Discover the advantages of investing in tourism infrastructure in Colombia

Hospitality and tourism infrastructure

Articles

09 of July of 2024

in which Colombia stands out as one of the most biodiverse places in the world, but also with its cultural diversity, which combines the ancestral with the contemporary times.

This is something that has boosted tourism in the country. Every year, millions of people from all over the world visit Colombia and leave the country with the desire of coming back soon. This is exactly why the country has seen the necessity to improve its tourism infrastructure, allowing it to receive a greater number of tourists and to offer better experiences to those who come to discover the beauty of these lands.

Mountains that are tourist attractions in Colombia.

How does tourism work in Colombia?

The country is divided into six tourism regions, and each of them offers unique experiences in natural environments that are diverse in their landscapes, climates, and cultures. In these regions, tourists go from deserts and cities to jungles and seas, and from the cold of the mountains to the heat of the coast. This is how Colombia is divided:

Division of Colombia in six regions

This is why the natural wealth and cultural diversity have become central axes of the tourism offer in the country, since they are the main attractions that tourists find and where much of the wealth and beauty of Colombia as a nation is located.

On the other hand, when you make an investment in tourism projects in the country, you can find diverse opportunities that are focused on different tourism sectors. These can be summarized as: rural and community tourism, sun and beach tourism, and urban hotels and entertainment. Thanks to this, you as an investor have a wide portfolio of investment options, so you can focus on the area you prefer.

In addition, tourism in Colombia is characterized by seeking sustainability. Since 2021, through Decree 646, the country adopted the sustainable tourism policy, with the goal of positioning sustainability as a fundamental pillar for the development of this sector.

This has also been boosted by the tax benefits that exist in the country for sustainable investments, as it makes the arrival of investors to the country much simpler and more attractive.

Finally, if you are a foreign investor interested in making an investment in tourism infrastructure, you can rest assured that you are not the first one. Large projects have already been developed throughout history that have made the tourism industry prosper in Colombia.

There are already large hotel chains in the country that have supported the development of a hotel network and hotel infrastructure with the capacity to receive the millions of visitors

that come to the country every year. Among these are the Hilton chain, Estelar Hotels, Decameron, and many others.

In addition, the country can be reached by land, sea and air, since it has the necessary infrastructure to receive cruise ships in its ports, has built international modern airports in several cities, and is connected by land with many countries in the region. This is a sign of an infrastructure that has already made great strides in its development, which makes it easier for new tourists to arrive in the country of beauty.

Cultural celebration in Colombia.

What have been the results?

Only in 2023, Colombia received more than 5.5 million tourists, a historic figure that exceeds the government's expectations and reflects an increase of 23% over the previous year, with a 120% growth in the number of tourists arriving on cruise ships, showing the interest in Colombia and the country's capacity to receive such a large number of visitors.

In addition, during that year, Fontur approved 202 projects with an investment in tourism projects of more than $427,000 million Colombian pesos for the development of infrastructure, competitiveness, and tourism promotion in the country. This contributed to a tourism added value in 2023 of $33.2 billion Colombian pesos, the highest since the measurement has been made (2015). This represents an increase of 12.8% over 2022 and 31.4% over 2019.

This growth continues in 2024. Between January and April, the tourists amount increased by 7.3 % over the same period in 2023. The United States was the country that contributed the most, with the 26.7% and 387,608 tourists, followed by Ecuador, Mexico and Chile.

In addition, during the same period, 27 projects were approved for the development of tourism in Colombia with a value of $64,334 million Colombian pesos. The projects approved seek to improve tourism infrastructure and promote the main events taking place in the country.

All this effort has already borne fruit. This can be seen not only in the number of tourists arriving in the country or in the evolution of tourism industry, but also in the recognition that destinations such as Bogotá and Cartagena have received in important awards such as Trip Advisor's Travelers' Choice Awards Best of the Best. These cities stood out for their gastronomic and cultural offerings, surpassing thousands of destinations around the world.

Colombian animal eating a fruit.

Do not miss the opportunity to participate in one of the most vibrant sectors of the Colombian economy. Enjoy all the advantages that the country of beauty has to offer and discover the benefits of an investment in tourism projects in Colombia. Discover more investment opportunities here.