Colombian Hotel Occupancy Sets Record For January – September 2019

Statistics announced by Colombia’s DANE statistics agency indicate that for the first 3 quarters of 2019, hotel occupancy reached a rate of 56.7%, and hotel revenues rose 11.7% over the same period the previous year, and the highest in the past 14 years.

José Manuel Restrepo, Colombia’s minister of commerce, industry and tourism (MinCIT) indicated that the result is due to several factors including formalization of the sector, infrastructure improvements, and better dometic and international marketing efforts.

• Hotels with 51 to 100 rooms saw an occupancy rate of 55.5%
• Hotels with 101 to 150 rooms saw an occupancy of 62.6%
• Hotels larger than 150 rooms saw an occupancy of 60.4%

Statistics for the 4^th quarter are likely to be lower due to the national strike and protests that took place in November.

Travel motives for hotel guests were as follows, according to MinCIT:

• Business 5%
• Leisure 3%
• Conventions 3%
• Other motives 9%

Above photo ©Loren Moss – Decameron Barú Resort, Colombia