More International Travelers Visited Colombia

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.