CARTAGENA DE INDIAS, COLOMBIA (KPRENSA) - In recent years the tourist industry in Colombia has shown a clear recovery. For example, the number of foreign citizens that entered Colombia by air increased by 17.6 percent between January and April of this year, in comparison with the figure of the same period of 2006. By countries of origin, the major number of visitors came from the United States, with a 20.3 percent all of participants.



One of the mechanisms that created these good results in tourism is that more cruise ships are now arriving on the Colombian coasts. Between January and April 39 arrived, four more than in an equal period of 2006. This figure adds up to 45,116 travelers, compared to 31,299 a years ago.



Cartagena de Indias, the city of the caribbean coast, is the most desired port with 30 of the arriving 39 ships. Cartagena is followed by Santa Marta with seven ships and San Andrés with two.



The Return of Royal Caribbean

One of the most noticeable facts this year was the return to Colombia by Royal Caribbean Internacional, after six years of absence.



In April Royal Caribbean’s slip Radiance of the Sea arrived in Cartagena carrying 2,500 foreign tourists. They stayed in the city for 8 hours enjoying cultural, artistic, and tourist activities.



The Radiance of the Sea is the first of 36 ships from Royal Caribbean that will arrive in Cartagena between April of 2007 and May 2008.



The ship started its journey in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the itinerary included Montego Bay, Jamaica; Cartagena, Colombia; the Panama Canal, and Huatulco, Acapulco, ...