Refinancing the debts of tourism companies, reviewing the exchange rate policy so that the country is not a very expensive destination and recovering the category of aviation security are some of the actions that the government should focus on to prevent the bankruptcy of this sector.
In addition to the millions of investments that have been made in this sector, it is very important for the country because according to official figures for 2019, its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product amounts to about 7%.
In order to maintain the growth rate achieved last year in the number of visitors, government and business sector face challenges in terms of security, tourism supply, quality standards, among others.
Data from the Ministry of Tourism detail that generally, 2018 was a good year for tourism activity in the country. The figures show that the number of foreign tourists who came to the country totaled 2.5 million, 12.9% more than in 2017.
The construction of the road to Monteverde in Costa Rica, which has been postponed for years and that in the coming weeks would publish the tender documents, promises to further enhance tourism in the sector.
This is not the first attempt by a government to develop this important road project. In July 2014 the Ministry of Public Works announced that it would publish in 2015 a "direct competitive tender" to asphalt 18 kilometers of road in the province of Puntarenas.
Of the $91 million invested in tourism projects in El Salvador during 2018, 87% went to finance private works and 13% to public infrastructure.
The Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) reported that among the projects with private investment are works located in the Ruta de las Flores with an approximate investment of $6.27 million, in El Tunco beach with $3.8 million, in Boquerón $1.36 million and in the Ruta Fresca $1.8 million.
With the aim of promoting the destinations of both countries, businessmen from the hotel sector of Quintana Room, Mexico, seek to create alliances with Guatemalan tour operators.
In Guatemala, a business meeting is held between Guatemalan tourism businessmen and a group of Mexican executives, headed by representatives of the Posadas hotel chain.
One of the main objectives of the convention, which will end on November 25th, is to increase the number of visitors through the implementation of a tourist tour from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Chetumal and Tikal to Antigua Guatemala.
On May 25 and 26, a meeting of tourism companies from Central America will take place in Panama City, in which buyers from all over the world will take part.
The International Tourism Expo 2018 will be held at the ATLAPA Convention Center, in Panama City.
The meeting, organized by the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama, will involve more than 160 international issuing wholesalers from Europe, North America and Latin America, with the aim of seeking service providers and tourism products.
A decree reform to promote local tourism, and a bill that would grant tax exemptions for investments in certain tourist sites, are some of the proposals to boost tourism activity in Guatemala.
In addition to the decree that moves holidays to a Monday or Friday in order to favor destinations which are further away by creating long weekends, and the bill that would give tax benefits to investments in tourist sites, authorities at the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism also intend to modify the institution's Organic Law.
In 2017, 42 operating licenses were authorized for tour operators and travel agencies, and 75 hotels throughout the country also began operations.
Among the licenses processed, 41 are type A (tour operators) and one type B (travel agencies). The province of Panama reflected the highest registry with 24 licenses, and the province of Chiriqui with 8.
Businessmen from the Panamanian tourist sector welcome the arrival of Air China flights in March 2018, but consider it will be a challenge to attract a type of tourist that seems to prefer very different destinations than those offered by Central America.
In a region which for many years has specialized in serving North American tourists and more recently Europeans, preparing to provide the attention demanded by tourists from China will be a challenge, according to the Panamanian tourism entrepreneurs themselves.
A bill being prepared by the government proposes granting tax exemptions and other incentives on investments made in hotel infrastructure and other activities in the tourism sector.
Among the incentives included in the bill are a decrease in the payment of income tax, elimination of import taxes and"... charges on the sale of land for hotel construction."
At the National Tourism Convention, which will be held from June 28 to 29, the main theme will be the importance of training in the sector.
From a statement issued by the Tourism Authority of Panama:
The Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) and the Chamber of Tourism of Panama (CAMTUR), will be holding the second National Tourism Convention, which this year will have as its central discussion topic: "the importance of Training in the tourism sector ".
Entrepreneurs in the sector are looking to develop this segment of the tourist market, highlighting the country's characteristics that are ideal for offering activities such as trekking and visits to volcanoes.
The objective should be to focus on the North American and European markets, where most tourists are looking for activities such as biking, hiking, rafting, visits to biological reserves and volcanoes, among other things.
Using the Pura Vida Wellness concept, Costa Rica intends to take advantage of a global market valued at $563 billion, with tourists whose average spending exceeds 130% of global average tourist spending.
The aim of the Costa Rican Institute is to develop this segment, which has great market potential, in order to diversify and consolidate the country's tourism supply.Global wellness tourism grew by 11% between 2013 and 2015, according to data from Global Wellness Tourism Economy.
The coast of the department of Rivas harbours not only beaches, but also thermal springs, forests and lagoons, but there is no infrastructure to take advantage of this touristic potential.
The plan by a group of tourist entrepreneurs in the area is to develop, with the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism, a medium and long term plan to turn the area into a pole for tourism development.Two hours from Liberia's international airport in Costa Rica, the coastal strip of the municipalities of Buenos Aires, San Jorge, Rivas and Cárdenas is considered by the private sector as a "tourist treasure".
Last year 62,500 people arrived in the country aboard cruise ships, registering a 35% growth compared with the previous year.
Figures from the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute's Statistics Bulletin for 2016 reveal an increase in the number of tourists who arrived in the country aboard cruise ships, as well as other data relevant to the tourism sector.