ANATO warns of critical impacts of the minimum wage increase on the tourism sector

While protecting workers' purchasing power is a legitimate objective, an increase of nearly 23% far exceeds the technical scenarios anticipated by the sector, which ranged between 8% and 12%, breaking any reasonable framework for corporate financial planning.

For inbound tourism, this adjustment has a particularly delicate impact for three main reasons. First, the disruption of contractual planning, since the sector operates with long cycles: rates, reservations, and contracts with international wholesalers for 2026 were finalized under different macroeconomic projections, which now disrupts costs already committed.

Secondly, a double economic shock is taking hold. The abrupt increase in labor costs is compounded by an exchange rate near $3,700, which reduces the real value of dollar-denominated income. Tourism exporting companies, especially DMCs, thus face simultaneous pressure on their costs and profitability, losing competitiveness compared to other destinations in the region and jeopardizing the international standing that Colombia has been building.

Finally, ANATO warns about the adverse macroeconomic effects of a measure of this magnitude. An increase disconnected from productivity could generate new inflationary pressures and make formal employment more expensive, incentivizing unemployment and pushing small and medium-sized enterprises into the informal sector.

“Tourism is a sector that is intensive in formal employment and production linkages. Wage decisions should be based on technical data, productivity, and market realities, not on impulses that end up weakening the business fabric that sustains employment and the country's competitiveness,” stated Paula Cortés Calle, President of Anato.

ANATO reiterated its call for economic policies to be built through dialogue, technical analysis, and a long-term vision, guaranteeing business sustainability and real job protection in Colombia.

Source: ANATO.