Medellín welcomed 1.2 million foreign tourists in 2025, and the tourism sector generated an economic impact of five trillion pesos (1.552 billion dollars), according to the Colombian city’s Department of Tourism and Entertainment.
The department says the arrival of international visitors to Colombia’s second-largest tourism hub—behind only Bogotá—is growing annually at nearly 10%.
“Medellín has undergone a major transformation in recent years, and when people arrive here, they are amazed by the city we are today: a highly innovative city surrounded by nature and mountains,” Ana María López, Medellín’s Secretary of Tourism and Entertainment, told EFE.
By country of origin, 33% of foreign tourists visiting the city are from the United States, followed by visitors from Mexico, Ecuador, Spain, Peru, and Panama.
Known as the “City of Eternal Spring” for its nearly year-round temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius (77°F), tourists who enter Colombia through Bogotá or Cartagena de Indias also travel inland to Medellín. Therefore, the actual number of international visitors is believed to be higher than arrivals at José María Córdova International Airport.
Beyond Comuna 13
Medellín now seeks to expand its tourism offerings beyond the traditional Comuna 13 and its graffiti tour, promoting experiences in neighborhoods such as Manrique—which combines culture, gastronomy, urban art, and music—and Perpetuo Socorro, transformed into a creative district.
Apart from urban tours, the city offers nature, wellness, gastronomy, sports, and health initiatives. There is a special emphasis on eco-tourism because, according to the department, nearly 70% of the city consists of natural areas.
“We are increasingly attracting tourists interested in wellness and nature, people looking for a moment of rest, coming to places where they can find peace and reconnect as human beings with nature,” López noted.
Entertainment serves as another driving force behind this expansion. Concerts, festivals, and major events have become major draws for domestic and international visitors, with artists such as Shakira, Maluma, J Balvin, Guns N’ Roses, Juanes, and Juan Luis Guerra performing in the city in 2025.
According to the department, foreign tourists stay between four and six nights in Medellín and spend an average of about 210,000 pesos (around $66) per night, mainly on gastronomy, culture, shopping, and wellness.
Growing without depleting resources
Tourism growth also brings the challenge of preserving the resources that make the city attractive. Medellín has developed campaigns aimed at residents and visitors to promote water conservation and caring for the environment.
“We are working with both locals and foreigners not only on protecting our nature and water, and on sustainability as a whole, but also on understanding that our resources, as abundant as they may seem to us, are finite,” the secretary said.
Medellín’s strategy aims to consolidate a tourism model that spreads spending across more areas of the city and blends nature, culture, gastronomy, and entertainment, while keeping in mind the resources that sustain its appeal as a destination. EFE