Colombia Breaks Records: Third Latin American Country with the Highest Tourism Revenue in 2024

The Colombian Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies – ANATO – has confirmed that Colombia ranked third in Latin America in terms of tourism revenue in 2024. Mexico took first place, followed by the Dominican Republic.

According to data provided by Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, the international promotion of the country — known as “The Country of Beauty” — continues to yield outstanding results. The latest report from December 2024, based on figures from Migración Colombia, recorded a total of 6,696,835 non-resident visitors between January and December 2024 — a record-breaking figure that surpassed the expectations of the tourism sector.

The study also revealed that the United States remains the main source of tourists to Colombia, accounting for 26.5% of all visitors, which translates to 1,194,642 people. Mexico and Ecuador followed as the second and third largest sources of tourists, with 365,545 and 348,523 visitors, respectively.

by Mirjam Radke travelphotography

Additionally, recent data from the Civil Aeronautics Authority highlighted significant growth in air connectivity. From January to November 2024, 50,620,375 passengers traveled by air, marking a 15.7% increase compared to the same period in 2023, when 43,761,000 people flew. The cities receiving the most air passengers were Bogotá, followed by Rionegro-Antioquia (Medellín) and Cartagena.

This tourism boom not only positions Colombia as a regional leader but also showcases the potential of the industry to diversify the national economy, reduce dependence on traditional sectors, and promote a more sustainable and globally accessible development model.