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Turismo
With around US$75 Million Invested per project by Major Hotel Chains, New Property Openings throughout Colombia Highlight Booming Business and Leisure Travel Industry.
As the number of travelers to Colombia continues to rise, with 3,747,945 foreign visitors in 2013 according to Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MICT), the country’s hotel industry is experiencing significant growth with the presence of major hotel chains increasing and the investment of up to US$75 million in new properties, PROCOLOMBIA announced today. Current chains with existing or planned developments in the country include Radisson Hotels, Sonesta Collection, Melia Hotels International, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Ibis, Hyatt Hotels, TRYP Hotels, W Hotels and more.
“Today, visitors are increasingly discovering the unique experiences that Colombia has to offer in terms of both business and leisure travel,” said Maria Claudia Lacouture, President of PROCOLOMBIA, the Colombian agency charged with promoting trade, tourism and investment. “From Bogota to Cartagena and Medellin to Barranquilla, Colombia offers an experience for everyone, including beautiful landscapes, rich culture and heritage, cosmopolitan cities and world-class cuisine. Now, the hotel industry is seeing great opportunity in our tourism boom and the benefits of doing business in Colombia.”
With tourism numbers growing over seven percent from 2012 to 2013, according to MICT, Colombia is on track to meet its 2014 goal of four million tourists. While the country’s temperate year-round weather and stunning landscapes, including beaches, snow peaks and natural parks, make it an ideal place to visit for leisure travel, a major driver of overall growth is through the increase of business travel to the country. For example, MICT notes that the number of business travelers that visited Colombia in 2013 increased over 51 percent from 2012. In addition, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ranked Colombia 28th in its yearly classifications for meetings destinations by country, climbing 22 places from 2006 to 2013.
By the close of 2014, MICT expects that 6,964 additional hotel rooms will be available in Colombia, adding to the 15,245 hotel rooms that were built from 2004 to 2012. New properties include:
Colombia offers attractive incentives to hotel owners, operators and developers for investment in the hotel industry. For example, income tax exemptions are offered for 30 years for hotel services offered in new hotels or hotels that are renovated or extended in the period from 2003 to December 2017, valid from the start of operations. In addition, with both urban sprawl and an unparalleled natural setting, the development opportunities for the hotel industry are diverse, and include the wellness, nature, sun and beach, city hotels and entertainment sectors.
For more information on Colombia’s hotel industry, and investment or tourism offerings, please visit https://procolombia.co/en.