Record figures that 2019 left to tourism in Colombia
The Vice Ministry of Tourism today gave the balance of the sector last year. In terms of accommodation, food services.
Job creation and occupation, the country continues to show the great potential that this industry has.
Bogotá was the most visited destination in 2019 with e (45%), followed by Cartagena (19%) and More than four years have passed since the tourism sector went from being the great challenge of the National Government to becoming one of the main milestones of the economy in Colombia.
The figures demonstrate this:
since 2015, the national tourism added value has grown 31%, the sector rose seven places in the Competitiveness Index in Travel and Tourism of the World Economic Forum between 2017 (position 62/136) and 2019 (55/140 ).
And generated more than 1.9 million jobs in 2018 (3.7% more than in 2017) and 8.8% of the total number of jobs in the country.
Figures revealed during the press conference
the Vice Minister of Tourism, Julián Guerrero, who stated that:
“Colombia is in fashion and our growth in inbound tourism is in a positive trend in contrast to South America.
The country grows six percentage points above the region. While the latter decreases 3.5%, Colombia rises 2.7%.
This situation allows us to be optimistic about the fulfillment of the goal set by the National Government ”.
- Optimism that is based on the fact that during the past year the arrival of non-resident visitors to Colombia reached 4,515,932, exceeding the expected goal and reflecting a growth of 2.7% compared to 2018.
In addition, in 2019 a record was presented in hotel occupancy that reached 57.8%, in nominal revenue from travel agencies with a growth of 3.7%,
In hotel revenue with an increase of 10.6%, in international connectivity with 17 new routes and 39 new international frequencies and passengers mobilized nationally and internationally that reached 41.2 million passengers.
Among the markets that emit the most travelers to the country, the United States stands out, with a 22% share among all the countries that visit Colombia.
The growth of visitors from Peru and France also stood out, with increases of 19% and 12%, respectively.
It should be noted that international air connectivity contributes to these results, in 2019 17 new routes were announced with a connection to Peru, Spain, Mexico, Ecuador, Paraguay, the United States and Chile, among other countries.
We are reaching historical figures in terms of tourism
At ProColombia we promote the country as a high-quality and sustainable tourist destination, with the aim of attracting more travelers, more cruises and, of course, more airlines:
in just a month and a half of 2020, airlines such as Sky, EZ Air, Laser and Plus Ultra, in addition, ten new air routes have been announced with countries such as Brazil and Canada.
- This undoubtedly facilitates the arrival of more international travelers to generate more foreign exchange and development in the regions, ”said Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia.
With the aim of continuing to promote Colombia on the international tourism stage in the segment of vacation and meeting tourism.
ProColombia will hold from February 26 to 28, within the framework of the Anato Tourist Showcase.
The twelfth version of the Colombia Travel Mart (CTM), the most important business meeting specialized in tourism in the country.
It is important to highlight that 63 percent of the foreign businessmen invited attend for the first time.
Which indicates the great interest that the world has in learning about the experiences of our country always focused on sustainable and high-quality tourism, «explains the president. from ProColombia.
An encouraging panorama that accounts for the effort made by the different entities in the sector to make this the new oil in Colombia.
In this regard, Gustavo Adolfo Toro Velásquez, Cotelco’s national executive president stated that:
The growth of 4% of GDP in the accommodation and food services sector, the 1.9 million jobs that the sector generated during 2018.
As well as the figure of occupation with which the year ended and which was a record in the last 30 years according to the measurements of the Association.
Demonstrate the potential that we have in the country. These results are an incentive to continue working to strengthen the tourism industry. ”
The same stimulus with which the Ministry of Commerce.
Industry and Tourism promises to continue working hand in hand with the different regions of the country in the development of attractive tourist experiences for international visitors.
Supporting them through infrastructure, competitiveness and promotion projects, with a view to to exceed the record figures of 2019 and strengthen the provision of responsible, sustainable and quality tourist services in the country.
Tourism in Colombia, wanting to be a power
Last year the American newspaper The New York Times, classified Colombia as the second most attractive tourist destination in the world and it is no wonder.
Biodiversity, landscapes, cities and Colombian culture represent who we really are as a nation.
We are undoubtedly emerging from an armed conflict that has wounded us for many years.
But the time has come for the world to understand that violence and drug trafficking are not characteristics of our society, but rather a stage that we are overcoming.
- And this is happening, according to statistics from the Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MinCIT).
