Visiting Columbia is on my list for travel next year.  I have heard wonderful things about the country and it is doing a good job of promoting tourism there.  While Panama continues to do more, they might want  to look at the budget for 2013 and see what they are up against from our neighbor to the south.

President Juan Manuel Santos announced   that Colombia has invested more than $55 million in promoting tourism for the country over the last two years.

During a speech in the coastal Cartagena city, President Juan Manual Santos revealed that investments in tourism promotion have increased during 2010 to 2012 by 20% in comparison to the period of 2008 to 2010.

“In these first two years the government has invested over $36 million in international promotion [of Colombia] as part of the the National Tourism Fund and Proexport,” said Santos. He added that they have also invested over $23 million in the promotion of national tourism.

Through Proexport, an entity that promotes tourism, foreign investment and exportations in Colombia, wholesalers from around the world have had the opportunity to know and invest in Colombia.

“In the last year, through Proexport, 115 wholesalers were invited from 29 countries for ‘trips of familiarization,’ to see the country and multiply sales through their favorable impression,” explained the president.

Santos emphasized the coverage that Colombian tourism has received in international mediums, and said that the investments in tourism will continue to grow over the next two years.

“Proexport has gotten Colombia to appear in 16 guides of different countries and two guides of global reach, including none other than Lonely Planet and Michelin,” said the president.

In conclusion, Santos announced that September 7 will be the launch of the new image of the “Country Brand,” and that when they celebrate the World Day of Tourism on September 27, they are going to launch the Colombian guide of National Geographic for the first time.