The National Government has been working on many approaches to strengthen tourism competitiveness. The priority issues for tourism in Colombia are quality, infrastructure, human resources, education, promotion, connectivity, tourism culture, entrepreneurship and coordination with other national entities and local authorities.
The National Development Plan 2014-18 recognises tourism as a priority sector for the national economy and contains tourism actions to support economic goals. The National Tourism Plan 2014-18, Tourism for Peace Building, reflects the aspirations incorporated in the National Development Plan and sets the goal of positioning Colombia as a sustainable tourist destination, renowned for its diverse and multicultural offer displayed in highly competitive products and services that empower the regions in the pursuit of peace. The vision is that by 2018, the tourism sector will generate 300 000 new jobs and USD 6 billion in foreign currency.
The National Tourism Plan proposes four major strategies: competitiveness in regional development, connectivity, promotion, and improved governance. The Plan also includes three horizontal strands: responsible and sustainable tourism, tourism culture, and Peace Tourism. Other cross-cutting strategies relate to standards and security, infrastructure development and investment, human resources, financing and institutional strengthening. Specific actions focus on:
Strengthening world-class destinations: Cartagena, the islands of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, Santa Marta and the Coffee Cultural Landscape,
Promoting high value tourism products: health and wellness, nature and adventure and Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE),
Promoting new post-conflict destinations.
In addition, there are promotional campaigns and the development of tourism services for those with disabilities.
The Vice Ministry of Tourism is developing two important initiatives. The Tourist Corridors Strategy was launched in 2016 and comprises the promotion of 12 “corridors” or regions with similar tourism themes or offers. This strategy seeks to reduce seasonality and increase competitiveness. These corridors are classified into 3 types depending on the quality, connectivity and tourism plans of the destination:
Phase One – includes less developed corridors (Los Llanos and La Orinoquia),
Phase Two – includes those ready for domestic tourism (Golfo of Morrosquillo and Sabana, the Pacific, Northeast, Central and South Corridors and Antioquia-Choco),
Phase Three – includes those that are ready for international tourism (the Sea Flower Corridor, Caribe Corridor and the PCC Corridor).
The second initiative focuses on tourism development in areas of former conflict, in line with the National Strategy of Tourism, Peace and Coexistence. The main objectives of the Strategy are to use tourism to rebuild the social fabric and culture of the territories, develop value chains and improve the quality of life of host communities through responsible and sustainable practices (Box 1.23)
Another key area of focus in Colombia is the development of quality tourism, which is promoted through the application of technical standards and the implementation of a sustainability standard. For this purpose, Colombia developed a virtual platform that certifies providers in quality tourism.
Sustainability tourism also focuses on destinations. Today, eight regions – Puerto Nariño-Amazonas, City Center of Cartagena, Parque Arví, Guadalajara de Buga, Jardín, Ciénaga, Mompox and Villa de Leyva – have received certificates as sustainable destinations generating good practices around the country that might be replicable in other regions.
The policy objective is to improve quality in the provision of tourism services and to create a culture of excellence in tourism service providers and destinations. Colombia’s strategic vision is to be known as a distinct, competitive and sustainable destination.
