Colombia has ranked third in Latin America with the highest offer of scheduled international airline seats for the first nine months of the year, planning to accommodate 9.9 million passengers in 2024.
During the 43rd edition of the tourism exhibition ANATO orchestrated by the Colombian Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies, it was also revealed that this figure marks an impressive escalation of 18 percent compared to 2023, VisaGuide.World reports.
According to Mabrian’s (Data Intelligence Services for travel and Tourism) analyses, Colombia’s lead puts it closely behind aviation giants Mexico and Brazil.
Among the more than 30 global data sources related to tourism that we usually analyze, we focused on Colombia’s international air connectivity and the main tourist destinations in Latin America for 2024. The availability of seats among different markets is a significant indicator for measuring future demand.
The favorable outlook for Colombia’s tourism sector 2024 is further underscored by the strong correlation observed with the top ten strategic markets. However, amid this increase, there is a slight decline in the connection with Mexico, which is mainly attributed to prevailing issues and migration policies.
Colombia’s Main Airport Ranked 2nd in Latin America in 2022
Data provided from Statista showed that, based on a study involving 100 prominent airports globally, Mexico City International Airport emerged as the main internationally connected air terminal in Latin America for 2022.
Close behind in second place is Colombia’s main international airport, El Dorado, which is located in the heart of the country’s capital.
The study has revealed that Mexico took the top spot for the best-connected country in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2019, boasting strong domestic and international air travel links. Earning an impressive index of about 512,000 points, Mexico surpassed its regional counterparts, securing its position as a leader in air transport connections. Brazil was far behind, securing the second position in the ranking.
US & Spain Key Air Travel Markets for Columbia in 2024
As Mabrian points out, the United States emerged as the key point of Colombia’s international air connectivity in 2024, commanding 2.46 million scheduled seats during the first nine months. This figure accounts for 25 percent of inbound international airline seats, reaffirming the leading role of the US as Colombia’s leading tourism market. Equally notable is Spain’s climb, with a growth rate of 12.9 percent.
In this regard, the Delegate of Mabrian Technologies in Latin America, Benjamín Jiménez, advocates the importance of increased connectivity in shaping the perception of the destination and fostering trust among stakeholders.
The growth in the connectivity of destinations is an indicator of health in their perception of confidence on the part of entrepreneurs and, of course, tourists.
Delegate of Mabrian Technologies in Latin America Benjamín Jiménez
Jiménez emphasizes the key role of accurate data in informing strategic decisions, especially after 2020.