{"id":401,"date":"2026-04-27T20:47:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T20:47:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.co\/?p=401"},"modified":"2026-04-27T20:49:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T20:49:36","slug":"paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/en\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/","title":{"rendered":"Paola Forero, leader of community tourism in La Guajira"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every time I recall how I first encountered La Guajira, the Colombian desert, I think, \u201cMy heart clicked the moment I stepped off the plane, and I haven\u2019t been able to leave since.\u201d I arrived as head of social studies at the Albania School in Albania, a mining region in Colombia, and soon after, I quit my job and founded History Travelers, a tour operator that offers community-based experiences to just over 60 tourists daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(Walapuinje Ranch; photo: Leiner Pinto)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, it is very gratifying to see our operation and the income we generate, highlighting our way of operating. This income stays in La Guajira, Atl\u00e1ntico, Bol\u00edvar, Magdalena and Cesar, among the Wayuu, Arhuaco, Kogui, Mestizo, Raizal and local communities, where our SME has trained and helped create 17 ventures that now offer tourist experiences with local communities. We hired 27 drivers and benefited 200 people who have changed from mineral extraction to sustainable and community tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(Sunset at Playa Dorada\/Cabo de la Vela; Photo: Leiner Pinto)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It's a source of pride to walk down the street or visit communities and destinations where we conduct tourism and have people greet me warmly and affectionately call me 'Pau,' especially since I'm a 41-year-old woman from Bogot\u00e1, originally from the interior of the country, "a stranger to this land." I feel that I've somehow won the hearts of the Guajiro people. I'm a historian and anthropologist from the Pontifical Javeriana University, specializing in contemporary studies and with a master's degree in multicultural studies and science from the University at Buffalo in New York, in a land like this, where academic achievements are valued little and personal relationships and tribal pacts are valued highly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I arrived in Albania (a municipality in La Guajira) as a teacher. However, a Holy Week vacation when my parents came to visit me changed my life. We rented a pickup truck to visit the most emblematic sites, but the vehicle broke down, and we paid for a roadside assistance service, but we were left without food or lodging. In response, the Wayuu people offered us snails and prawns and provided us with the best possible hospitality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was incredibly moving. I deeply appreciated this human warmth, which contrasts sharply with the well-known needs of the arid and inhospitable La Guajira region and its natural wealth. I saw great potential in this sector, and with my head full of ideas, on May 21, 2014, I decided to create History Travelers with a different, collaborative economic model for the benefit of the communities. I don't own anything; we have a network of 27 drivers, 17 tourism experience businesses, and hotels\u2014all within the community, from Cabo de la Vela to Punta Gallina. We own the name, but nothing more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(Rainbow Beach; Photo: Leiner Pinto)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We decided to focus on activities and experiences different from traditional tourism. \u201cOur destinations offer you the most diverse nature and authentic cultural experiences with the indigenous and peasant communities of northern Colombia. We are land, sky and people.