Colombia travel experts

Success comes easy, it’s just about knowing the right people in the right places.

Jonas Schmid

General manager – Colombia DMC

Bio

The team at Colombia DMC is led by Jonas Schmid. Jonas has 25 years of experience in the travel industry having started his hospitality career at Jetstream Seasoning in Aspen, Colorado. As a catering manager serving private flights from Aspen airport, it’s here where Jonas began to hone his talent for meeting the exacting requirements of demanding corporate clients.

On his off-days Jonas enjoyed volunteering with Challenge Aspen. An organisation dedicated to impacting lives through year-round adaptive experiences for individuals faced with cognitive or physical disabilities.

In 1999 he relocated to Quito, Ecuador, where he gained valuable experience as a tour guide whilst earning the trust and respect of a number of local agencies. Being fluent in French, English, German and Spanish he became a preferred guide for international clients whilst working with a number of successful local travel agencies including Pamir Viajes y Aventuras, Latitud 0, Equateur Voyages Passion, Terre d’Aventure and Otto’s Tours

Colombia

In 2004 Jonas moved to Bogotá, Colombia from where he travelled extensively throughout the country. When the country began to open up more to international tourism, he moved to the Orinoco region where he would plan, organise and guide some of the first jungle expeditions in the region in partnership with Colombian tour operators Toninas Tours and Chaska Tours.

In 2012 he took to the high seas and went to work as first mate on the luxurious 82 foot sailing yacht Shaitan of Tortola in the Caribbean islands.

Corporate experience

Since 2013 Jonas has cemented his role as the reliable go-to coordinator for a number of high profile international travel providers including Colombia’s Aviatur, SAT – South American Travel, Hapag Lloyd, TUI and the United Kingdom’s Explore Worldwide. He is an accredited guide for both SAT and Explore Worldwide Ltd.

He also has extensive experience with smaller and medium sized specialist tour operators. This of course includes The Colombian Way where since 2017 he has been planning tours that reach far beyond the portfolio such as roots visits to the remote Vaupés department and high-end excursions in luxury launches to exclusive beach resorts from Cartagena.

Personal

Being an avid sailor he enjoys visiting the Rosario Islands and Barú. Further inland, another of his favourite destinations is the remote town of Mompox, a town that Jonas describes as feeling like Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s fictional town of Macondo.

Jonas has also spent time living in the coffee region and Medellín.

Team

Jonas is supported by his own team, the management of The Colombian Way and a vast network of local experts and contacts.