According to data provided by the International Visitors Survey (EVI) of the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), the international travel behavior of Colombians and foreign visitors in the country during July 2024 shows a trend: Colombians who travel abroad spend more time outside the country on average than foreign travelers arriving in Colombia.
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According to the data, in July 2024488,613 trips into and out of Colombia were recorded. Of these, 52.8% (258,756 travelers) correspond to income to the country, while the remaining 47.2% (230,427 travelers) refers to departures of Colombians abroad. Of the inbound trips, 257,756 were for tourism, 6,405 for hiking and the rest for other reasons. On the other hand, of the departures, 230,427 were for tourism and 26 for hiking.
Regarding the reasons for the trips, 51.1% of international trips were made for vacations, recreation or leisure, while 28% had the purpose of visiting family or friends. 13.6% of the trips corresponded to business trips or paid professional reasons, and 2% to education.
A relevant data in this analysis is the average expenditure made by travelers according to their destination. Those who traveled abroad spent an average of US$2,961.3 per tripwhich represents an average daily expense of US$141.5, considering that their average stay was 20.9 days. In contrast, International visitors to Colombia, on average, spent US$1,419.2 per trip, which is equivalent to a daily expense of US$103.6 during a stay of 14.1 days.
Regarding the most frequent destinations of Colombians abroad, North America leads departures, with 92,529 trips and an average stay of 20.6 nights. South America follows with 52,779 trips and an average stay of 19.6 nights, while Europe represents an important destination with 40,187 trips and an average stay of 25.6 nights. On the contrary, Oceania was the destination with the fewest recorded trips, with only 335 trips and an average stay of 51.4 nights.
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This contrast in the length of stays is significant when compared with the average length of trips of international visitors to Colombia. According to statistics, Tourists entering the country have an average stay of 9.8 nights in Antioquia, 12.2 nights in Bogotá and 7.9 nights in Bolívar. This difference in trip duration suggests that Colombians tend to travel for longer periods outside the country than visitors arriving in Colombia.
The analysis of the reasons for travel also highlights differences between Colombians who travel abroad and international visitors. Between Colombians who left the country in July, trips for leisure and recreation represented 50.1% of the total, followed by those motivated by visiting family or friends (23.8%) and business trips (18.8%). Only a small percentage of trips (3.4%) were for educational reasons.
For its part, the main reason for international travelers who came to Colombia was also recreational tourism, which represented 52% of the trips. However, a higher percentage (31.8%) of foreign visitors came to the country to visit family or friends, compared to 23.8% of Colombians who traveled abroad for this reason.
Travel expense
In terms of spending, international visitors who entered Colombia spent an average of US$103.6 per day. The highest expenditure by reason was recorded in travelers who visited Colombia pfor reasons of well-being and medical treatments, with an average expense of US$3,286.8, followed by leisure tourists, with US$1,743.6, and those who traveled for educational reasons, with an average expenditure of US$1,720.6.
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On the other hand, Colombians who traveled abroad in July 2024 also showed a significant distribution in their expenses. The highest average expense per trip was for trips related to education and training, with US$6,486.4, followed by sports tourism trips (US$5,051.7) and those motivated by medical treatments (US$4,236.4). According to the composition of expenses, the largest expenditure by Colombians was on air transportation, with 28.5% of the total, followed by food and drinks (19%), accommodation (14.6%) and tourist packages (13.7%).
Regarding destinations within Colombia, the figures show a concentration of tourists in some specific regions. The destinations with the highest number of nights stayed were Antioquia (9.8 nights), Bogotá (12.2 nights) and Bolívar (7.9 nights), with the highest number of registered trips. In terms of spending, international visitors spent more money on their stays in San Andrés and Providencia (US$214.8), Bolívar (US$188.1), La Guajira (US$164.6) and Antioquia (US$129.6) . The destinations with the lowest spending were Cauca (US$50.4), Putumayo (US$36.1) and Guainía (US$17.5).
The average daily expense in Colombia varied depending on the reason for the trip. Tourists who came for sports tourism were the ones who spent the most per day, with an average of US$194.7, followed by travelers for wellness or medical treatments (US$157.3) and those for leisure and recreation (US$157.1). ). In contrast, those who traveled for religious reasons or pilgrimages spent only US$73.8 per day, while those visiting family or friends spent US$52.8.
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Reasons for choosing the destination
An interesting aspect is the reason why tourists decided to visit Colombia. 43.9% of travelers mentioned that they chose Colombia based on the recommendation of family and friends, while 26.5% did so because the country is their place of origin. In addition, 18.8% of tourists arrived through digital media and 1.3% through television. Information about Colombia through specialized media was less relevant, with only 0.8% of tourists indicating that it was their main source of information.
PAULA GALEANO BALAGUERA
Portfolio Journalist
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