Medellín Tourism Up 26% Despite Ongoing Battle Against Sex Crimes

Medellín’s City Hall released data from January to August, showing a 26% increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting the city. This surge was reflected by arrivals at Medellín’s José María Córdova Airport, which saw a surge in traffic, welcoming 1,192,623 passengers this year, a significant increase from the 950,743 tourists recorded in 2023.

The local government also revealed that 95.6% of these trips were for tourism (including family visits), while the remaining percentages were for business, events, or medical treatments. These figures have solidified Medellín’s position as the second most connected city in Colombia, with 5,452 monthly flights, and 65.9% of them are domestic flights.

However, Medellín continues to battle against “sex tourism.”

In September of this year, six motels and hotels were temporarily closed due to irregularities. So far in 2024, the local government carried out 97 inspections of establishments, 28 visits to commercial sites, and issued 25 temporary suspension orders.

Also, between January and August, Medellín assisted 139 minors at risk of exploitation, with 59 of them entering legal processes for the restoration of their rights.

Photo provided by the City Hall of Medellín

Recently, the local government extended curfews for minors in high-risk areas until December. Manuel Villa Mejía, Secretary of Security, stated: “Today, the number of reports has increased, and we want to emphasize that reporting these crimes is truly about protecting children; we urge the public to stay vigilant so that together, we can safeguard them.”

What is the protocol for handling sexual offenses?

Medellín has activated the phone line 324 574 3645 for reporting suspected cases of
child sexual exploitation, which alerts a special response team. Additionally, the ‘Parceras’ helpline at 324 574 3647 is available as a support channel for victims of violence or sexual exploitation, where they can receive professional orientation.

As of September 23, marked as the International Day Against Sexual Exploitation and  Human Trafficking, City Hall reported that 139  minors have received support for cases of sexual violence in Medellín, with arrests for this crime increasing by 160%. Finally, Captain Jeyson Rodríguez, Head of the Childhood and Adolescence Division of the Metropolitan Police of Medellín, added: “We’ve received a total of 22,000 calls to the 123 line, compared to 13,271, specifically related to child and adolescent protection requests.”

Above Photo: Alcaldia de Medellín