Tourism in Colombia rises

BOGOTÁ, Colombia - With a record 1.324 million visitors in 2009, the Andean nation is becoming one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in Latin America.

"We look forward to stronger numbers, but we are definitely more than satisfied with last year," Luis Guillermo Plato, the country's minister of trade, industry and tourism. "In particular, the December-January months. The numbers are very positive. Still, it's even better to look at the sector's outlook for growth despite being in an international economic environment where there's been a decline in the industry worldwide."

The jump in Colombia's tourism has made the sector an even bigger part of the country's economy.

"[We had] a 10.7% increase in foreign visitors in 2009, a year in which tourism around the world decreased," Plato said. "With [Colombia's] exports around US$2.7 billion last year, tourism already could be the second line on Colombia's balance sheet, having displaced coal."

Another indicator of the tourism industry's momentum is the arrival of luxurious hotel chains such as Hyatt, which has invested more than US$1 billion in the construction of complexes in Bogotá, scheduled to open in 2012, and three more hotels in Medellín and Cartagena.

The New York Times named Colombia one of the "31 tourist destinations to visit in 2010" and 692,826 visitors vacationed in Bogotá in 2009, according to Bogotá's city hall.

The huge influx of tourists has spurred an increase in international flights. In 2008, there collectively were 101 arriving and departing flights, but there were 157 last year.

The country's airline companies also have signed agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, in addition to improving existing ones with Brazil, Mexico, Aruba and Costa Rica. The country also is close to reaching pacts to allow flights to Panama, Argentina and China, according to Col. Donald Tascón of the directorate general of civil aeronautics (Aerocivil).

"New and more frequent routes by low-cost airlines now fly into Colombia, like Jet Blue and Spirit Airlines, in addition to the routes of traditional airlines," Tascón said.

Tourists also are arriving via cruise ships, as Colombian President Álvaro Uribe recently announced a 51.9% increase in the number of cruise ship passengers arriving in Colombia.

Currently, ports in Cartagena and Santa Marta receive travelers from major cruise lines such as Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean.

Cartagena de Indias and the nearby archipelago Islas del Rosario remain popular cruise destinations, according to Nubia Martínez, the vice president of tourism for the state entity fund for the promotion of exports (Proexport). "Efforts are focused now on attracting tourism to events and convention centers and the construction and expansion of sites in Bogotá, Medellín and Cali has been planned, among other cities."

Jaime Alberto Cabal, president of the Colombia hotel association (COTELCO in the original Spanish) said his sector has never been stronger.

"We already have the full range of offerings for the tourist," he said. "[We have] the most exclusive hotels to the economical and comfortable short-stay hotels. [We also have] beautiful hacienda hotels in the coffee region and the so-called boutique hotels that are in Cartagena. We have a hotel for every range."

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