Foreign visits to Colombia increased 4.6% in the first months of 2013 compared to the same period last year, according to statistics of the country’s Trade Ministry.
According to the ministry’s monthly statistics, nearly 685 thousand foreigners visited Colombia between January and April. Last year, the country received little more than 654 thousand foreign visitors.
Foreign visitors to Colombia
The government statistics show that, with the exception of March, the number of foreign visitors entering Colombia through the international airports has grown steadily since 2011.
Throughout 2013, 534 thousand foreigners entered the country against 514 thousand in the same period last year.
Foreigners entering Colombia through airport customs
Also the number of tourists entering the country’s Caribbean port cities as part of a cruise seemed to have recovered in March and April after a significant drop in 2012 that was persistent until February this year.
Foreigners entering Colombia through port customs
The figures from the first four months of this year indicate Colombia is recovering from a stagnating growth in tourism that had been getting smaller since 2009. Last year, tourism grew 1.8% while tourism in South America grew 4.2%.
FACT SHEET: Colombia’s tourism statistics