ABOUT US
Gerard McGarrigle
Founder
Originally from Ireland , Gerard spent most of his professional career in the IT sector as a Pre-Sales consultant and Solution Architect. One of Gerard's greatest strengths during this time was customer focus and he continues to put customer focus at the forefront of Paradise Colombia. Gerard founded Paradise Colombia in 2017 with his wife Carolina and their vision is simple and concise,'Delivering excellence and lasting memories of Paradise in Colombia'. Gerard relocated to Colombia with his wife and daughter with the thoughts of staying for a few months but the risk of wanting to stay is infectious and he hasn't looked back since.
Francia Carolina Mesa
Commercial Director
Carolina was born and raised in Colombia. At 18 she served a term with the military in Armenia, Quindio before moving to Buenos Aires, Argentina to study forensic science. In 2012 she left Argentina to follow her heart and join her husband Gerard in Ireland but she never forgot her childhood memories of 'Eje Cafetero' and the paradise she left behind all those years ago. Having worked in the tourism and trade profession for 15 years Carolina has returned to Colombia and wants to make dreams come true for others and provide them the experience of paradise that made her childhood so special. 'Welcome to Colombia and welcome to paradise'.
SOCIAL RESPONSABILITY
As tourist operators we need to play a role in conservation and ensure that the only impact we leave behind in the natural environment is just our footprints. When visiting 'Eje Cafetero', please remember to never leave any form of litter behind as this negatively impacts the local environment. Our guides are equipped with carry bags so please never hesitate to pass on any litter to them to dispose of later in an environmentally friendly way.
At PARADISE COLOMBIA we adhere to guidelines set out by the tourism board and continually work with conservation groups to ensure we are aiding with their research and dedicated hard work. As part of our company policy we donate a percentage of our profits to local foundations and conservation groups, doing what we can to help preserve the future welfare of the local environment, fauna and flora.
Mission
Our mission at PARADISE COLOMBIA Packaged Holidays is to deliver exceptional holidays/vacations within the ‘Eje Cafetero’ zone primarily. We aim to implement our services in other popular touristic destinations within Colombia in time but it’s not our primary goal. We want to deliver accurate and detailed information for our clients both local and foreign. As part of our educational process we want to ensure that our clients are respectful of the local environment, flora and fauna and the future preservation is paramount above all else. As standard in our offerings are accommodation, sights and activities, transport and guides. We want our clients to feel satisfied they are receiving a premium service at competitive cost.
Vision
Our vision is to become the number 1 tour operator for quality within the Eje Cafetero zone by 2022. We will offer alternative packages yet ensuring it has a premium feel and added quality beyond what is being offered by alternative operators today.
Sustainability
PARADISE COLOMBIA Packaged Holidays is committed to the maintenance and / or improvement of positive environmental, socio-cultural, economic impacts and the management, minimization and / or elimination of those negative impacts generated or related to the development of our tourism activity.
PARADISE COLOMBIA Packaged Holidays suppliers, clients and guests have established duties and rights in their commitment to sustainability.
PARADISE COLOMBIA Packaged Holidays has the firm purpose of achieving the total satisfaction of its guests and collaborators, providing them with products and services with high levels of quality, sustainability and reliability, always ensuring due compliance with current legal regulations.
We are committed to helping employees, clients and visitors to understand and share their duties and rights towards sustainability, so as to prevent negative environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts. Likewise, we are committed to implementing tools to help prevent commercial sexual exploitation of children, adolescents, trafficking in flora and fauna and cultural property, and discrimination.
To this end, programs of sustainability and continuous improvement will be established and maintained, contributing to the sustainable development of its employees, shareholders, suppliers and customers.