Diplomatic crises impact Colombia´s outbound tourism
Between January and February 2025, nearly 884,000 Colombians traveled abroad, representing a 0.3% drop compared to the same months in 2024
The travel industry is highly sensitive to diplomatic, political, and migration situations between countries. Good relationship management fosters market diversification by boosting demand for vacation tourism and events, aiding the development of products and services, and promoting foreign investment. However, crises in these relationships can pose significant challenges.
Between January and February 2025, nearly 884,000 Colombians traveled abroad, representing a 0.3% drop compared to the same months in 2024, when the figure reached 885,616.
"Some diplomatic situations have gradually and negatively impacted the flow of compatriots abroad, even to traditionally top-rated travel destinations. Uncertainty about entry conditions for these countries is shifting interest to other destinations," explained Paula Cortés Calle, executive president of ANATO.
This is reflected in the outflow of Colombians to the United States, which decreased by 2% between January and February 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Similarly, the outflow of Colombians to Mexico fell by 34% compared to the first two months of last year.
"We see a significant contraction, especially considering that these countries rank first and fourth, respectively, on the list of destinations to which Colombians travel the most. Therefore, we must work on our relations with other countries through effective migration management, which will contribute to promoting tourism flows between countries," the union leader stated.
Source: Colombian Migration