Bogotá vs Medellín

Bogotá and Medellín are level on the TRAIL Index at 60. Bogotá grades better on 6 measures, Medellín on 7; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: Bogotá 60, Medellín 60
• OECD: Bogotá 67, Medellín 67
• UN Tourism: Bogotá 63, Medellín 68
• UNDRR: Bogotá 53, Medellín 52

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Bogotá 83, Medellín 65
• Economy and jobs: Bogotá 63, Medellín 56
• Climate and hazards: Bogotá 60, Medellín 80
• Water and environment: Bogotá 56, Medellín 88
• Community and housing: Bogotá 83, Medellín 50
• Access and continuity: Bogotá 46, Medellín 42

Where Bogotá is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 86.5 % of nights by residents of the same country (Instituto Distrital de Turismo (IDT) - Observatorio de Turismo de Bogotá, Investigación Viajeros en Bogotá 2025, 2025). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 16.8 % of international arrivals or nights (Instituto Distrital de Turismo (IDT) - Observatorio de Turismo de Bogotá, Boletín cifras de turismo en Bogotá (Diciembre 2025 - Enero 2026), 2025). Between 15 and 20: grade 3/4.
• Income per head: 31,510 GDP per capita, USD PPP (DANE (Cuentas Nacionales Departamentales) / World Bank International Comparison Program, 2022). Between 30,000 and 45,000: grade 2/4.
• Economic diversity: 66.8 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (Secretaría Distrital de Desarrollo Económico (SDDE) / DANE - Gran Encuesta Integrada de Hogares (GEIH), 2024). Between 64 and 72: grade 2/4.
• Rent growth: 5.3 % change in rents over the last 12 months (country figure) (DANE (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística) - Boletín técnico IPC, 2025). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Instituto Distrital de Turismo (IDT) - Plan Estratégico 2024-2027, 2024–2027). Grade 1/4.

Where Medellín is stronger

• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 66 % average annual occupancy (El Metro / Sistema de Inteligencia Turística (SIT) - Cotelco, 2025). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Unemployment rate: 7 % of the labour force (metro figure) (DANE / Departamento Nacional de Planeación (DNP) - Mercado laboral urbano: Medellín, Q4 2024). Between 5 and 8: grade 3/4.
• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 92.8 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (metro figure) (Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM), Informe de Gestión / Resultados 2025, 2025). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 171.6 kg per resident per year (Vivir en El Poblado / Medellín Cómo Vamos, 2025). At or below 350: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Colombia: #54 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Colombia: #54 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Bogotá in full · Medellín in full

The TRAIL Index ranking · City vs city · How the index works · TRAIL Studio · Put your city in the pilot