\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Desert excursions, hikes, bird watching, visits to the Manaure Salt Flats, Cabo de la Vela, Punta Gallinas, the Macuira Mountain Range, Salamanca Island Park, Valledupar, Pueblo Bello, Nabus\u00edmake, Tierra Grata, Manaure, Don Diego River, Tayrona Park, Ci\u00e9naga Grande, the Historic Center of Cartagena, the Rosario Islands, San Basilio de Palenque, among other Caribbean destinations, always attended by locals, are what we offer as a small business, so in eight years we have managed to position ourselves in the 'responsible tourism' sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first big step was taken with a major tour requested by Hern\u00e1n Acevedo, a leader in community and nature tourism in Colombia and former president of Acotur (Colombian Association of Responsible Tourism), to which History Travelers belongs. Acevedo contacted us to fly small planes to Cabo de La Vela with leaders and businesspeople from the country's strongest economic sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(Montes de Oca; photo: Leiner Pinto)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That day, in just two hours, products from the communities, such as community-woven backpacks, were sold. We generated revenue from lunches at Cabo de La Vela, and the community-run hotels saw sales. And with this boost, a "different kind of tourism," catering to high-income individuals, began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then came the French, Swiss, and other foreigners, as well as NGOs from these countries who decided to support the communities in their new venture. The momentum was so strong that, during the pandemic, we were able to survive the lockdowns. In August 2020, a few tourists began to arrive again, this time domestic tourists who longed for more natural destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(View from Cerro Kamaichi \u201cSugarloaf\u201d; Photo: Leiner Pinto)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, we are a small business that responsibly and ethically serves a large number of tourists daily on tours throughout La Guajira and the Colombian Caribbean, respecting the value chain, from our offices in Riohacha, Santa Marta, and Cartagena. We have 10 employees on the payroll and benefit from the ZESE (Special Economic and Social Zone) program, a special tax regime created by the national government because most of La Guajira is desert or semi-desert, making access difficult and job opportunities scarce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having the green business and tourism certification has been very important; it has opened doors for us not only with clients but also with organizations and NGOs that support us in overcoming challenges in training and formalizing communities. This is especially important given the high level of informality in the region, which tops the list of difficulties we have had to face as an SME.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new initiatives for 2023 will focus on the Macondo Natural route, with Swiss resources, and in Cartagena, the focus will shift to tourism with the Raizal people, through the Insider Tours venture. After eight years, we are happy to continue growing, to have more and more partners who believe in our approach to tourism, to continue helping entire families generate their own source of income, but above all, we are very happy to continue receiving the love of this land and the unconditional support of its people.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every time I recall how I first encountered La Guajira, the Colombian desert, I think, \u201cMy heart clicked the moment I stepped off the plane, and I haven\u2019t been able to leave since.\u201d I arrived as head of social studies at the Albania School in Albania, a mining region in Colombia, and soon after, I quit my job and founded History Travelers, a tour operator that offers community-based experiences to just over 60 tourists daily. (Walapuinje Ranch; photo: Leiner Pinto) Today, it is very gratifying to see our operation and the income we generate, highlighting our way of operating, this income stays in La Guajira, Atl\u00e1ntico, Bol\u00edvar, Magdalena and Cesar, among the Wayuu, Arhuaco, Kogui, Mestizo, Raizal and local communities, where our SME has trained and helped create 17 ventures that today offer tourist experiences with local communities, we hire 27 drivers and benefit 200 people who have changed from mineral extraction to sustainable and community tourism. (Sunset at Playa Dorada\/Cabo de la Vela; Photo: Leiner Pinto) It's a source of pride to walk down the street or visit communities and destinations where we conduct tourism and have people greet me enthusiastically and affectionately call me 'Pau,' especially since I'm a 41-year-old woman from Bogot\u00e1, originally from the interior of the