El tlc entre Colombia y Estados Unidos presenta tanto ventajas como desventajas que hay que entender para poder afrontar. Con el presente artículo se pretende analizar y aclarar la importancia de los cambios que puede llegar a generar el tlc Colombia-Estados Unidos sobre el sector turístico y hotelero de Colombia. Se expone una idea clara sobre las necesidades del país para tener una oportunidad amplia y fuerte sobre los cambios económicos, sociales y culturales que sobrevienen con la firma y entrada en vigencia del tratado. The present article aims to analyze and clarify the importance of the impacts that can generate the Colombia-US free trade agreement on tourism and hospitality sector in Colombia; although, it was not an issue directly addressed in the free trade agreement, it will have effects in short and long term. Furthermore, tourism is an open discipline, and the changes in national and international economy may come to affect both positively and negatively. The main objective is to identify how the free trade agreement with the U.S. will affect the tourism and hotel industry in Colombia.

The article explains some possible consequences of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed by Colombia and the United States, discussing the meaning of free trade between the world first economic power and the undeveloped country. Based on the experience of the FTA between Mexico and USA, is discussed how actually this treaty has deepened the structural imbalances of the Mexican economy and society, as an example of the results that Colombians should expect. After analyzing the impact that will have the FTA in Colombia, is concluded that this process will intensify the appendicular character of our economic and social development, within the conditions of actual transnational work division. Finally, is emphasized the country's incapacity to successful face the challenges of the FTA, due to prevailing social, economic and political conditions.

This review paper offers to the general reader some highlights about one of the most important trade negotiations followed within the Western Hemisphere. Especialised news and other government sources offer to the general public the state of the art of this ambitious negotiation scheme followed by the ATPDEA signatory countries including Colombia and the United States. This review that is more descriptive than analytical shows some highlights of a one thousand pages project of trade agreement that will arise vivid discussion among analyst and businessmen.

This volume analyzes the economic effects of a prospective free trade agreement between the United States and Colombia. The study uses the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model of world trade and economic activity to analyze the expected trade and other economic impacts of the prospective FTA and to examine bilateral trade and investment flows, bilateral trade frictions, and implications of the prospective accords for the bilateral, regional, and global trade relations of the two countries.

"On February 27, 2006, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and Colombia's Minister of Trade, Industry, and Tourism, Jorge Humberto Botero, announced the conclusion of a bilateral free trade agreement. The Administration announced recently that the Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) would be signed on November 22, 2006. President Bush notified Congress on August 24, 2006, of his intention to enter into the CTPA. Implementing legislation for the CTPA has not been introduced in the U.S. Congress. The CTPA is a comprehensive trade agreement which, if ratified, would eliminate tariffs and other barriers in goods and services trade between the United States and Colombia. A free trade agreement with Colombia was originally intended to be part of a broader U.S.-Andean free trade agreement (FTA), including Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru."--p. 1.

At first sight, the Free Trade Agreement between Colombia and the United States of America seems nothing more than a classic commercial treaty involving a regional South American power and the largest economy in the world. In fact, the real extent of such an agreement goes far beyond economic interest for both countries. In an international context more and more unfriendly towards North American domination, Colombia remains a key political ally in this part of the world for the United States, and a strong support in its crusade against terrorism. On the other hand, the amount of money given by the United States remains vital to the financial and logistical cost of Colombia's war against drug 'cartels' and paramilitary organizations. But if the Colombian government clearly can't afford to lose such a support, it can't either let this Free Trade Agreement cast doubts over Colombia's involvement into the existing process of economic and political integration in South America.

Implementing legislation for a U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) (H.R. 5724/S. 2830) was introduced in the 110th Congress on April 8, 2008 under Title XXI (Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002) of the Trade Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-210). The House leadership considered that the President had submitted the implementing legislation without sufficient coordination with the Congress, and on April 10 the House voted 224-195 to make certain provisions in section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-618), the provisions establishing expedited procedures, inapplicable to the CFTA implementing legislation (H. Res 1092). The CFTA is highly controversial and it is currently unclear whether or how Congress will consider implementing legislation in the future. The agreement would immediately eliminate duties on 80% of U.S. exports of consumer and industrial products to Colombia. An additional 7% of U.S. exports would receive duty-free treatment within 5 years of implementation and all remaining tariffs would be eliminated within 10 years after implementation. The agreement also contains provisions for market access to U.S. firms in most services sectors, protection of U.S. foreign direct investment in Colombia, intellectual property rights protections for U.S. companies, and enforceable labor and environmental provisions. Economic studies on the impact of a U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement (FTA) have found that, upon full implementation of an agreement, the impact on the United States would be positive but very small. Numerous Members of Congress oppose the CFTA because of concerns about the violence against labor union activists in Colombia and because of the perceived negative effects of trade on the U.S. economy. The Bush Administration believes that Colombia has made significant advances to combat violence and instability and views the pending trade agreement as a national security issue in that it would strengthen a key democratic ally in South America.