C (57F) and a population of approximately 9,000,000. As the nation’s capital, it houses the National Legislature, the Supreme Court of Justice and is the center of Executive Administration as well as the residence of the President of the Republic. Apart from being the cultural capital of  Colombia, Bogotá is also one of the key cultural cities in Latin America.  Visitors will enjoy works of art from a vast selection of museums as well as visiting the many shops, theatres and libraries. Additionally, most of the important universities, both public and private, are located within Bogotá.  It is noteworthy to mention that UNESCO awarded the city the title of “World Capital of the Book.”

Cameras and Video recorders

The use of cameras and video recorders is prohibited for the duration of the conference.

Public Health Magazine

All accepted papers will be published in a special supplement of the Public Health Magazine of the National University of Colombia’s Faculty of Medicine.

Currency

The official currency is the Colombian peso.  Major credit cards are accepted at hotels, restaurants and shopping centers.

Electricity
The voltage in Colombia is 110 volts.

Hotel

CROWNE PLAZA TEQUENDAMA HOTEL, ICON OF THE COLOMBIAN HOTEL INDUSTRY

The Tequendema InterContinental Hotel is the icon of the hospitality industry in Colombia and has been declared a “Historical and Cultural National Patrimony”.  Since its opening in 1953, it has been the focal point of the most important events in Bogotá, and with 582 rooms it is the largest hotel in Colombia and one of the largest in Latin America.  It is also the recipient of the “Quality Certification ISO-9001” and has been awarded the “Five Star Hotel Certification”.

During the colonial era, the land where it stands was originally a large farm called “La Burburata”.  A  Franciscan convent was eventually erected upon this land and in 1867 the building was used by the government as a local jail and mental hospital which later became the first Cadet Military School until the end of the 1930’s at which point it housed the headquarters of the War Ministry until it was destroyed during the civil disturbances.

The Tequendama is centrally located in the corporate, tourist and diplomatic part of the city at the center of the most exclusive commercial and financial complex and is approximately 15-30 minutes from El Dorado Airport.

All of its 582 rooms are luxurious and offer: 24 hour room service, cable (TV), voice mail, high speed internet access, two telephones, minibar, hairdryer, bathtub, amenities, Concierge Desk and city guides, city information, hotel facilities information as well as laundry and valet service.  The Tequendama has several room categories to choose from including 297 Apartments for longer city stays that are fully equipped with the previously listed hotel amenities and also include a living room, dining room, bathroom, kitchen, mini bar and telephone. There are also Elite floors with express check-in/check-out areas, luxury suites, a business center and private meeting rooms.

Last but not least, the security and safety of its guests is of paramount importance to the Tequendama.  The property is equipped with a modern internal video system and closed circuit TV.  Video cams are located at strategic points throughout the hotel and guests control access to their rooms via a designated TV channel.  Since access to upper floors is restricted to guests only, a special key is provided at check-in that will enable guests to access the hotel elevators and floors.

Information Module

An information module will be available to all participants and will be handled by “CONTACTOS L’ALIANXA”.