Aproximación al impacto del turismo en las dinámicas del consumo de drogas en Colombia (2012-2022)

Abstract

Currently, tourism is one of the most relevant legal activities for the Colombian economy due to its contribution to issues of growth and development. Nevertheless, it can potentially bring negative situations such as insecurity and gentrification. On the other hand, from an illegal perspective, we can observe economic dynamics in activities like the drug market, which is one of the most significant money-moving sectors within the Colombian economy. Considering both activities and their economic magnitude, this research work explores a potential relationship between the arrival of foreign tourists and the drug consumption dynamics, as measured through police seizures in Colombia between 2012 and 2022. The conducted theoretical framework demonstrates a possible connection between these variables through economic theories like those related to crime and consumer behavior. Furthermore, a differences-in-differences model is presented to explore an approach to the relationship using seizure measures for various drugs in Colombia. The results indicate a potential link between the arrival of tourists and drug market dynamics, yielding positive, negative, and inconclusive results for the different types of drugs.