country, "a stranger to this land." I feel that I've somehow won the hearts of the Guajiro people. I'm a historian and anthropologist from the Pontifical Javeriana University, specializing in contemporary studies and with a master's degree in multicultural studies and science from the University at Buffalo in New York, in a land like this, where academic achievements are valued little and personal relationships and tribal pacts are valued highly. I arrived in Albania (a municipality in La Guajira) as a teacher. However, a Holy Week vacation when my parents came to visit me changed my life. We rented a pickup truck to visit the most iconic sites, but the vehicle broke down and we paid for roadside assistance, leaving us without food or lodging. In response, the Wayuu people offered us snails and prawns and provided us with the best possible hospitality. It was a truly moving experience. I deeply appreciated this human warmth, which contrasts sharply with the well-known needs of the arid and inhospitable La Guajira region and its abundant natural resources. I saw great potential in this sector, and with my head full of ideas, on May 21, 2014, I decided to create History Travelers with a different, collaborative economic model for the benefit of the communities. I don't own anything; we have a network of 27 drivers, 17 tourism experience businesses, and hotels\u2014all community-owned\u2014from Cabo de la Vela to Punta Gallina. We own the name, but nothing more. (Rainbow Beach; Photo: Leiner Pinto) We decided to focus on activities and experiences different from traditional tourism. \u2018Our destinations offer you the most diverse nature and authentic cultural experiences with the indigenous and farming communities of northern Colombia. We are land, sky, and people.\u2019 As a small business, we offer excursions to the desert, hikes, birdwatching, visits to the Manaure Salt Flats, Cabo de la Vela, Punta Gallinas, the Macuira Mountain Range, Salamanca Island Park, Valledupar, Pueblo Bello, Nabus\u00edmake, Tierra Grata, Manaure, the Don Diego River, Tayrona National Park, Ci\u00e9naga Grande, the historic center of Cartagena, the Rosario Islands, San Basilio de Palenque, and other Caribbean destinations, always staffed by locals. This has allowed us to position ourselves in the 'responsible tourism' sector in just eight years. The first big step came with a large tour requested by Hern\u00e1n Acevedo, a leader in community and nature tourism in Colombia and former president of Acotur (Colombian Association of Responsible Tourism), to which History Travelers belongs. Acevedo contacted us to fly small planes to Cabo de La Vela with leaders and businesspeople from the country's strongest economic sectors. (Montes de Oca; photo: Leiner Pinto) That day, in just two hours, products from the communities, such as woven backpacks, were sold. We generated revenue from lunches at Cabo de La Vela, and the community-run hotels saw sales. This boost marked the beginning of a "differentiated tourism" for high-income individuals. Later, French, Swiss, and other international tourists arrived, along with NGOs from these countries that decided to support the communities in their new venture. The momentum was so strong that we were able to survive the lockdowns during the pandemic. In August 2020, a few tourists began to arrive again, this time domestic tourists eager for more natural destinations. (View from Cerro Kamaichi \u201cSugarloaf\u201d; Photo: Leiner Pinto) Today, we are a small business that responsibly and ethically serves a large number of tourists daily on tours throughout La Guajira and the Colombian Caribbean, respecting the value chain, from our offices in Riohacha, Santa Marta, and Cartagena. We have 10 employees on the payroll and benefit from the ZESE (Special Economic and Social Zone) program, a special tax regime created by the national government because most of La Guajira is desert or semi-desert, where access is difficult and job opportunities are scarce. Having the green business and tourism certification has been crucial, opening doors not only with clients but also with organizations and NGOs that support us in overcoming challenges related to training and formalizing communities. This is especially important given the prevalence of informality in the region, which tops the list of difficulties we've faced as an SME. Our new initiatives for 2023 will focus on the Macondo Natural Route, funded by Swiss resources, and in Cartagena, we'll be promoting tourism with the Raizal people through the Insider Tours venture. After eight years, we're thrilled to continue growing, to have an ever-increasing number of partners who believe in our approach to tourism, and to continue helping entire families generate their own income.