Tensions between Colombia and the United States could impact tourism in the country and are worrying the hotel sector.

On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio summoned Mark John McNamara, the acting chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, for "urgent consultations" following "unfounded statements from the highest levels of the Colombian government," according to an official statement.

“Our nation is committed to the bilateral relationship between the United States and Colombia and the Colombian people. We will remain committed to shared priorities, including security and stability ,” Rubio said in a post on X.com.

The resulting diplomatic tension has raised concerns not only in the commercial sphere, but also in other key sectors, such as tourism.

In this context, José Andrés Duarte, executive president of the Colombian Hotel and Tourism Association (Cotelco), expressed his concern about the impact this situation could have on the arrival of foreign visitors , mainly those from the United States, the main source market for international travelers to Colombia.

Figures from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism show that between January and December 2024, the percentage of visitors from the United States was 26.5 percent , for a total of 1,194,642; followed by Mexico, with 365,545, and Ecuador, with 348,523.

In a video released by the union, Duarte noted that this situation is not only complex, but also creates significant uncertainty about the future performance of Colombia's most important international tourism market .

"According to the Bank of the Republic, of the nearly $10 billion dollars generated in foreign currency by international tourism in Colombia, approximately $3 billion comes from spending by American visitors within our country ," he explains.

Duarte also reported that between January and May of this year, there was a drop of nearly 1.5 percent in the number of tourists arriving from the United States , a figure that, in his opinion, could be related to diplomatic tensions between the two governments.

"The tourism sector, of course, would be substantially affected. Not only have we seen the restriction and freeze on international cooperation , but also a significant impact on the country's most remote areas."

It's worth remembering that a few months ago, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which supported community initiatives in various regions of Colombia, ceased operations. According to Duarte, the hotel offerings in those areas used to accommodate workers from U.S. aid agencies, but that's no longer possible now, directly affecting local tourism.

He also noted that travel warnings issued by the State Department for various Colombian regions have had "an impact and an impact on the number of reservations."

"This is an opportunity to call for diplomacy and request, from the tourism sector, all the caution and prudence necessary to address this situation in the best possible way without affecting all sectors of the industry chain," he concludes.

ANGIE RODRÍGUEZ - TRAVEL EDITORIAL - @ANGS0614