According to a report from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, tourism in Colombia is showing positive growth. In the first nine months of 2023, 4,198,801 non-resident visitors arrived in the country. The number of visitors who came to Colombia between January and September 2023 (4,198,801) has already surpassed the number of visitors during the same period in 2022 (3,247,698), indicating a 29.3% increase in tourism.
The Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Germán Umaña Mendoza, expressed his satisfaction with increased visitors. He stated that Colombia is currently the second most popular tourist destination in Latin America regarding the tourism sector recovery. He added that only over 500,000 more visitors are needed to match the number of visitors in 2022 when 4.7 million foreign travelers arrived in the country.
In Colombia, the number of tourists has increased, evident from the 3% rise in non-resident visitors in September 2023 compared to 2022. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Commerce, during September 2023, 386,981 foreign travelers visited Colombia, whereas, in 2022, the number was 375,643. These figures are noteworthy because September is not considered a "high season" for tourism in Colombia, yet it saw a significant influx of travelers surpassing the previous year.
Between January and September 2023, over four million foreign tourists visited Colombia, of which 2,846,773 were foreigners from different countries except Venezuela. 171,648 Venezuelans came to Colombia for leisure, recreation, and rest. Colombia also welcomed 945,592 compatriots abroad and 234,788 passengers from international cruise ships.
Colombia attracts tourists from Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. However, according to the Ministry's report, the United States tops the list of countries with the most visitors to Colombia, with 810,405 tourists, accounting for 26.8% of the total share.
Why did inbound tourism in Colombia grow?
According to the Ministry of Commerce, Colombia is an increasingly popular tourist destination due to its natural attractions. Between January and September 2023, 1,216,471 foreign tourists visited the National Natural Parks. This represents an increase of 10.7% compared to the same period in 2022.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Arturo Bravo stated that the increase in visitors is due to improvements in air services and the country's connectivity with the rest of the world. In Colombia, 26 international airlines connect 11 cities to 49 global cities and 26 countries. Furthermore, 21 new routes have been added, 14 of which are already in operation.
The report also revealed an 11% increase in flight frequencies between January and September 2023, totaling 47,000. From January to August 2023, 31.3 million people traveled by air, which represents a 1.8% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.