Turismo en Colombia- HOW HAS BEEN THE DEVELOPMENT TOURISM IN COLOMBIA?

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HOW HAS BEEN THE DEVELOPMENT TOURISM IN COLOMBIA?

Daniela Dueñas Cornejo

University Pontificia Bolivariana

Abstract

The tourism industry is becoming increasingly important because in places where it is practiced this activity leaves a significant spill for people who provide services and for the people at large in the area where it is practiced. Then as a result of these findings economic impacts of tourism that these can be positive for a country are generated. Therefore it is important to know how tourism impacts the societies and helps communities to grow economically through this activity. What we discuss in this issue are some impacts that has had this activity in some sectors of the economy as well as to present some figures that I do has allowed the impact on our country.

                Key Words: Tourism, economy, benefits, impact, development, environment.

Resumen

La actividad turística se está volviendo cada día más importante debido a que en los lugares donde se practica esta actividad deja una derrama importante para las personas que ofrecen servicios y para los habitantes en general de la zona donde se practica. Entonces como consecuencia de estos resultados se generan impactos económicos del turismo que estos pueden ser positivos para un país. Por eso es  importante conocer como el turismo impacta a las sociedades y ayuda a que las comunidades puedan crecer económicamente gracias a esta actividad. Lo que trataremos en este tema son algunos impactos que ha tenido esta actividad en algunos sectores de la economía así como dar a conocer algunas cifras que ha deja do el impacto en nuestro país.

Palabras clave: Turismo, economía, beneficios, impacto, desarrollo, medio ambiente.

Introduction

Colombia is in a historical stage of growth and development. The wide variety of their destinations and the warmth of its people are being recognized worldwide. Through the joint efforts of all organizations involved in the industry it is on the path of consolidation as a world class destination.

It is one of the largest and most stable economies in South America, with the second largest population and the favorable security conditions have improved.

The richness and variety of their destinations and growth of its economy make Colombia an attractive country for investment in holiday tourism, business and events.

Tourism in Colombia is one of the key points for the Colombian economy continues to grow, because it has many natural resources and can exploit this sector worldwide to attract different visitors that help increase consumption and can also grow foreign investment.

Benefits of the Tourism for Colombia

The arrival of international travelers to Colombia increased from 600 000 in 2000 to nearly 1.5 million in 2010, with an average annual growth of 10.6%, almost four times the world average and one of the highest in the region.

In 2010 the behavior in international arrivals to the country remains remarkable with an increase of 8.9% over the previous year, above the global growth and the region.

Colombia is emerging as a major destination in the Caribbean cruise circuit with three ports in Cartagena, Santa Marta and San Andres. In 2010 the cruise ship arrivals rose 30.9%, representing 401 000 passengers visiting our country. In total there were 267 vessels of the most prestigious shipping companies in the world as Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Pullman Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Norwegian as touched Colombian ports.

Colombia, located in the northwestern corner of South America, enjoys a strategic position as a midpoint in the Americas and is the only country in South America bordering the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

Air traffic has increased significantly. Since 2000 the international frequencies have increased 125%.

Colombia currently has about 700 international weekly frequencies that connect with 20 countries worldwide and which have generated an average growth of 11% in international passenger traffic in the last five years.

Moreover, the increased flow of domestic tourism experienced by the country can be evidenced in the growth of 35% in 2010 on national frequencies and now come to 4500.

The enormous tourist potential of Colombia has been one of the reasons why the national government has wanted to promote this sector, with important benefits today make investors around the world are betting on tourism and hotel business in Colombia. After all, the country recorded a total of 5'667.000 domestic and international travelers in the first quarter of 2012.

Today tourism is become one of the activities which a profit is generated. It is an activity where you can generate temporary or permanent jobs and also for the visitor that it is a fun or entertainment. Tourism has had impacts in several areas of daily life. Some of these are the impacts on cultural, political and economic.

Such impacts are important because during this activity in places where tourism provides an economic benefit as they leave in those places. Benefiting both visitors because it is enjoying the service as the place where the service is.

Economic tourism can be of three types:

1- The International tourism: given to a group of foreign tourists any results in foreign exchange earnings.

2- The Outbound tourism: the outputs of its nationals to foreign countries are to become a capital outflow.

3- The National tourism of a country is no source of income, that is to say a new wealth is generated but produces a movement of national currency causing a distribution of national income.

- Promotes the learning of foreign languages.

Not only tourists traveling trying to learn the language of the country you go, if efforts to learn the language of the sending countries to better serve tourists is done in the host country. These aspects and impacts are very positive as long as the limits already entering invasions language is not exceeded.

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