As of May 2024, the Ministry of Commerce reported that 2.5 million international travelers visited Colombia between January and May. The Economic Studies Office of the Ministry of Commerce's latest report underscores a significant 8.4% surge in non-resident visitors to Colombia, a clear indicator of the country's increasing appeal as a tourist destination.
In the first five months of the year, Migración Colombia recorded the following arrivals in the country:
- 1,701,647 were foreigners (excluding Venezuelan citizens)
- 593,611 were Colombians living abroad
- 83,267 were Venezuelans visiting for leisure
- 211,164 travelers arrived on international cruise ships.
The number of visitors to the country in May 2024 was 433,827, showing a 1.2% increase compared to May 2023, when there were 428,682 visitors.
The United States (27.4%), Ecuador (7.8%), and Mexico (7.7%) were the primary countries of origin for non-resident foreigners. Notably, the number of visitors from countries such as Costa Rica (51.8%), Mexico (21.4%), and Ecuador (20.1%) saw a significant upsurge compared to the same month of the previous year, reflecting changing travel patterns.
The main destinations for international travelers were Bogotá (36.5%), Antioquia (24.6%), and Bolívar (20.6%). The highest annual growth in this period was recorded in the departments of Antioquia (26.1%), Bolívar (19.5%), and Risaralda (11.3%).
Colombia's air terminals witnessed a substantial increase in transit, with approximately 22.1 million passengers transported in the first five months of 2024, marking a notable 17% surge compared to the same period in 2023. This growth underscores Colombia's growing role as a transit hub.
MinComercio emphasized that approximately 13 million travelers took regular domestic flights, a reassuring 10.3% increase from the previous year. This growth in domestic flights indicates a strong and growing interest in domestic tourism in Colombia.
Finally, the number of travelers flying on scheduled international flights (arrivals and departures) reached approximately nine million, indicating a remarkable 27.7% increase in arrivals. This growth underscores Colombia's expanding global connectivity and the increasing interest of international travelers in the country.
