Some 11.8 million Colombians are now connected to the Internet, an increase of 31% compared to last year, according to a study by comScore.
“The online channel in Colombia has experienced expansive growth in the past year with more people accessing the Internet as part of their daily routine,” said Hugo Hernandez, comScore’s country manager for Colombia.
“As one of the fastest-growing online markets, Colombia offers significant potential for digital innovation and development as more industries, such as retail and travel, begin to integrate the online channel into their business strategies.”
The online travel and retail industry, while showing great potential for development, remain in their infancy and are visited very little by Colombian surfers, according to the study.
The average Colombian Internet user spent 20.4 hours online in September, visiting 1,606 internet pages.
The study concluded that the majority of Colombians use the Internet for social networking, such as Facebook, email and messenger, rather than for educational purposes or as a news source.
Around 86% of Colombians visited a social network site, spending an average of 4.6 hours on the site in September 2010.