Getting there There are no direct flights to Bogota. Connecting flights can usually be made at Madrid, or major US hubs, such as New York, Miami and Houston.

Where to stay Try the Casa Medina Bogota, just off Carrera 7 in the new commerical district, where you can get a 775 sq foot suite for around £200 per night.

Business climate President Alvaro Uribe's attempts to reduce crime have created a booming economy, but how long will the bubble last? FDI was only $500m when Uribe became president in 2002, this year it looks set to reach $8bn.

Ice breaker In 1989 Pablo Escobar was the seventh richest person in the world, according to Forbes magazine. He gave much of his fortune away to Colombia's poor, and in return received help in evading the authorities, up until his death in a rooftop shoot-out in 1993.

Etiquette According to executiveplanet.com, selecting the best people to represent your company is the most crucial decision you can make. Changing your representatives in the middle of negotiations could bring those negotiations to a halt.

Eat like a local Take a cable car up to Casa San Isidro (091/281-9270) on the top of the Cerro de Monserrate for food that matches the view.