TOURISM IN COLOMBIA

Colombia is a very tourist country, turning millions of foreign travelers each year attracted by its beaches, rich cultural and artistic heritage of the country and the variety of gastronomic offers, in addition to being one of the wealthiest nations in cultural heritage of America.torre of the clock in Cartagena de Indias. Cartagena is one of the tourist districts of Colombia and main tourist destination for its historical, cultural, and recreational attractions. Also considered by Unesco as heritage of the Humanidad.En Colombia tourism is regulated within the functions of the Ministry of Commerce, industry and tourism of the Government of Colombia, sometimes with the partnership in implementation of policies of the ministries of culture and finance to promote the economy of the country and generation of employment for the Colombian society. Also to articulate processes of identification, assessment, competitiveness, sustainability and dissemination of Colombian cultural heritage. The Government also appointed within the land of the country the tourist districts of Cartagena de Indias and Santa Marta, and special attention to the archipelago of San Andrés and Providencia Department together with the natural national parks of Colombia and indigenous territories. Beaches of Tayrona Park in immediate vicinity of the tourist district, Cultural and history of Santa Marta. The emphasis of the Government in tourism is made in seven sectors; Sun and sand either on the shores of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, or on the banks of rivers, lakes and lagoons; highlighting history and culture; agritourism; ecotourism; sports and adventure. Within the framework of cultural fairs and festivals and capital cities of the Department to promote the local economy of sites with potential for development as Capurganá, Bahía Solano-Nuquí, Nemocón and Vaupés. Also promote the partnership between the public and private sectors of the economy, sharing investment demanded a promotion and a professional marketing of the country.To achieve this the Colombian Government designed marketing campaigns and advertising as the current response is colombia. This campaign makes special emphasis on the promotion of the Department of Meta, the island of Malpelo, the Los Ocarros in Villavicencio, the Chicamocha National Park in the Department of Santander, the beaches of Tayrona Park in Santa Marta that received the second place among the 10 sites of dream of the planet and the Museum of gold from the Bank of the Republicunique and without parallel in the world for its kind in ten different places in the country.Most of the foreign tourists who visit Colombia come from neighbouring countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, North America and Europe. Foreigners according to figures of the Ministry of Commerce, industry and tourism in 2006 entered the country close to two million people, most of them arriving by air, followed by land and sea routes which highlighted increases in arrivals of cruise ships.In terms of domestic tourism, in the year 2006 were counted by the tolls in the country 120.259.526 vehicles, 8.331.334 more than in the year 2005 when mobilized 111.928.192 vehicles, representing an increase of the 7.44% compared to the year 2005. Of the total number of tourists who entered by the control points of the DAS in 2006, 520.238 stayed in the Department of Cundinamarca, followed in importance Bolivar with a participation of the 12.29% (129.481) and Antioch with the 9.49% (99.926). Travel the country received US $1.117 million currency and US $338 million for air transport of passengers, registering annual growth rates of 30% and 29%, respectively. The cities of Bogota and Cartagena in the same period registered the highest percentages of occupation with 70.7% and 67.8% respectively. At the departmental level, Norte de Santander and Antioquia recorded higher occupations with the 57.3% and 56.2% respectively. The increase is due to the Government's policy to improve the security of the country and trust that have generated schemes such as Vive Colombia, travels by it and scheduled tours guides.Note that famous tour guide Lonely Planet picked Colombia as one of the Top 10 world destinations.