The visit of non-resident foreigners doubled from 2010 to 2018, the year in which a little more than three million tourists arrived.
For the economist Camilo Durán of Credicorp Capital Colombia
Tourism is one of the economic sources that has contributed the most and will contribute to the country after the peace agreement (hence the importance of preserving it).
Citizens are undoubtedly understanding this message, and the country’s tourism is writing a new chapter.
- It is evident that the armed conflict for a long time prevented internal tourism, and of course, stigmatized the name of Colombia abroad.
Before when some foreigner said «I’m going to Colombia», the responses of those who listened to it varied between «Are you crazy?»,
Or «they are going to kidnap you», even «they are going to kill you», and for the locals, for a long time It was unthinkable to take the road because the armed actors seized many routes and regions.
Now, foreigners and Colombians feel more confident to know this immense and beautiful territory. In this new chapter.
Colombia is not only the protagonist but it is fashionable; Foreigners and locals have changed their perception of the country and are looking for ways to get to know it more deeply.
So we are going to know our territory and provoke the world to come to know us.
At PLAYBOY Colombia we made the task of looking for local and alternative tourism projects that know what we are made of and as a mission they have to make that beautiful face of Colombia known to national and international travelers.
Roadtrip, for example, is an agency that fulfills the mission of reviving historical spaces and moments in addition to Colombian traditions.
This agency «arises from the idea of remembering the traditional way in which Colombian families used to travel, which was by road from town to town,»
Says Darío Flórez, founder of the agency.
The idea is that visitors take over the territory ”.
Flórez knows that each town has something to show, be it in nature, architecture, history or gastronomy, and that there is no one better to tell it than its inhabitants.
Roadtrip also provides its social networks so that other agencies or tour guides in Colombia offer their services.
This project takes a little more than a year in the constant search for routes off the traditional paths to help and work hand in hand with new communities.
Simón Bolívar used this route, ”says Flórez. The guerrilla invaded this path for many years, now it is a space for visitors to enjoy its unique natural beauty.
The wax palm sanctuary is one of the main attractions, where 80% of this species lives in Colombia. Do not miss this experience full of landscapes and cultural diversity.
Urban tourism is also part of this new wave of experiences to take advantage of our country.
Bogotá Graffiti brought to the capital a style of tour that is experienced in various cities around the world as it considers them ideal spaces to learn about the culture.
Technique and history of street art, this time from Bogotá. This tour is free and tours are done twice a day every day of the week.
At the end of the tour, a voluntary contribution is given to continue harvesting urban art.
The idea for this tour was born from two foreigners, CRISP an Australian artist and OPEK a Canadian graffiti writer.
Who after living and touring various parts of the world are in Bogotá and realize that the city has the potential to be the capital. world of graffiti.
They had taken graffiti tours in other cities and realized that the quality of Bogotá’s urban art is equal to or superior to that of other countries
says Jeffer Carrillo, anthropologist and guide on these tours.
The success of these tours has been such that it went from taking place three times a week to taking place twice a day every day.
There are never less than 15 people, most of them foreigners, so they only take tours in Spanish one Sunday a month, even in high season up to 100 tourists gather to live the experience.
At the same time, Sendas is a new project that bets on ecotourism and visits places “that are not normally very frequented, but have an important landscape beauty.
The idea is that people have contact with nature and involve the community we visit, with food, lodging and local guides, because they are the ones who actually have the stories that give value to the tour, «explains Oscar Javier Gómez, founder of Sendas.
- There is still controversy over urban art, but it is increasingly accepted and valued by tourists and residents of the capital.
This ecotourism agency was born from the trips between friends that Gómez made.
«I was the one who organized the trips, from transportation to guides and hotels, Oscar tours told me,» says the entrepreneur.
But Colombians are not the only ones who have seen the importance of the turn in national tourism. Traviat, for example:
Is evidence that the country was renewed and is now a cradle of opportunities, not only for locals but for foreigners.
Santiago Lebrón and Luis Javier Maldonado are two Puerto Ricans who came to Bogotá in search of a new direction.
Since the passage of Hurricane María through Puerto Rico caused an immense crisis that not only left many people without homes or resources, but also, as the case of Santiago and Luis, without a job.
They decided to rebuild their lives in Bogotá and after several months convinced that they had to create their own company, they found their way in tourism and created Traviat.
