Colombia, the best country to visit

Colombia, Very good for sightseeing?

Tourism has become a key driver of the country. Today

this sector is the second currency generator for the country and

we managed to surpass the figure of 5 million visitors

International in 2016.

During the first half of this year, the country received 46.3%

more than international travelers compared to the same.

period of the previous year. Between January and June they have arrived in the country

almost 3 million visitors from abroad.

Through the 12 tourist corridors put in place to

offer our diversity to national and foreign visitors,

regions that were previously unknown, today, are appreciated in the

world and increasingly attract more travelers.

Colombia celebrated yesterday the International Tourism Day, with the

participation of all the actors of the productive chain of the sector

and representatives of the World Tourism Organization.

A celebration that included a visit by President Juan Manuel

Saints to Caño Cristales, where a new work of

tourist infrastructure to potentiate the region as a destination

world-class In the past this was the scene of violence, but

now it will be a territory that generates jobs and contributes

the increase of visitors.

In this way we are involving populations with vocation

tourism, which have an admirable natural environment and can offer

authentic and differentiated products, which highlight the condition of

country as one of the most mega-diverse destinations in the world.

As you all know, the UNWTO declared 2017 as the Year

International Sustainable Tourism for Development, which

calls to continue generating actions that encourage reconciliation

with culture and nature through the strengthening of

productive chains of tourism and the empowerment of

communities in their territories.

That is why we will continue working hand in hand with the private sector to

to make tourism in Colombia become a tool

important to achieve economic and social development, without leaving

aside the environment and the protection of sociocultural values.

Colombia, considered a 'vibrant nation' by the magazine

Time, which included Cartagena among the best places in the world

to visit, has the challenge of consolidating existing products and

develop new and better options, such as tourism

nature, cultural, adventure, beach, congresses, events, health and

wellness.

(((Sustainability actions)))

In order to achieve the sustainability of the tourism industry, we have

advance a joint work with our providers of

services, through which, to access the National Registry of

Tourism must comply with technical standards of sustainability.

We also made progress in the certification of more sustainable destinations,

currently add eight, of which five are part of the Network

of Heritage Villages. This progress reflects one more step towards a

conservation and protection of tangible and intangible heritage, and

towards the development and consolidation of tourism strategies

cultural.

With the brigades for legality we are promoting the

formalization of all providers of tourist services. To

9,524 visits have been made to tourist establishments in

throughout the country, of which 717 have been closed for not having

the National Registry of Tourism.

As a result of actions in this area, today there are more than 900

certified providers in the quality standards. They have

the seal of quality of the Ministry

The development of a culture of sustainable tourism has also been

part of our agenda. For example, through the program

'Colleges Friends of Tourism', we have managed to sensitize 173,000

students in associated subjects, trained 748 teachers of 26

departments and awarded 186 scholarships for higher education in

tourism.

As you can see, the agenda of the National Government is focused on

promote actions that promote the sustainability of the

sector in the environmental, economic and social fields, based on the

peaceful coexistence in the territories and the use

adequate of its natural wealth in those destinations that were

hidden for the rest of the world because of the conflict.

And is that as he recently reiterated, in the General Assembly of the

United Nations, Mr. President Juan Manuel Santos "Peace is the

best tool to meet the Development Goals

Sustainable tourism ".

However, regarding other challenges in the sector, as part of the

agenda of the event that brings us together today, we have talked about

a conjunctural issue, which from the UNWTO, has been termed as

digital tourist services.

After observing the approaches and themes presented to

Throughout the day, the existence of a factor is evident

differential in the commercialization of tourist services.

-The best tourist places of Colombia-

1.Cartagena is a port city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Next to the sea, is the walled Old City, which was founded in the sixteenth century, with squares, cobblestone streets and colorful colonial buildings. With a tropical climate, the city is also a popular destination for its beaches. You can arrive by boat to the Island of Barú, with white sand beaches and palm trees, and the Rosario Islands, famous for their coral reefs.
Most visitors enter the Old City through the iconic Clock Tower. Sites within the city walls include the Palace of the Inquisition, which is now a museum exhibiting historical artifacts, and Las Bóvedas, an 18th-century dungeon with tents in its old cells. Apart from the walled city, the huge sixteenth-century San Felipe de Barajas castle offers panoramic views, as does the 17th-century La Popa convent, built on a prominent hill. The Calle del Arsenal, in the Getsemaní neighborhood on the coast, offers a lively nightlife, with salsa and aguardiente clubs, the national liquor flavored with anise.

2.San Andrés is a small Colombian island off Nicaragua in the Caribbean. It is famous for its white sand beaches, coconut trees, clear waters and all-inclusive resorts. It is part of an archipelago that includes Providencia and Santa Catalina, and has a mixture of Latin American, English and Creole cultural influences. It also has extensive coral reefs and various species of marine fauna.

The main city, nicknamed El Centro (or North End), offers several hotels and duty-free shops. San Luis is famous for its quieter beaches. La Loma is a mountainous villa overlooking the sea, colorful houses and the first Baptist church, whitewashed and built in the nineteenth century. The Blow Hole is a natural formation similar to a geyser that shoots water from the sea up to 20 m in height. Morgan's cave, according to legend, contains treasures that the Welsh pirate Henry Morgan buried. The La Piscinita cove is known for fish feeding and snorkeling. On the coast, there are popular islets for water sports and picnics.


3.Salento is an Andean city of Colombia, west of Bogotá. It is known for its coffee farms and the vegetation of its surroundings. To the east is the Cocora Valley, where wax palms, a national symbol, harbor rare parrots. The city is an access road to the snowy peaks of Los Nevados National Park, to the northeast. In Salento, Calle Real has colorful buildings and craft shops. The Mirador is located just northeast of the city.


4.Cali is a city in Colombia located in the department of Valle del Cauca, southwest of Bogotá. It is famous for salsa and the large number of clubs in the neighborhood of Juanchito. The Cathedral of San Pedro, in the old town, is neoclassical and houses pictorial works of the Quito school. Near the cathedral is the religious complex of San Francisco, from the 18th and 19th centuries. The first mass was celebrated in the chapel of La Merced after the foundation of Cali in 1536.
The Calima Gold Museum, near the chapel, exhibits works from the pre-Hispanic cultures of Colombia: the ilama, the yotoco and the sonso. The La Tertulia Museum contains hundreds of works by national and international artists. The Cali zoo houses many species of native animals of Colombia, several aquariums and a butterfly garden. The Julio César Cubillos Archaeological Museum is located south of the city center and includes local artifacts of pre-Hispanic origin. To the southwest is the Farallones de Cali National Park, in the mountains of the Western Cordillera, where spectacled bears, anteaters, monkeys and eagles live.


5.Barranquilla, capital of the Atlántico Department of Colombia, is a bustling port city flanked by the Magdalena River. The city is known for its great Carnival, which includes artists disguised in an extravagant way, elaborate floats and cumbia music. In the elegant El Prado neighborhood, the Romantic Museum displays objects from past festivals and exhibitions of famous Colombians such as the writer Gabriel García Márquez.
The church of San Nicolás de Tolentino, dating from the seventeenth century, overlooks the Plaza de San Nicolás, a meeting point located in the historic center of the city. Located in a neoclassical building nearby, the Museo del Atlántico exhibits Colombian works and objects. In the Caribbean Cultural Park is the Caribbean Museum, which offers exhibitions focused on regional culture. In an area bordering the park is the old Customs building, which has been converted into a cultural complex. To the west sits the María Reina Metropolitan Cathedral, a monument of modernist design.