Colombian Tourism Sector Registers Increased Air Traffic and Foreign Visitor Numbers

The Colombian tourism sector reported continued growth metrics through the third quarter of 2025, driven by air traffic volume and the influx of foreign visitors.

Between January and September 2025, Colombia registered 4,875,830 non-resident visitors, according to figures released by Migración Colombia and the Office of Economic Studies (OEE) of the Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo (MinCIT).

Air traffic data from the Aeronáutica Civil indicates that 37 million passengers traveled on regular flights between January and August 2025. This volume represents a 2% increase compared to the same period in 2024 and an 18.6% increase relative to 2023.

Of the total passenger volume, 20.9 million passengers flew on domestic routes, while 16.2 million were on international routes. The 7.3% increase in international traffic over the 15.1 million recorded in 2024 reflects the expansion of the country’s air connectivity, says the ministry.

In August 2025, 4,998,176 passengers were mobilized on regular flights, including 2.8 million domestic and 2.18 million international passengers. This monthly total was a 0.1% increase from August 2024 and a 14.6% increase compared to August 2023.

Geographically, El Dorado Airport in Bogotá processed 69% of all international passengers. The primary international hubs following Bogotá were the José María Córdova International Airport in Rionegro (Medellín) and the Rafael Núñez International Airport in Cartagena.

International Visitor Composition and Source Markets

The 4.87 million non-resident visitors recorded from January to September 2025 included 3,467,026 foreign nationals, 1,191,475 Colombian residents living abroad, and 217,329 international cruise ship passengers.

While the total number of non-resident visitors showed a 4.2% reduction compared to 2024, the specific segment of foreign non-residents increased by 4.5% during the nine-month period. Foreign non-resident arrivals have accumulated a 14.8% growth relative to 2023 figures.

The US remained the largest source market, accounting for 22.7% of the total foreign visitors. Other principal source countries were Mexico (11.4%), Ecuador (7.6%), and Peru (5.2%).

In terms of arrival points, Bogotá received 38.5% of foreign non-resident visitors, followed by the departments of Antioquia (26.9%) and Bolívar (16.7%). These departments continue to concentrate the majority of international tourism activity in the nation.

The September figures indicate sustained international engagement with Colombia and the continued activity of the country’s air travel sector. The increased foreign visitor count and expanded air traffic volume correlate with regional economic activity.