- An agency that presents itself as «a friend at your destination,» explains Lebrón. It is not the same when we visit a new destination alone than when we visit with a friend waiting for us.
Sendas was launched on April 6 last year.
They started organizing trips and dates for people to join the plan, but now you can propose the plan to them.
We are going to start taking trips all year, for example, if there is a group that wants a specific date We are also going to organize the trip, now we have to take into account that there are trips that are in season so not all destinations are available all year round ”.
More than internal tourism, we do receptive tourism.
We receive foreign tourists, mostly Americans and Puerto Ricans, because of the direct relationship we have with them, ”says Santiago.
Our services are personalized, tailored to the traveler, we do not work with established packages, but we listen to their needs.
Tastes and interests and with that information we create a travel itinerary for them. ” Authenticity is another characteristic of this agency that, for example:
Accompanies visits to the Gold Museum by a goldsmith, “he knows the work of gold, so it gives a different dynamic to the journey and gives them his vision as a gold worker.
The pieces. In the end the experience is complemented by a visit to the goldsmith’s workshop where tourists know how metals are worked and can make a piece that when finished will be taken as a souvenir. ”
The fact of making everything personalized makes the client feel confident and can relax, «we save them time, effort and concerns,» say Puerto Ricans.
Its mission is that tourists have a trip that transforms them, that they have deep experiences that enrich them.
What we offer is totally local, accommodation, restaurants, transportation, tour guides, insurers. We always bet on the local for national development ”, he concludes.
- These are just some of the many new tourist options that will help you explore, understand and fall in love with Colombia.
Undoubtedly, we still have a lot to know, visit and show about this unique country that calls on all entrepreneurs to join the writing of this new chapter of responsible.
Careful and equitable Colombian tourism with the communities that think about the sustainability of our territories and how to make the best of Colombia visible.
Cities most visited by foreigners in Colombia
There are places in Colombia that are more visited by foreigners than by Colombians. Know what they are and be encouraged to travel through them.
Tourist sites in Colombia
Traveling will always be one of the best experiences that a person can give himself.
Tourism has become a large industry that moves hundreds of millions of dollars annually. In Colombia it is not the exception.
Year after year, the numbers of travelers, both local and foreign, visiting our country increases permanently, causing the tourist sites of Colombia to grow.
This tourism boom towards our country has been especially relevant abroad.
- According to figures from Migración Colombia, last year 4,388,815 foreign tourists arrived in the country, a record number since it meant an increase of 10.4% compared to 2017.
Among the places that foreigners usually visit the most, the Eastern Plains stand out , the Caribbean beaches, the Coffee Region, as well as cities such as Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena.
Here is a list of the most visited places in Colombia by foreigners and why Colombians should include them in their trips.
Eastern plains
Thanks to its natural attractions, tourism flourishes in the Eastern Plains, an extensive plain where flora and fauna, in addition to the majestic rivers, delight visitors.
Plans such as bird watching, tours of nature trails, immersion in the culture of the llanero or simply contemplation and rest made this region was selected by the prestigious British newspaper The Guardian as one of the obligatory destinations for 2019.
Without a doubt, one of Colombia’s tourist sites with the most potential today.
• Be sure to visit: Caño Cristales, El Tuparro National Natural Park.
Beaches of Colombia
Having coasts in two oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific, in addition to a slightly variable climate throughout the year.
Makes beaches one of the preferred plans for foreign tourists who think of Colombia when traveling.
According to the Flight Network portal, Colombia has five beaches among the best 50 in South America.
Some are very famous, such as those of San Andrés or Cabo San Juan in Tayrona Park, near Santa Marta, and others have been gaining prestige in recent years.
Such as Pilón de Azúcar and Palomino in La Guajira and Isla Múcura, part of the archipelago. from San Bernardo, between Bolívar and Sucre.
Coffee axis
The designation in 2011 of the Coffee Cultural Landscape as a World Heritage Site by Unesco served to consolidate this region, which includes the departments of Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío, as well as small areas of southern Antioquia and Norte del Valle.
Here the plan is to stroll around and enjoy its landscapes, its flavors and its colorful towns, each one with a history that makes it particular and unique.
All this marinated by the soft aroma and flavor of the best coffee in the world.
• Obligatory Visits: The Coffee Park, Panaca and Biopark Ukumarí, where the coffee culture and love of animals mix with the fun and adrenaline of the roller coasters and interactive experiences.