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":407,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-comunidades","category-la-guajira"],"yoast_head":"\nPaola Forero, l\u00edder del turismo comunitario en La Guajira - Agencia de viaje en La Guajira<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Paola Forero, l\u00edder del turismo comunitario en La Guajira - Agencia de viaje en La Guajira\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Cada vez que recuerdo la forma en que conoc\u00ed La Guajira desierto colombiano, pienso que \u201cEl coraz\u00f3n me hizo clic desde que baj\u00e9 del avi\u00f3n y desde ese d\u00eda no me he podido desterrar\u201d. Llegu\u00e9 como jefe de sociales en el Colegio Albania, en Albania, zona minera en Colombia y al poco tiempo renunci\u00e9 a mi trabajo y cre\u00e9 History Travelers, un operador tur\u00edstico que ofrece experiencias de base comunitaria a poco m\u00e1s de 60 turistas diariamente. (Rancher\u00eda Walapuinje; foto: Leiner Pinto) Al d\u00eda de hoy, es muy gratificante ver nuestra operaci\u00f3n y los ingresos que generamos, resaltando nuestra forma de operar, estos ingresos se quedan en la Guajira, Atl\u00e1ntico, Bol\u00edvar, Magdalena y Cesar, entre las comunidades wayuu, arhuacos, koguis, mestizos, raizales y locales, en donde nuestra pyme ha capacitado y ayudado a crear 17 emprendimientos que hoy ofrecen experiencias tur\u00edsticas con comunidades locales, contratamos a 27 conductores y beneficiamos a 200 personas que han cambiado la extracci\u00f3n de minerales por un turismo sostenible y comunitario. (Atardecer en Playa dorada\/Cabo de la vela; Foto: Leiner Pinto) Es un motivo de orgullo caminar por la calle o visitar comunidades y destinos donde llevamos a cabo el turismo y que la gente me salude con efusividad y cari\u00f1osamente me llame \u2018Pau\u2019, m\u00e1s cuando soy una bogotana del interior del pa\u00eds de 41 a\u00f1os \u201cajena a esta tierra\u201d, siento que de alguna forma conquist\u00e9 el coraz\u00f3n de los guajiros. Soy una historiadora y antrop\u00f3loga de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, con especializaci\u00f3n en estudios contempor\u00e1neos y maestr\u00eda en estudios multiculturales y ciencia de la universidad de B\u00fafalo en Nueva York, en una tierra como estas, donde  los estudios valen poco y las relaciones personales y pactos tribales valen mucho. Llegu\u00e9 como docente a Albania (municipio de La Guajira). Sin embargo, unas vacaciones de Semana Santa cuando mis padres llegaron a visitarme, me cambiaron la vida. Alquilamos una camioneta para recorrer los sitios m\u00e1s emblem\u00e1ticos, el veh\u00edculo se var\u00f3 y pagamos un servicio de desvare, pero nos quedamos sin comida ni hospedaje. Ante ello, los wayuu nos brindaron caracoles, langostinos y nos albergaron de la mejor manera posible. Fue algo muy emocionante, valor\u00e9 de sobremanera este calor humano que contrasta con las necesidades ya bien conocidas de La Guajira des\u00e9rtica e inh\u00f3spita  y la riqueza natural de esta regi\u00f3n. Vi un gran potencial en este segmento y con la cabeza llena de ideas, apost\u00e9 el 21 de mayo de 2014 a crear History Travelers con un modelo econ\u00f3mico diferente, colaborativo para beneficio de las comunidades. No soy due\u00f1a de nada, tenemos una base de 27 conductores, 17 emprendimientos de experiencias tur\u00edsticas, hoteles todos los de la comunidad desde el Cabo de la Vela hasta Punta Gallina, somos los due\u00f1os del nombre pero  de nada m\u00e1s. (Playa Arcoiris; Foto: Leiner Pinto) Decidimos apostarle a actividades y experiencias diferentes al turismo tradicional \u201cNuestros destinos te ofrecen la m\u00e1s diversa naturaleza y vivencias culturales aut\u00e9nticas con las comunidades ind\u00edgenas y campesinas del norte de Colombia. Somos suelo, cielo y gente\u201d. Las excursiones al desierto, caminatas, avistamiento de aves, visitas a las Salinas de Manaure, el Cabo de la Vela, Punta Gallinas, la Serran\u00eda de Macuira, Parque Isla Salamanca, Valledupar, Pueblo Bello, Nabus\u00edmake, Tierra Grata, Manaure, R\u00edo don Diego, Parque