Last year, Colombia earned $5.7 billion USD from overseas visitor spending creating a record in terms of international travel and tourism, as confirmed by the nation’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism. This increase was more than half a billion dollars accounting 8.6% growth above the $5.2 billion USD in 2015. This places tourism industry second after the oil sector in terms of making foreign exchange. As noted by the ministry, tourism alone brought in some $10.1 billion USD last year followed by coal ($4.6 billion USD) and coffee ($2.4 billion USD).
Ever since 2010, as mentioned by the ministry, foreign tourism revenue has doubled accounting a growth of 86.6% which was $3.1 billion USD in revenue before. As per the statistics presented by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, Colombia had earned only $887 million USD in 1995 when it was going through a perilous situation.
2018 revenue target for the sector was $6 billion USD as fixed by the President Juan Manuel Santos. The set sum appears achievable in 2017 itself if the annual increase of the past two years continues. To quote María Claudia Lacouture, Colombia’s minister of commerce, industry, and tourism, ‘These results confirm that the tourism industry has become a motor of development for the country. The country being at peace makes it more attractive to come to Colombia, and destinations will be easier to visit thanks to the post-conflict transition.’
