Santa Marta, historically inhabited by the Arhuaco, Wiwa, Kankuama, and Kogi indigenous communities, is recognized as the city where the azure waters of the Caribbean Sea meet the world’s highest coastal mountain range: the Sierra Nevada, whose Cristóbal Colón and Simón Bolívar peaks reach up to 5,700 meters above sea level.
Founded on July 29, 1525, this year “The Pearl of America” celebrated its fifth centenary with an agenda marked by cultural, gastronomic, and tourist events that highlighted its history and diversity. Now, from today until November 10, the city will host the IV CELAC-EU Summit 2025, consolidating the Magdalena region as one of the country’s main destinations and an attractive venue for international meetings.
According to official figures, in 2024 Santa Marta received more than three million visitors, with an average hotel occupancy rate of 65 percent. In addition, more than 60,000 foreign tourists from 124 countries visited the city, making it the seventh most visited destination in Colombia.
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As of June 2025, the city had 7,771 active tourism service providers registered in the National Tourism Registry, representing a 14 percent increase over the same period in 2024 and equivalent to 7 percent of the national total.
By 2025, the projection ranges between three and 3.5 million visitors, supported by a tourism infrastructure master plan that includes the expansion of Simón Bolívar Airport and the construction of six new tourist piers in the Airport, Pozos Colorados, El Rodadero, Playa Blanca, Taganga, and Playa Grande, with the aim of strengthening maritime connectivity.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism (MinCIT), each pier will have walkways, improved access, electrical installations, and service areas for visitors and authorities. Construction began in May 2025 and is expected to take 25 months.
“This will be a historic moment for the city. An opportunity to strengthen integration between regions, promote sustainable development, and reaffirm Santa Marta’s role as a global meeting point. Here, in the heart of the world, dialogue between cultures and nations blends with the warmth of our people, the natural wealth, and the strength of a city that beats to the rhythm of the Caribbean,” said José Domingo Dávila, director of the Santa Marta District Tourism Institute.
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The Pearl of America offers a diverse portfolio capable of captivating all types of visitors: from ecotourism routes through the Sierra Nevada and national parks, such as Tayrona, to 47 beaches where you can practice water sports or enjoy ethno-tourism experiences led by indigenous communities that preserve and share their worldview with visitors.
“We have been working hard to promote our destination nationally and internationally, participating in trade fairs such as Fitur, Anato, Seatrade, Colombia Travel Expo, and WTE Miami. For our city, the summit is a great opportunity because it shows that Santa Marta is ready to host high-level international events. This meeting gives us visibility and strengthens our image,” concluded Luis Ángel Reyes Beracasa, deputy director of promotion and marketing at the District Institute of Tourism.
ANGIE RODRÍGUEZ – TRAVEL EDITORIAL TEAM – @ANGS0614
ANGROD@ELTIEMPO.COM
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