In the season which began on September 16 and which will end in August 2018, the record number of 120 cruise ships is expected to arrive at the ports of Santo Tomás de Castilla, Río Dulce, Livingston and Puerto Quetzal.
Monday, October 16, 2017
From a statement issued by the Guatemalian Tourism Institute:
Guatemala, October 16, 2017.The current cruise season is marked by a series of characteristics, that make it historical.Among them, three new cruise lines will be arriving at Guatemalan coasts.In addition, the cruise lines that already travel to the country have scheduled visits by eight cruise ships which will stop at the ports for the first time.And, the most outstanding thing is that a record historical figure has been set for Guatemala, with the arrival of a total of 120 boats in the current season.The projected contribution to the economy from foreign exchange earnings is over $7 million.
"In the last twenty years world demand for tourist cruises has registered one of the largest growths in the sector.Guatemala is no exception. This permanent dynamism that characterizes cruise ship activities, is responsible for this segment being included in our strategy as a key product for the nation's tourism development," said Jorge Mario Chajón, Director General of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INUAT)."Today, it is very satisfying to inform you of the start of the best cruise season ever seen in our country, as a result of working together with the private sector, improving existing infrastructures, as well as the international professionalization of the staff that make up the people who cater to cruise goers."
In Guatemala, the 2017-2018 cruise season closed with the arrival of 115 vessels, exceeding by 20% those reported in the previous period.
According to statistics from the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (INGUAT) in the 2017-2018 season, the boats that docked on the coasts of the country had a total of 152,192 tourists.
For the 2017-2018 season, the arrival of 165,000 tourists on board 120 cruise ships is expected, which will represent an increase of 33% over the previous period.
The general director of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (Inguat), Jorge Mario Chajon, stated that "...the current cruise season that began in September and will end next August, will be the best ever in Guatemala, both terms of the arrival of vessels, as well as the number of cruise passengers and the projected foreign exchange income. 'A total of 120 cruises will arrive during the season, which is 25% more than last year'."
For the period 2017/18 81 cruise ships are expected to arrive in the country, which represents a 14% increase over the previous season.
The increase in arrivals of cruise ships is combined with greater availability of infrastructure and reduction in landing times, since, according to the National Port Company have "...new docks allow tourists arriving in San Juan del Sur on a cruise to disembark in an hour and a half, which is half the time it took before ...".
Confirmations for the arrival of tourists ships in the 2012-2013 season have led to expectations of 50% growth in arrivals.
With the arrival of 24 more vessels than last season, a total of 86,300 visitors are expected, each having an average daily expenditure of $120, said Peter Duchez, director of the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism.
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