he was the character created as a coffee ambassador in 1959 to promote a massive marketing campaign to promote Colombian coffee as a single-origin product.

You don’t have to be a coffee lover to add Colombia to your “bucket lists” as almost five million travelers did last year and the year before for unprecedented growth in the past two years.

During the first half of 2024, the country’s tourism revenue reached $4.77 billion, for a 15.3% growth compared to the same period in 2023; and when compared to 2022, the percentage increase is even more impressive at about 22%.

More recent stats between January and September 2024 show a 9% increase compared to the same period in 2023 for 4,798,676 international visitors.

According to recent statistics from ProColombia, the tourism office for the country, the U.S. is the country’s largest out-of-country market right now: more than 1.5 million Americans visited.

Dubbed The Country of Beauty for its global marketing campaign, Colombia is set in the northwestern corner of South American Columbia is set between the vast Amazon rainforest and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is crossed by the Andean mountain range. It shares borders with Panama on the border that separates South and Central America, Venezuela, Brazil and Peru.

Besides great coffee, what has Colombian given the world? From world-famous Nobel Prize-winning author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez (he was born in the small Colombian Caribbean village of Aractaca and lived much of his youth in Barranquilla and Bogota) to 70-90% of the world’s emeralds and as of late, Ugly Betty emerged from a Colombian telenovela named Yo Soy Betty, La Fea – it was a huge hit in Colombia (1999), ran from 2006-2010 in the U.S. and adapted in a dozen countries.

A Festival Like No Other
The city of Barranquilla is adding yet another reason to visit: The Barranquilla Carnival, which UNESCO designated as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003 and as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008.

Ranked as one of Colombia’s most iconic and celebrated cultural events, it takes place every year in the four days leading to Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and highlights Colombia’s diverse heritage: Indigenous, African, and European traditions. Beyond the parades, visitors can enjoy music from very recognized vallenato, and champeta, both a musical genre from the Caribbean region.

The entire city of Barranquilla comes alive with parades, street parties, and cultural performances including the Battle of Flowers (Batalla de Flores), the Carnival’s inaugural parade featuring colorful floats, traditional dance groups, and elaborate costumes, and the Great Parade (Gran Parada), which showcases folkloric traditions like cumbia (musical rhythms and folk dance), mapalé (Afro-Colombian and Ecuadorian style of dance), and garabato artists.

Tourist Attraction Updates
Known as the “Golden Gate of Colombia,” Barranquilla has undergone a significant transformation. The 3.5 mile Great Magdalena River Boardwalk, one of Colombia’s most-visited tourist attractions, offers breathtaking views of the river, cycling paths, open-air spaces, and cultural events.

Mallorquín Lagoon Ecopark: This coastal ecosystem blends the fresh waters of the Magdalena with the salt waters of the Caribbean. The lagoon is a sanctuary for bird watching, featuring both migratory and local species, and offers activities like kayaking, paddle boarding, yoga, and boat tours.

Barranquilla’s first city beach, Puerto Mocho Beachm is set 2,000 feet from the Bocas de Cenizas, where the river meets the sea, and features freshwater (river) and saltwater (sea) shoreline. To ensure sustainability, access is restricted to a tourist train, preventing private vehicles. Inspired by early 20th-century migration to the region, Muelle 1888 is an international gastronomic center featuring 18 restaurants featuring cuisines from Mediterranean, to Middle Eastern. And finally, the Carnival Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of this iconic carnival.

Planning a Visit
Average stays hover around three days within a 10-day itinerary that might include Santa Marta, one of the countries oldest cities where lush jungle meets pristine Caribbean beaches. The walled city of Cartagena, the jewel of the Caribbean coast is a UNESCO World Heritage site; the colonial city of Mompox is also a UNESCO site; Medellin or Bogota would complement this itinerary for two to three day stays.

For the purpose of the Carnival, the tourist office offers links to Colombian-based ground and tour operators: Munditur, Aviatur, Panamericana, Go Colombia DMC, and Caribia Tours. Barranquilla boasts a wide range of accommodations including international brands such as Hilton, Marriott, and Movich, as well as Colombian chains like Dann and Estelar.

Getting There
Copa Airlines operates 29 weekly flights between Panama City to Cartagena; and offers 9 weekly flights between Panama City to Barranquilla. American Airlines operates 14 weekly flights between Miami and Cartagena; Jet Blue operates 7 weekly flights between New York and Cartagena; and Spirit Airlines operates direct connections with 7 and 4 times weekly flights, respectively between Fort Lauderdale to Cartagena and Barranquilla.

As for Juan Valdez, his presence has been embraced on digital platforms and social media to continue engaging coffee drinkers with the promise of delivering fresh brewed aromatic coffee and the warmth of Colombian hospitality.
Visit https://colombia.travel/en/barranquilla