Tayrona, Ci\u00e9naga Grande, Centro hist\u00f3rico de Cartagena, Islas del Rosario, San Basilio de Palenque, entre otros destinos del Caribe, siempre atendidos por lugare\u00f1os, ofrecemos como pyme, por lo que en ocho a\u00f1os hemos logrado posicionarnos en la franja de \u2018turismo responsable\u2019. El primer gran paso lo dimos con un gran tour que nos solicit\u00f3 Hern\u00e1n Acevedo, l\u00edder de turismo comunitario y del turismo de naturaleza en Colombia, quien fuera presidente de Acotur (Asociaci\u00f3n Colombiana de Turismo Responsable) a la que est\u00e1 asociada History Travelers. Acevedo nos contact\u00f3 para llevar al Cabo de La Vela  aviones peque\u00f1os con l\u00edderes y empresarios de los gremios econ\u00f3micos m\u00e1s fuertes del pa\u00eds. (Montes de Oca; foto: Leiner Pinto) Ese d\u00eda, en tan solo dos horas se vendieron productos de las comunidades como mochilas tejidas por la comunidad. Dejamos ganancias en  almuerzos en el Cabo de La vela y los hoteles comunitarios obtuvieron ventas . Y con este impulso empez\u00f3 un \u201cturismo diferencial, de personas con altos ingresos\u201d. Despu\u00e9s llegaron los franceses, suizos y dem\u00e1s extranjeros, as\u00ed como ONG de estos pa\u00edses que decidieron apoyar a las comunidades en su nuevo emprendimiento. Fue tal el impulso, que, durante la pandemia, pudimos sobrevivir al cierre por cuarentenas. En agosto de 2020 empezaron a llegar de nuevo pocos turistas, esta vez nacionales que ansiaban destinos m\u00e1s naturales. (Vista desde el Cerro Kamaichi \u201cPil\u00f3n de Az\u00facar\u201d; Foto: Leiner Pinto) Hoy, somos una pyme que atiende gran cantidad de turistas diarios en recorridos por toda la Guajira y el caribe colombiano de manera responsable y solidaria, respetando la cadena de valor, desde nuestras sedes en Riohacha, Santa Marta y Cartagena. Son 10 empleados por n\u00f3mina, y se benefician del programa ZESE (Zona Econ\u00f3mica y Social Especial) r\u00e9gimen especial en materia tributaria creado por el gobierno nacional, debido a que la mayor parte del territorio de La Guajira es des\u00e9rtico o semides\u00e9rtico, donde el acceso no es nada f\u00e1cil y las oportunidades laborales son muy escasas. Ha sido muy importante contar con el sello de empresa verde y de turismo, nos ha abierto puertas no solo con los clientes sino con entidades y ONG que nos apoyan a superar retos y desaf\u00edos en la capacitaci\u00f3n y formalizaci\u00f3n de las comunidades. M\u00e1s cuando resalta la informalidad en el territorio, encabezando el listado de dificultades que hemos tenido que enfrentar como pyme. Las nuevas apuestas para 2023 se enfocar\u00e1n en la ruta Macondo Natural, con recursos suizos y en Cartagena la mirada se volcar\u00e1 a turismo con los raizales, a trav\u00e9s del emprendimiento Insider Tours. Despu\u00e9s de 8 a\u00f1os, estamos felices de seguir creciendo, de contar cada vez con m\u00e1s aliados que creen en nuestra forma de hacer turismo, de seguir ayudando a familias enteras a generar su propia fuente\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/en\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Agencia de viaje en La Guajira\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/historytravelers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-27T20:47:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-27T20:49:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.historytravelers.com\\\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.historytravelers.com\\\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.historytravelers.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/67a68100a29395acf508fbde8b5a2692\"},\"headline\":\"Paola Forero, l\u00edder del turismo comunitario en La Guajira\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-27T20:47:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-27T20:49:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.historytravelers.com\\\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1097,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.historytravelers.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.historytravelers.com\\\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.historytravelers.