Expansion of Venezuelan tourism sector: new routes, international cooperation, and focus on its natural wealth

Tourism in Venezuela has been one of the fastest-growing sectors in recent years, with growth of 108 pr cent in 2024 alone, with more than 2.5 million tourists arriving in the country.

Venezuela's Minister of Tourism, Leticia Gomez Hernandez, granted certificates for four new tourist routes to 40 agents, awarding them the National Tourism Registration Certificate (RTN). This demonstrates the strengthening of operators and organised communities with regard to the tourism potential of each area.

"We are going to close (the year) with 351 tourist routes for Venezuela," said the Minister, representing a 600 per cent growth compared to the indicator of only 46 routes at the beginning of 2024.

President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, has expressed his support for tourism, which is one of the pillars of the country's public policies and part of the "7 Transformations: towards the development of the country," a plan that encompasses the economic, political, social, environmental, peace and security, and geopolitical aspects of the South American nation until 2030.

"Tourism in Venezuela is based on healthy entertainment; that is, tourism that is valuable to the country," said Maduro through his digital platforms, highlighting that the nation is open to investors to strengthen a sustainable growth engine capable of creating opportunities, strengthening communities and preserving the national heritage.

Opening up to international giants

In global terms, the Venezuelan tourism sector has been opening up internationally with the launch of direct flights between Caracas and Moscow in 2021.

"Today marks a major milestone in aeronautics, tourism and politics, because we are talking about a connection with one of the world's great powers, Russia, which not only has almost 150 million inhabitants, who will now be able to travel directly to South America and the Caribbean," said Yvan Gil, Venezuela's Deputy Minister for Europe at the time.

In this regard, more than 40,000 Russian visitors have arrived in Venezuela by mid-2024, representing a strengthening of relations between the nations.

On the other hand, in early May 2025, with the aim of improving the country's tourism positioning tactics in the Asian market, the Minister of People's Power for Tourism, Leticia Gomez, held a videoconference with the Venezuelan Ambassador to China, Remigio Ceballos Ichaso.

During the meeting, guidelines were established for promoting Venezuelan tourist attractions that spark interest among Asian visitors, with a special emphasis on the Chinese market. In addition, they analysed the destinations that make the Caribbean nation an ideal option for international travellers seeking authentic experiences.

These actions strengthen the national government's commitment to consolidating Venezuela as a tourist benchmark in the region through promotional campaigns focused on this strategic market with great potential, which are essential for the development of tourist circuits that attract tourists from all over the world.

Venezuela as a destination of natural and biological diversity

Apart from being a renowned holiday destination, Venezuela is one of the countries with the greatest diversity of birds, which has attracted thousands of specialists and enthusiasts to the country. During an international bird photography and identification event in early May 2025, the country ranked fifth in the global ranking, with 886 birds observed.

Among the species recorded, several birds endemic to Venezuela stand out, meaning that they only inhabit the national territory. These include the Venezuelan troupial (national bird), the red siskin, the Merida wren, the Venezuelan Sylph, and many other species.

The states of Tachira, Bolivar, Merida, Trujillo, and Aragua reported the highest number of species. Trujillo topped the list with 1,253 sightings and ranked fourth nationally with 320 species identified.

The research was attended by the Minister of Tourism, Leticia Gomez, who highlighted the importance of promoting citizen science and raising awareness among observers about the scientific value of these species and their fundamental role in ecological balance.

Finally, the sustained growth of tourism in Venezuela reflects not only the country's enormous natural and cultural potential, but also the national government's commitment to strengthening this strategic sector.

Photo: iStock