Ecuadorian tourist trips to Colombia increased by 663% in the first nine months of 2022, shopping and shows are the main attractions.
Reference image of El Dorado Airport, in Colombia, in 2021.
More than 136,000 tourist trips by Ecuadorians to Colombia are registered in the first nine months of 2022, according to data from the Undersecretary of Migration.
This is an increase of 663% compared to the same period in 2021. But when compared to pre-pandemic levels, January-September 2019, the growth is 78%.
The most visited cities in Colombia are Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena, reports the Migration office of that country.
Travel conditions
The growth of tourist trips to Colombia is due to a series of factors, among them:
- Elimination of mobility restrictions between the two countries, due to the advancement of vaccination against Covid-19.
- Colombia is a destination to which Ecuadorians can travel only with an ID, as it is part of the Andean Community (CAN). Although, people should keep in mind that if they make a stopover in another country, they need to have a passport and in some cases a visa.
- Increase in flights between cities in Ecuador and Colombia.
- Greater offer of artistic shows in Colombia. In 2022, international artists such as Dua Lipa and Coldplay have been presented in that country.
But the main factor that leads Ecuadorians to travel to Colombia is the devaluation of the peso and the appreciation of the dollar , an attraction for purchases.
Greater purchasing power
The Colombian peso has devalued 16% between January 1, 2022 and October 11, 2022, according to the Banco de la República de Colombia.
This phenomenon means that tourists from dollarized countries have greater purchasing power in Colombia, that is, they can buy more or better goods and services with the same amount of money.
For example, the price for a night for two people in a five-star hotel in Bogotá is USD 65. The same night for two people in a hotel of the same chain in Quito reaches USD 169.
The Colombian peso has lost value in recent months due to global inflation and supply chain disruption. Added to this is the election of the first leftist government , headed by former senator Gustavo Petro.
Instead, the dollar has been strengthened by the increase in interest rates in the United States, to control inflation; and the accelerated weakening of other economies, such as China’s.
Main tourists
Despite the increase in Ecuadorian tourists, the flow of visitors arriving in Colombia from abroad is still below the levels prior to the health emergency.
Between January and August 2022, 2.2 million tourists entered Colombia, 24.5% less compared to the same period in 2019.
In 2022, Ecuador has positioned itself as one of the main countries of origin of tourists arriving in Colombia.
Other countries that are on the list are the United States, Mexico, Peru and Chile, says the Colombian Migration office.