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/paola-forero-history-travelers.avif\",\"articleSection\":[\"Comunidades\",\"La Guajira\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.historytravelers.com\\\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.historytravelers.com\\\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.historytravelers.com\\\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\\\/\",\"name\":\"Paola Forero, l\u00edder del turismo comunitario en La Guajira - 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Llegu\u00e9 como jefe de sociales en el Colegio Albania, en Albania, zona minera en Colombia y al poco tiempo renunci\u00e9 a mi trabajo y cre\u00e9 History Travelers, un operador tur\u00edstico que ofrece experiencias de base comunitaria a poco m\u00e1s de 60 turistas diariamente. (Rancher\u00eda Walapuinje; foto: Leiner Pinto) Al d\u00eda de hoy, es muy gratificante ver nuestra operaci\u00f3n y los ingresos que generamos, resaltando nuestra forma de operar, estos ingresos se quedan en la Guajira, Atl\u00e1ntico, Bol\u00edvar, Magdalena y Cesar, entre las comunidades wayuu, arhuacos, koguis, mestizos, raizales y locales, en donde nuestra pyme ha capacitado y ayudado a crear 17 emprendimientos que hoy ofrecen experiencias tur\u00edsticas con comunidades locales, contratamos a 27 conductores y beneficiamos a 200 personas que han cambiado la extracci\u00f3n de minerales por un turismo sostenible y comunitario. (Atardecer en Playa dorada\/Cabo de la vela; Foto: Leiner Pinto) Es un motivo de orgullo caminar por la calle o visitar comunidades y destinos donde llevamos a cabo el turismo y que la gente me salude con efusividad y cari\u00f1osamente me llame \u2018Pau\u2019, m\u00e1s cuando soy una bogotana del interior del pa\u00eds de 41 a\u00f1os \u201cajena a esta tierra\u201d, siento que de alguna forma conquist\u00e9 el coraz\u00f3n de los guajiros. Soy una historiadora y antrop\u00f3loga de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, con especializaci\u00f3n en estudios contempor\u00e1neos y maestr\u00eda en estudios multiculturales y ciencia de la universidad de B\u00fafalo en Nueva York, en una tierra como estas, donde  los estudios valen poco y las relaciones personales y pactos tribales valen mucho. Llegu\u00e9 como docente a Albania (municipio de La Guajira). Sin embargo, unas vacaciones de Semana Santa cuando mis padres llegaron a visitarme, me cambiaron la vida. Alquilamos una camioneta para recorrer los sitios m\u00e1s emblem\u00e1ticos, el veh\u00edculo se var\u00f3 y pagamos un servicio de desvare, pero nos quedamos sin comida ni hospedaje. Ante ello, los wayuu nos brindaron caracoles, langostinos y nos albergaron de la mejor manera posible. Fue algo muy emocionante, valor\u00e9 de sobremanera este calor humano que contrasta con las necesidades ya bien conocidas de La Guajira des\u00e9rtica e inh\u00f3spita  y la riqueza natural de esta regi\u00f3n. Vi un gran potencial en este segmento y con la cabeza llena de ideas, apost\u00e9 el 21 de mayo de 2014 a crear History Travelers con un modelo econ\u00f3mico diferente, colaborativo para beneficio de las comunidades. No soy due\u00f1a de nada, tenemos una base de 27 conductores, 17 emprendimientos de experiencias tur\u00edsticas, hoteles todos los de la comunidad desde el Cabo de la Vela hasta Punta Gallina, somos los due\u00f1os del nombre pero  de nada m\u00e1s. (Playa Arcoiris; Foto: Leiner Pinto) Decidimos apostarle a actividades y experiencias diferentes al turismo tradicional \u201cNuestros destinos te ofrecen la m\u00e1s diversa naturaleza y vivencias culturales aut\u00e9nticas con las comunidades ind\u00edgenas y campesinas del norte de Colombia. Somos suelo, cielo y gente\u201d. Las excursiones al desierto, caminatas, avistamiento de aves, visitas a las Salinas de Manaure, el Cabo de la Vela, Punta Gallinas, la Serran\u00eda de Macuira, Parque Isla Salamanca, Valledupar, Pueblo Bello, Nabus\u00edmake, Tierra Grata, Manaure, R\u00edo don Diego, Parque Tayrona, Ci\u00e9naga Grande, Centro hist\u00f3rico de Cartagena, Islas del Rosario, San Basilio de Palenque, entre otros destinos del Caribe, siempre atendidos por lugare\u00f1os, ofrecemos como pyme, por lo que en ocho a\u00f1os hemos logrado posicionarnos en la franja de \u2018turismo responsable\u2019. El primer gran paso lo dimos con un gran tour que nos solicit\u00f3 Hern\u00e1n Acevedo, l\u00edder de turismo comunitario y del turismo de naturaleza en Colombia, quien fuera presidente de Acotur (Asociaci\u00f3n Colombiana de Turismo Responsable) a la que est\u00e1 asociada History Travelers. Acevedo nos contact\u00f3 para llevar al Cabo de La Vela  aviones peque\u00f1os