Cielo Travel Brews a Stronger Coffee Community Through Effective Marketing

The scent of freshly ground coffee filled the air as local entrepreneurs, baristas, and coffee growers gathered for Cielo Travel’s Coffee and Marketing Forum, an afternoon dedicated to sharing ideas, challenges, and opportunities in Colombia’s ever-growing specialty coffee scene.

Among the attendees were some of Bogotá’s most passionate coffee ventures — DeAragón & Willyz Coffee, Bogotá Coffee Roasters, Terracota Café, Roots Café, Panissimo, Cráneo Sacral, Innata, Urban Cup, El Rocío Café, and Arabica Cafés Especiales — each representing a different story within the country’s diverse coffee landscape. Some were family businesses rooted in decades of tradition; others were urban cafés redefining what it means to enjoy coffee in the city.

A Shared Purpose: Strengthening Community Through Coffee

The afternoon began with an open discussion led by participants themselves. Each brand introduced its essence and motivation.

Mauricio Cortes, owner of both Coffee Master (an important local coffee event) and Bogotá Coffee Roasters, spoke about quality and process, while Nataly Salas, founder of Innata de Origen, emphasized wellness and origin. Alejandra and Juan, from Cráneo Sacral, shared their holistic approach to coffee as a ritual for balance, and Juan and Beatriz, third-generation coffee growers from El Rocío Café in the Serranía del Perijá, reminded everyone that “coffee begins with people, not machines.”

For others, like Panissimo, the conversation revolved around the importance of merging tradition and innovation — using pastry and coffee together to create meaningful experiences for their customers.

Meaningful Tourism, Connections, and Storytelling

Camilo Ceballos, Director of Growth and Commercial Strategy

The forum was opened by a passionate advocate for Colombia’s creative industries Camilo Ceballos, and also Director of Growth and Commercial Strategy at Cielo Travel. His talk highlighted the enormous potential that lies in merging coffee culture with tourism and strategic communication, stating:

 “Behind every cup of coffee there’s a story — of a farmer, a barista, a family, or a dream,” he said. “Our mission is to tell those stories so they reach the people who value them the most.”

He shared Cielo Travel’s belief that every café, brand, and coffee farm in Colombia has a story powerful enough to attract travelers and locals alike — if told the right way. With warmth and energy, he invited entrepreneurs to think of their businesses not just as places that sell coffee, but as spaces that share identity, history, and belonging.

Following Camilo, Brian Niño, expanded on the idea that emotion and authenticity are the most effective tools for connection in today’s saturated market.

Creating from Authenticity: El Rocío Café’s Case

Brian Niño, storyteling strategist

“Marketing brings people in but storytelling makes them stay.” 

Brian presented  how a brand can be unforgettable, when its story has been crafted from truth and dignity. To illustrate this, he shared the success story of El Rocío Café, a family-run project from the Serranía del Perijá that embodies resilience, memory, and renewal.

The Cielo Travel team worked with El Rocío to produce a video-documentary that captures their journey — from a family who once faced displacement due to internal conflict, to one generation later that rebuilt its future through coffee cultivation. Instead of focusing on hardship, the narrative highlights transformation: how a deep connection to the land, the discipline of cultivation, and the hope of a new beginning shaped their brand.

The result was profound. The video reached over 350,000 people in a single week, generating hundreds of shares, saves, and comments. Many viewers expressed admiration for the family’s strength, while others sought to buy their coffee directly, demonstrating how a well-crafted story can translate authenticity into real engagement and sales.

“People don’t just buy coffee,” Brian reflected. “They buy what it represents — care, time, and identity.”

How Communication and Analytics Will Strengthen Colombia’s Tourism Networks

The following presentation came from Shawn Christopher Leamon, Founder and CEO of Cielo Travel, who summarized the entrepreneurial motivation behind the entire event.

Having lived in Colombia for several years and traveled extensively across the country, he founded Cielo Travel after realizing there was no comprehensive, English-friendly tourism platform that helped international visitors discover Colombia beyond the obvious.

“I wanted to show travelers that Bogotá, and Colombia as a whole, are much more than La Candelaria,” he explained. “We have neighborhoods full of creativity and drive that will enrich travelers experiences and the local businesses as well ”

With over a decade of experience in marketing, Shawn emphasized that many Colombian small and medium businesses could multiply their visibility and client base by 5 through the right digital strategy. His presentation distilled that idea into three practical strategies for café owners:

Build an unforgettable online presence.
Showcase your signature drink, dessert, or brewing ritual through vibrant, authentic photos and short videos. Create moments that make people think, “I need to try that.”

