Peace be with you.

The Virgin del Carmen watches over visitors in a salt-mine chapel in the town of Nemocon, Colombia, 65 kilometers north of Bogota. The peaceful scene inside the mine contrasts with the real danger outside: While Colombian cities are increasingly safe, thanks to the government's crackdown on guerrillas, the countryside is still risky. Colombia's leaders, including President Alvaro Uribe, are on a campaign to change the country's image, in hopes of attracting more tourists. Showcasing the natural beauty of the salt mines and the country's verdant mountains is a good step.

Colombia has plenty to offer, including popular tourist stops like the recently renovated Museo de Oro, which chronicles Colombian history through three floors of pre-Columbian archaeological finds, and the open-air crafts market, the Mercado de San Mejo. The government's plan is working, so far. The Colombian embassy in Washington, D.C. reports that since 2002, kidnappings have declined by 56%. And a recent report released by the U.S. State Department eliminated explicit phrasing deterring U.S. citizens from visiting the country. Tourism means jobs, which can bring stability and increase opportunities--even outside the capital, where it's needed most.