Leticia, Roldanillo and the new places that foreign tourists are looking for in the country

Tourism in some municipalities in Colombia has been reporting growth and this phenomenon is attributed to the good moment of air connectivity in the country; to the importance that local governments have placed in the sector, with investment in road, airport, hotel and attractions infrastructure; and in addition to this, to the international promotion that has been carried out in the country; in other aspects. This is one of Anato’s conclusions, who assures that thanks to these aspects, small municipalities are gaining strength internationally.

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“All regions of Colombia have exuberant landscapes and it is precisely this natural wealth, in addition to its traditional festivities and cultural diversity, that attracts the gaze of foreigners, inclining their interest towards our destinations,” stated Paula Cortés Calle, executive president of Anato.

Between January and April, Some municipalities with the highest growth in the arrival of foreign tourists for tourism, events and business reasons were: Leticia, 26%; Roldanillo, 14%; and Salento, 12%, which were mostly visited by travelers of nationalities such as the United States, Spanish, Peruvian, French, Mexican and German.

According to Cortes, Leticia is a perfect place for nature lovers. The majestic Amazon River is perhaps the most representative attraction of the place, from where you can see unique animal and plant species, indigenous reservations and natural reserves. Likewise, the crafts attract the attention of visitors to the place, which are made with seeds, tree bark, feathers, among other elements collected from the Amazon jungle.

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For its part, Roldanillo is the first Magical Town in the Cauca Valley, where its picturesque facades and poems captured on its walls prevail; However, it is also a place, thanks to its climatic conditions, to practice activities such as paragliding, from the iconic Cerro Tusa.

Salento is a destination that shows in all its splendor the conservation of its colonial architecture, which can be observed from the Mirador Alto de la Cruz; The imposing Cocora Valley and its green landscapes with wax palms are also recognized; the traditional inns; and popular coffee tours.

“Despite the growth that these destinations have reported, there are some challenges that we must understand, such as continuing to work on improving the access roads to these places, designing actions that not only promote the visit of international travelers but also of Colombians, since the country has these and other destinations with great tourist potential that deserve to be explored,” explained the union leader.

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El Valle is also positioned as a tourist power in Colombia.

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New destinations enter the top places to which more Colombians are traveling. “We are seeing how other countries emerge and gain prominence on the tourist map for Colombians. “This reflects certain changes in travel preferences thanks to accessibility, the diversification of experiences and the work of Travel Agencies to make the international tourist offer more attractive,” explained Paula Cortés.

Between January and April, 1,752,384 Colombians left the countrywhich represented 11% more compared to the same months in 2023, despite the fact that the growth in February was not as high as was observed last year.

For tourism, events and business reasons, The distribution of outbound tourism by Colombians by destination regions shows that Central America and the Caribbean They had, during that period, a participation of 38%; North America, 25%; while South America and Europe, 18%.

When analyzing the destination countries with the greatest growth in the departure of Colombians, for reasons of tourism, events and business, in April alone, the leading destination is Bolivia, with an increase of 59%; El Salvador, with 55%; Türkiye, with 39%; Spain, 28%; Peru, with 23%; and finally, the Netherlands with an increase of 20%.

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“Tourism has become an important force that promotes economic growth, cultural knowledge, the construction of experiences, understanding between people, and respect for the sustainability of attractions. For this reason, Travel Agencies continue to design tourist packages that not only promote the arrival of Colombians to traditional countries, but also allow them to explore new destinations further away to obtain global perspectives,” the union leader closed.

PAULA GALEANO BALAGUERA
Portfolio Journalist