Venezuela: Wonderful tourist destination on the rise with a bright future
Thanks to the constant, articulated and planned work carried out by the Ministry of People’s Power for Tourism (MINTUR), Venezuela shows significant progress in the tourism sector in recent years, despite the economic and external challenges that the country has faced, due of the blockade imposed by the Government of the United States and the European Union (EU), through unilateral coercive measures.
The Minister of Tourism, Alí Padrón, has highlighted the fundamental role that tourism plays as a strategic key role for the comprehensive development of Venezuela, as pointed out by President Nicolás Maduro, considering it the “secret weapon” of the new economy.
A comprehensive strategic plan to position Venezuela
Guided by a strategic plan, based on stewardship and governance, MINTUR has joined forces with all actors in the tourism sector, both public and private. This collaborative work has allowed Venezuela to be positioned as a unique international destination in the world, offering a wide range of attributes that make it irresistible to visitors:
Privileged geographical location: Venezuela serves as a gateway to South America and the Caribbean, facilitating access to tourists from all over the world.
Natural megadiversity: The country is home to a rich variety of landscapes and habitats, from paradisiacal beaches and virgin archipelagos to impressive snow-capped mountains, extensive plains, tepuis (table top mountains) and lush jungles, as well as modern and cosmopolitan cities.
Comprehensive tourism offers: Venezuela offers sun and sand, adventure, ecotourism, cultural tourism and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions), gastronomy, top-level shopping, wellness tourism and much more.
Warm and welcoming town: Venezuelans are renowned for their kindness and hospitality, providing visitors with a memorable experience.
Overcoming obstacles and reaching new milestones
Despite the restrictions imposed by the economic blockade, negative media campaigns and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Venezuela’s tourism sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience. The figures confirm it.
In 2021, Venezuela received approximately 67,000 tourists, this statistic increased to more than 1,250,000 visitors in 2023. In this particular, Padrón points out that “thanks to this boost, the sector obtained an increase of 222%, highlighting that the arrival of international tourists has increased by air and across the borders with Colombia and Brazil”.
Regarding the period January-May 2024, international arrivals, including charter operations and cross-border tourism, have been 992,079 tourists, which represents 788% compared to the total number of arrivals in 2023, which was 1,258,480 tourists. “This suggests that we will exceed the estimated or projected figure of 1,573,108 tourists in our strategic plan. Obviously, the number of tourists coming from Europe, Russia, Poland, Trinidad & Tobago and Colombia has also increased; we have exceeded pre-pandemic levels in international arrivals”, Padrón explained.
Strategic actions to promote tourism
The success of the Venezuelan tourism sector is attributed to the implementation of various strategic actions, among which the following stand out: charter operations, conceived not only as an alternative for transportation from one place to another, but as the development of tourist circuits through different destinations in Venezuela (Nueva Esparta, Caracas, Canaima, Los Roques, La Guaira, Anzoátegui, Táchira, Mérida, among others); the expansion of the offer of national and international routes by Conviasa, our flag carrier; the incorporation of new routes to the domestic market; the certification of national tourist circuits and routes; the implementation of training and awareness programs for the tourism sector; the creation of technical roundtables to guarantee security, public services and a comfortable stay for visitors; the development of social tourism plans for students, workers and elders, among others.
Likewise, MINTUR is committed to the continuous development of the sector, with the aim of turning the country into a tourism benchmark on the world stage. New strategies are being implemented to continue boosting growth, including: intensive international promotion, development of new tourism products and services, strengthening tourism infrastructure and attracting national and international investments.
Venezuela opens its doors to the world
Minister Padrón invites all tourists around the world to discover the wonders that Venezuela has to offer. “We are a safe, diverse and beautiful country, with a warm and welcoming population”, he says. “We are working hard to provide visitors with a world-class tourism experience. We invite you to come, see this Land of Grace, and fall in love with it”.