con l\u00edderes y empresarios de los gremios econ\u00f3micos m\u00e1s fuertes del pa\u00eds. (Montes de Oca; foto: Leiner Pinto) Ese d\u00eda, en tan solo dos horas se vendieron productos de las comunidades como mochilas tejidas por la comunidad. Dejamos ganancias en  almuerzos en el Cabo de La vela y los hoteles comunitarios obtuvieron ventas . Y con este impulso empez\u00f3 un \u201cturismo diferencial, de personas con altos ingresos\u201d. Despu\u00e9s llegaron los franceses, suizos y dem\u00e1s extranjeros, as\u00ed como ONG de estos pa\u00edses que decidieron apoyar a las comunidades en su nuevo emprendimiento. Fue tal el impulso, que, durante la pandemia, pudimos sobrevivir al cierre por cuarentenas. En agosto de 2020 empezaron a llegar de nuevo pocos turistas, esta vez nacionales que ansiaban destinos m\u00e1s naturales. (Vista desde el Cerro Kamaichi \u201cPil\u00f3n de Az\u00facar\u201d; Foto: Leiner Pinto) Hoy, somos una pyme que atiende gran cantidad de turistas diarios en recorridos por toda la Guajira y el caribe colombiano de manera responsable y solidaria, respetando la cadena de valor, desde nuestras sedes en Riohacha, Santa Marta y Cartagena. Son 10 empleados por n\u00f3mina, y se benefician del programa ZESE (Zona Econ\u00f3mica y Social Especial) r\u00e9gimen especial en materia tributaria creado por el gobierno nacional, debido a que la mayor parte del territorio de La Guajira es des\u00e9rtico o semides\u00e9rtico, donde el acceso no es nada f\u00e1cil y las oportunidades laborales son muy escasas. Ha sido muy importante contar con el sello de empresa verde y de turismo, nos ha abierto puertas no solo con los clientes sino con entidades y ONG que nos apoyan a superar retos y desaf\u00edos en la capacitaci\u00f3n y formalizaci\u00f3n de las comunidades. M\u00e1s cuando resalta la informalidad en el territorio, encabezando el listado de dificultades que hemos tenido que enfrentar como pyme. Las nuevas apuestas para 2023 se enfocar\u00e1n en la ruta Macondo Natural, con recursos suizos y en Cartagena la mirada se volcar\u00e1 a turismo con los raizales, a trav\u00e9s del emprendimiento Insider Tours. Despu\u00e9s de 8 a\u00f1os, estamos felices de seguir creciendo, de contar cada vez con m\u00e1s aliados que creen en nuestra forma de hacer turismo, de seguir ayudando a familias enteras a generar su propia fuente","og_url":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/en\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/","og_site_name":"Agencia de viaje en La Guajira","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/historytravelers\/","article_published_time":"2026-04-27T20:47:24+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-27T20:49:36+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/#\/schema\/person\/67a68100a29395acf508fbde8b5a2692"},"headline":"Paola Forero, l\u00edder del turismo comunitario en La Guajira","datePublished":"2026-04-27T20:47:24+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-27T20:49:36+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/"},"wordCount":1097,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/paola-forero-history-travelers.avif","articleSection":["Comunidades","La Guajira"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/","url":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/","name":"Paola Forero, l\u00edder del turismo comunitario en La Guajira - Agencia de viaje en La Guajira","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/paola-forero-history-travelers.avif","datePublished":"2026-04-27T20:47:24+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-27T20:49:36+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/paola-forero-history-travelers.avif","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/paola-forero-history-travelers.avif","width":1280,"height":720},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/paola-forero-lider-del-turismo-cultural-y-comunitario-en-la-guajira\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Portada","item":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Paola Forero, l\u00edder del turismo comunitario en La Guajira"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.historytravelers.com\/","name":"History Travelers | Travel Agency in La Guajira","description":"Discover the best tours in La Guajira with a leading travel agency in Riohacha, Santa Marta, and the Upper Guajira region. 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