Tourism turns to Colombia’s second-largest foreign currency earner, surpassing coffee and coal
Tourism firmly established itself as the second-largest generator of foreign currency in Colombia in 2025, once again outperforming traditional export sectors such as coffee and coal.
According to 2025 figures published by the Colombian travel association ANATO, tourism generated US$11.166 billion in foreign exchange earnings in 2025. It represents a 9.3% increase compared with 2024. The sector’s revenue now equals nearly 90% of the foreign currency generated by oil exports, highlighting tourism’s growing economic importance.
Of the total tourism earnings, $9.43 billion came from travel services, up 8.4% year over year, while $1.74 billion was generated by international passenger air transport, which recorded a stronger 14.3% growth.
Paula Cortés Calle, Executive President of the Colombian travel association ANATO, said the results confirm the sector’s expanding role in the national economy.
“The tourism sector once again demonstrated its significant weight in Colombia’s economy, continuing the strong performance seen in 2024, when tourism generated $10.22 billion in foreign exchange, up 14% compared with 2023,” she said.
“The figures for 2024 and 2025 confirm a sustained and structural trend that strengthens tourism’s contribution to generating international revenues for the country.”
Tourism also clearly surpassed several of Colombia’s traditional export sectors last year. In 2025, tourism income exceeded coal exports by more than 100%, with coal generating $4.9 billion, while coffee exports totaled $5.79 billion.
These figures reinforce the transformation of tourism into a major economic pillar rather than a complementary activity.
The sector now ranks as Colombia’s second-largest foreign currency earner, second only to oil exports.
Tourism revenue also reached 89% of the value of oil and petroleum derivative exports in 2025, increasing its share by five percentage points compared with 2024. Oil exports generated $12.48 billion last year, although that figure represented a 17% decline year over year.
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