With an expected increase of 24 pc, Colombia is set to be in the third position of the Latin American countries in terms of growth in the arrival of international tourists in the current year.

In 2024, Colombia will be in third position among the Latin American countries with the highest year-on-year growth in the arrival of international tourists.

According to a report prepared jointly by World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and analytics firm ForwardKeys, Colombia is expected to register an increase of 24 pc in the number of international tourist visits during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year.

The report says that with an increase of 57 pc and 34 pc respectively, Medellín and Cartagena are the top two urban destinations that present the highest levels of reservations for international arrivals during the first half of 2024, compared to the same period last year.

WTTC says that Spain at 32 pc, the United States at 27 pc and Canada at 22 pc are the three source markets that represent the greatest growth among foreign markets, compared to the same period in 2023.

“Colombia continues to demonstrate its capacity for resilience and the power of public-private collaboration in the travel and tourism sector. With positive figures, it demonstrates its consolidation as a leading tourist destination on a global level,” says Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President of the WTTC.

According to Olivier Ponti, VP Insights ForwardKeys, the extraordinary results that Colombia expects to experience reflect the success of its marketing strategy based on decision-making through data solutions. “These achievements are the fruit of coordinated work between the public and private sectors, evidencing the nation’s ability to intelligently take advantage of information and market trends,” says Ponti.

The statement adds that present at this event were William Fernando Camargo, Minister of Transportation of Colombia, Arturo Bravo, Vice Minister of Tourism, Natalia Bayona, Executive Director of the UNWTO, and Paula Cortés Calle, Executive President of ANATO, the Senior Vice President of the WTTC.

“Colombia demonstrates not only quantitative growth, but also a strategic selection of markets of origin such as the US or Spain. The positive results not only boost the tourism sector, but also contribute significantly to economic growth and employment, marking a milestone for the country in the international arena,” adds Ponti.

The statement adds that travel from Colombia is expected to increase 31 pc year-on-year in the first half of 2024. The United States with an increase of 40 pc, Spain by 26 pc and Mexico at 17 pc will be the main destinations for Colombian travellers.

WTTC says that since 2022, the Colombian tourism sector has exceeded its contribution levels to the national GDP, in relation to pre-pandemic levels, with a contribution of 14.9 billion dollars; that is, 2.6 pc above 2019. Likewise, in terms of employment levels, the sector represented 1.25 million jobs, that is, 5.6 pc of total jobs in the country, exceeding 2019 levels by 2.6 pc.