Colombia may not have been known for its tourism sector long ago, but new reports say that 2007 showed record growth in tourism from foreign visitors. Key aspects behind the rise including the reduced amount of violence and the increased advertising the government has put in place.
The Trade and Tourism Minister Luis Guillermo Plata released the report which shows that some 1.3 million visitors from foreign countries visited Colombia in 2007. This is up from the 1.05 million that came in 2006. Figures also show that just half of these numbers were seen just five years ago.
The increased tourism helps financially. The report says that the increased tourism has helped to bring in about $2.5 billion into the country, according to Plata.
Tourists travelled throughout the country, but tourism hot spots include Bogota, Santa Marta, Medellin and San Andres Island. Some of the most toured locations include Colombia's beaches, which are an affordable alternative to the Caribbean Islands and the Andean mountains.
According to Plata, "Safety was the big issue. It didn't make sense to spend to promote tourism to a country where people didn't feel secure enough to visit. Now it makes sense."
The government got an overhaul when President Alvaro Uribe was elected in 2002. He increase military presence throughout the country and helped to drop kidnapping and homicide rates significantly.
Other tourism draws include the festivities such as Barranquilla's Carnival, the Bogota Summer Fesival and Cali's Fair.
