Tourism to Colombia up 8.5% in 2011

1.4 million foreign visitors took a vacation in Colombia between January and November this year; 8.5% more than the same period in 2010, according to data from the National Statistics Agency.

During 2011, four new new routes were open with 39 international flights weekly. Furthermore the new routes connect Medellin with Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles, and Bogota with Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, and La Paz in Bolivia.

The Vice Minister of Tourism Oscar Rueda García, said that most visitors to Colombia are from Brazil, Chile, Venezuela and Mexico. He also said "The behaviour of the arrival of foreign visitors added to the dynamism in the domestic market, has encouraged other activities such as the hotel industry and air transport."

The past year was also a good year for travel agencies. Between January and September travel agencies had income grew by 16% in the third trimester of the year compared to the same period last year.

In the last five years, 1,200 new travel agencies have been set up in Colombia, an increase of 46%. Now there are 5,200 Colombian travel agencies.