Tourism in Colombia is one of the industries that is most solving the country's economic recovery. Paradoxically, it was also one of the sectors hardest hit by the first year of the pandemic, but today, the figures show him as the great protagonist of the recovery.
According to the Colombian Travel and Tourism Association (Anato), elements such as air connectivity have become key within the tourism production chain. “The commitment of the National Government to the implementation of new national routes will be key to the resurgence of some regions and the economic recovery of Colombia,” said the union.
Likewise, he said that continuing the expansion of air routes is essential to continue leveraging the positive recovery of the sector.
“It is important to continue the implementation of new routes and destinations to increase the country's competitiveness, prices for travelers and the diversification of products and services,” said Paula Cortés Calle, executive president of ANATO.
It may interest you: a href="https://www.infobae.com/america/colombia/2022/03/29/conozca-las-11-nuevas-rutas-areas-nacionales-e-internacionales-que-entraron-a-operar-en-colombia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" Get to know the 11 new national and international routes operating in Colombia
The association also announced which are those places in Colombia that are registering the greatest reception of travelers, and that is why today they are the protagonists of the reactivation of the sector.
“Within these destinations, Tolú and La Macarena are located. The first of them registered in 2019 the arrival of 2,397 passengers on domestic flights, of which 78% did so on regular flights. However, in 2021 it obtained higher traffic (8,372), which means the interest of Colombians in visiting the destination, so a route from Bogotá is essential,” Anato explained in his statement.
He also said that in relation to La Macarena, which will begin to connect with Medellín, “in 2019 it registered the arrival of 17,772 passengers on domestic flights and although it has been a very visited destination”. It should be said that the data also revealed that only 15% of visitors to this destination, “do so through regular flights, so this strategy would open up opportunities for more travelers to get to know it”.
Another key place is Providencia, which after Hurricane Iota was forced to close its connection with San Andrés. But in 2019, a total of 34,701 arrived, and of them “48% did so on regular flights, so the restoration of the route, starting in June, will become a hope for the destination, its recovery and sustainability”.
These positive figures are in addition to other recent figures released by the union, which revealed that for 2021, “the Banco de La República reported that USD $3,102 million earned from foreign exchange in tourism, which corresponded to a 46% reactivation, compared to 2019, with the fourth quarter of last year being the period which stood out most with the income of USD $1,137 million and a reactivation close to 60%.” This means, that considering the 2.1 million non-resident visitors reported in 2021, their average spending would have been around USD $1,461.
KEEP READING: