The U.S. Department of State renewed its travel warning for Colombia due to “continued violence by narco-terrorist groups and an increase in violent crime, including kidnapping and homicide, in many of the major cities”.
While the updated travel advisory recognizes that “security in Colombia has improved significantly in recent years” it says that “small towns and rural areas of Colombia can still be extremely dangerous due to the presence of narco-terrorists” and that “common crime also remains a significant problem in many urban and rural areas.”
The advisory also notes that “the incidence of kidnapping in Colombia has diminished significantly from its peak at the beginning of this decade” but that “kidnapping in rural areas is of particular concern”.
In an recent interview with Colombia Reports, the Medellin Tourism Undersecretary advised that tourists can enjoy Colombia as long as they use common sense and avoid hot spots.