The number of international visitors coming to Cartagena between January-August 2010 increased almost 8.9% from the same period in 2009, according to recent reports.
sponsor:
Colombia Travel Agent – Mantaraya Travel
In the period between January and August, 111,465 international visitors came to Cartagena, up 9,081 from last year. Cartagena is the destination for 11.6% of the visitors in Colombia, according to government immigration authorities.
Tourists from the United States claim the top spot in these statistics, making up nearly 22% of the travelers in Cartagena, followed by Argentina (15%), and Venezuela (9%). Nearly half the tourists visiting Cartagena are from South America.
In April last year, LAN airlines opened up a route from Lima to Cartagena, which has led to a significant increase in travelers from South America.
Medical tourism is also rapidly growing in the region, as geographical location makes it a more appealing destination to North Americans.
Bogota remains the most popular city with foreign tourists in Colombia, followed by Cartagena.