Create experiences that make customers return.
From coffee flights and barista challenges to collaborations with local artisans, he encouraged cafés to think like hosts of a cultural experience rather than sellers of a beverage.

Turn your café into a magnet for travelers and remote workers.
Offer fast Wi-Fi, bilingual menus, accessible outlets, and merchandise like branded mugs or bags of coffee to take home — small gestures that transform visitors into brand ambassadors.

His talk struck a chord with the audience, especially when he described cafés as “micro-destinations” — local spaces that, through consistency and story, become part of how travelers experience a city.

Shawn Leamon, Cielo Travel CEO_

During the Q&A, Shawn was asked which platforms mattered most for cafés today. His response was direct: TikTok and Google (and Maps) lead the way. TikTok, he explained, has become “the new Google” for younger audiences, who increasingly use it to search where to go, eat, or drink. Google Maps, on the other hand, remains indispensable for cafés and restaurants because of its role in organic discovery and proximity-based searches.

He also emphasized the importance of optimizing Google Business Profiles, maintaining accurate data, and collecting reviews. “Being discoverable by initiative — when a user searches on their own — is one of the most valuable forms of marketing,” he said.

Finally, Shawn highlighted Instagram as a complementary platform, understanding it as  “your digital catalogue,”  still important for showcasing style and consistency.

A brief exchange with one of the attendees, the creator behind Coffee Masters, Mauricio Cortés helped ground the advice. The question centered on balancing product education with content that actually drives foot traffic. Shawn’s response was pragmatic: pair one “teach” post (origin, process, notes) with two “visit” posts (clear reasons to come now: a limited flight, a new pastry pairing, a weekend mini-event). In other words, educate to elevate value, but publish to generate visits.

His closing message resonated deeply with the group: success in the modern café industry isn’t just about the perfect brew, but about being visible, findable, and shareable. When a business tells it becomes part of how the world experiences Colombia.

Insider Industry Insights from Mariano Arango 

The conversation then turned to strategy and differentiation with the participation of Mariano Arango, founder of Revista La Barra, one of Colombia’s most influential gastronomy publications.

With over two decades of experience covering restaurants and cafés, Arango shared a simple but powerful model: the Triangle of Differentiation, which helps brands identify their competitive advantage — whether it’s price, service, or innovation.

“You can’t be everything to everyone. The cafés that succeed are the ones that know exactly who they are and what kind of customer they want to attract.”

He also emphasized the role of location, reminding the audience that most cafés serve customers within a one-kilometer radius. Understanding the neighborhood and its people, he said, is essential to building loyalty.

Mauricio Cortés from Coffee Masters

His advice resonated with many of the attendees, who face daily challenges balancing creativity with profitability. Arango encouraged them to simplify, focus, and build a consistent identity rather than try to appeal to everyone.

Celebrating Creativity and Collaboration

To close the event, Cielo Travel held a small raffle to recognize the creativity and contribution of its participants.

🏆 Main Prize – Urban Cup

Two 30-second storytelling videos filmed on-site.
One UGC video.
Promotion across Cielo Travel’s social media profiles, with an estimated reach of 50,000 views per post.

🎥 UGC Awards – Cráneo Sacral Café & Bogotá Store Café
Cráneo Sacral Café blends mindfulness and coffee culture, offering a unique sensory experience, while Bogotá Store Café, founded by three sisters with backgrounds in design and law, turns creativity and aesthetics into a distinctive brand experience.

A Stronger Community for the Future

Mariano Arango from La Barra Magazine

What made this event more than a seminar was its spirit of collaboration. Each participant came eager to learn from the current industry and left with new ideas and contacts.

Cielo Travel’s shared and demonstrated how marketing and well-thought storytelling can merge into a holistic ecosystem that uplifts local entrepreneurs.

With its growing platform that includes: a blog, digital tourism museum, tour operations, and a yet to be implemented transportation service, Cielo Travel continues to create bridges between travelers and local experiences by combining analytics with deep knowledge and trust in what this country has to offer.

“Our goal,” concluded Camilo Ceballos, “is to keep building bridges between tourism and storytelling. Because when Colombia tells its story well, the world listens.”

Businesses that participated
DeAragón & Willyz Coffee · Bogotá Coffee Roasters · Bogotá Store Café · Arábica Cafés Especiales · Innata de Origen · Roots Café · Cráneo Sacral Café · Caffa Colombia · Urban Cup · Terracota Café y Más · Panissimo · Huellas y Café · El Rocío Café · Temporalia