Colombia’s trade minister on Tuesday ratified the government’s dedication to using tourism to fight poverty.
In a summit that took place in Argentina, tourism ministers from all over South America discussed the importance of tourism on the continent as a whole.
Minister Sergio Diaz-Granados said in a press release that “with the other ministers of tourism in the region I have discussed the importance of tourism and the relationship of labor between public and private sectors in order to achieve better results, and the boost this gives to local economies”
This year has seen a substantial growth in tourism and traveling to Colombia. Many western magazines and newspapers, such as Wanderlust and Conde Nast, are falling over themselves to visit and publish articles concerning Colombia’s tourist hot-spots – particularly Cartagena and Bogota.
MORE: Colombia’s tourism on the rebound; foreign visits up 4.6% in 2013
The minister went on to say that “the tourism campaign is based on Colombia’s attractions in nature (farm, bird and whale watching), adventure (diving and extreme sports), sun and beach, nautical experiences (sea and river cruises), culture (religious events, fairs , festivals, archaeological sites), and it is also a destination for business conferences, conventions, events, and more.”
In some cases, certain tourist attractions are totally unique to Colombia; exploring the Amazon; whale watching in the Pacific; visiting lost cities, nestled in the highest coastal mountains in the world and a night in the Gethsemane district of Cartagena are just a few examples.
With such recent success and new efforts to increase tourism in the country, Diaz-Grandos stated that by 2014 he is hoping to see Colombia hosting 4 million foreign guests a year. The minister’s estimation includes Colombians living abroad visiting their home country.