That was reported by President Álvaro Uribe Vélez during the closure of the Business Meeting ‘Colombia Crece’ in Cartagena, after highlighting the importance of financing small hotels to promote tourism.

Cartagena, May 7 (SP). A total of 106 thousand 450 international travelers entered to the country during April, which represents an increase of 24.2 percent compared with the same month in 2008. That was pointed by President Álvaro Uribe Vélez after highlighting the importance of financing small hotels in Cartagena to promote tourism.

The leader talked this Thursday during the closure of the Business Meeting ‘Colombia Crece’ with an audience of 700 businessmen and union leaders of the Bolivar Department.

“I am receiving a communication from Oscar Rueda (Vice Minister of Tourism) and say the following: international travelers during April were 106 thousand 450, 24.2% more than 2008, when we received 85 thousand 719 travelers.

“The accumulative from January to April is 425 thousand, which means 111.2 more than the accumulative of 2008 that was 382 thousand”, he pointed.

The Head of State said that, according to the report of the Vice Ministry of Tourism, in the Holly Week the foreign visitors raised in a 18 percent comparing to the same period of the previous year.

“Holly Week: 33 thousand 669 travelers came to the country vs 28 thousand 509 of 2008”, he affirmed.

President Álvaro Uribe underlined that, although difficulties of economy, 12 thousand 549 foreign tourists visited Cartagena during April.