{"id":246366,"date":"2026-07-22T22:51:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T20:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/?p=246366"},"modified":"2026-07-22T22:51:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T20:51:14","slug":"colombia-foreign-travelers-show-interest-in-new-territories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/colombia-foreign-travelers-show-interest-in-new-territories\/","title":{"rendered":"Colombia: foreign travelers show interest in new territories"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the first half of 2026, foreign travelers arriving in <a href=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/p\/colombia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Colombia <\/a>remained mainly concentrated around the country\u2019s major hubs. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/bogota-colombias-energy-at-the-top-of-the-andes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bogot\u00e1<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/medellin-urban-adventures-in-the-city-of-eternal-springtime\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Medell\u00edn<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/cartagena-de-indias-the-city-you-discover-by-taking-your-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cartagena <\/a><\/strong>and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/cali-a-dance-with-colombian-history-and-culture\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cali <\/a><\/strong>kept their usual weight in the statistics. But behind these already established destinations, several departments less present in international circuits recorded significant growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to data from <strong>Migraci\u00f3n Colombia<\/strong> reported by <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/anato.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-black-color\">ANATO <\/mark><\/a><\/strong><em>(Asociaci\u00f3n Colombiana de Agencias de Viajes y Turismo)<\/em>, <strong>Vaup\u00e9s <\/strong>posted the strongest increase in foreign visitor arrivals, with +63.2% compared with the first half of 2025. It was followed by <strong>Guaviare<\/strong>, with +24.7%, <strong>Guain\u00eda<\/strong>, with +21.9%, and <strong>Nari\u00f1o<\/strong>, with +21.7%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<p><iframe title=\"\" aria-label=\"Locator map\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-4Jmwv\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/4Jmwv\/2\/\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" height=\"485\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">(function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})();<\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:36px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese figures confirm that Colombia has a tremendous opportunity to continue promoting new destinations on the international market. Traveler interest is no longer concentrated only on traditional places, but also extends to regions offering original proposals, experiences linked to nature, culture, adventure and authenticity,\u201d said <strong>Paula Cort\u00e9s Calle, Executive President of ANATO<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:61px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The major hubs remain ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bogot\u00e1 D.C., Antioquia and Bol\u00edvar remain the departments most visited by international travelers, with 35.8%, 24.8% and 18.9% of arrivals respectively in the first half of 2026. At city level, Bogot\u00e1 leads with 869,000 foreign visitors, ahead of Medell\u00edn, Cartagena de Indias and Cali. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This concentration is easy to explain: these are the main gateways, the best-connected cities, the most visible abroad and those where the hotel, cultural, gastronomic and events offer is the most structured. For international travel, they continue to play a central role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:61px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Vaup\u00e9s, Guaviare, Guain\u00eda: the Amazon and Orinoco regions on the rise<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Vaup\u00e9s <\/strong>tops the growth rankings. Its capital, <strong>Mit\u00fa<\/strong>, can be reached by air from Bogot\u00e1 or Villavicencio. The department is marked by forest, rivers and the presence of Indigenous communities. This is not a destination to visit quickly or without preparation. It requires time, support and real attention to travel conditions.    <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LaLindosa_ImagenPortal_640x400px-Federico-Rios.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-246355\" style=\"width:240px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LaLindosa_ImagenPortal_640x400px-Federico-Rios.webp 640w, https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LaLindosa_ImagenPortal_640x400px-Federico-Rios-300x188.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Guaviare <\/strong>is probably more identified today by some travelers. Around San Jos\u00e9 del Guaviare, the Serran\u00eda La Lindosa, the rock paintings of Cerro Azul, rock formations, rivers and natural sites give the destination a distinct place between the Amazon and the Orinoco. The department already attracts those looking for a Colombia of nature, archaeology and landscapes still little visited.  <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"992\" height=\"457\" src=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/JDEC2VNPAZGARCV7HWLLOHD464-Freepik.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-246349\" style=\"aspect-ratio:2.1708055723803756;width:265px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/JDEC2VNPAZGARCV7HWLLOHD464-Freepik.jpg 992w, https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/JDEC2VNPAZGARCV7HWLLOHD464-Freepik-300x138.jpg 300w, https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/JDEC2VNPAZGARCV7HWLLOHD464-Freepik-768x354.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Guain\u00eda <\/strong>follows a similar logic, with In\u00edrida and the <em>Cerros de Mavecure<\/em> as its best-known landmarks. Here again, the tourism potential exists, but it depends on precise organization: river or air access, local guides, respect for communities and knowledge of natural environments. The increase in arrivals should therefore not be read as an invitation to massify these destinations, but as a sign of interest in more specialized trips.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Our article: <a href=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/cerros-de-mavecure-splendours-of-colombia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Cerros de Mavecure: Splendors of Colombia<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:61px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Nari\u00f1o, another gateway to southern Colombia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Narino-Jolyn-Chua-red.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-246358\" style=\"width:169px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Narino-Jolyn-Chua-red.jpg 500w, https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Narino-Jolyn-Chua-red-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Narino-Jolyn-Chua-red-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nari\u00f1o <\/strong>completes this group with a different geography and brings another approach to the south of the country. Around <strong>Pasto<\/strong>, the department combines Andean culture, volcanic landscapes, <em>Laguna de La Cocha<\/em>, the <em>Las Lajas Sanctuary<\/em> and proximity to Ecuador. Its growth shows that the diversification of Colombian tourism does not only concern Amazonian regions or more isolated nature destinations.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>You may also like: <a href=\"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/the-carnaval-de-negros-y-blancos-of-pasto-starting-the-year-in-colombia-through-celebration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Carnival of Negros y Blancos in Pasto: starting the year in Colombia with celebration<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These increases show that curiosity already exists for a Colombia further removed from the most classic itineraries, made up of rivers, forests, Andean landscapes and stays where travelers take more time. These destinations can therefore find their place in more targeted trips, as a complement to an already structured itinerary or as the starting point for a deeper discovery of the country. Their interest lies precisely in this different temporality: sometimes longer access, slower rhythms of discovery and an important place given to communities. That is where these destinations can bring something different, without being presented as new fashionable addresses.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Photos: ProColombia | D.R. | Federico Rios| Jolyn Chua<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Colombia sees growing interest from foreign visitors in Vaup\u00e9s, Guaviare, Guain\u00eda and Nari\u00f1o in the first half of 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":246347,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16783,1],"tags":[8562,42475,10316,7720,19651,42480,42469,42470,42474,13570,42463,42479,42462,10323,42464,42467,42461,42476,42478,42477,42466,42465,29629,42468,42471,42472,42473,18671,12517,7777,42460],"class_list":["post-246366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-non-classifiee","tag-anato-2","tag-cerro-azul","tag-cerros-de-mavecure-2","tag-colombia-2","tag-colombia-en","tag-colombia-itineraries","tag-colombian-amazon","tag-colombian-orinoco","tag-community-tourism-colombia","tag-ecotourism-colombia","tag-emerging-destinations-colombia","tag-first-half-2026","tag-foreign-visitors-colombia","tag-guainia-2","tag-guaviare","tag-inirida","tag-international-tourism-colombia","tag-laguna-de-la-cocha","tag-las-lajas-sanctuary","tag-migracion-colombia","tag-mitu","tag-narino","tag-nature-tourism-colombia","tag-pasto","tag-san-jose-del-guaviare","tag-serrania-la-lindosa","tag-southern-andes-2","tag-tourism-colombia-en","tag-tourism-colombia","tag-travel-in-colombia","tag-vaupes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=246366"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":246370,"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246366\/revisions\/246370"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/246347"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=246366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=246366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=246366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}