In the first eight months of the year, the number of tourists who visited the country grew by 14% compared to the same period in 2016, and businesses expect to close 2017 with an annual increase of 10%.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Between January and August this year, there were 432,712 tourists, 14% higher than in the same period last year. Regarding how the year will end, the director of Inguat, Jorge Mario Chajón, "... is more conservative in visualizing the whole year and considers that it will close at a rate of 10%, since September to November are average seasons and it wont be high season again until December."
Although the figures show an upward trend, a number of obstacles still need to be overcome in order to boost the industry's growth and achieve better results in the future.
Prensalibre.com reports that "...One of the complaints about the limitations in attracting foreign or domestic tourism is the state of the roads and the lack of extensive aerial connectivity.Another complaint is the perception of insecurity, although authorities say that it is not aimed at tourists."
"...Claire Dalles, a professor at the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, agrees with Chajón on the need to promote sustainable tourism management. You must take care of income, but also of heritage.That is the job of tourist authorities, and of the operators and the tourists."
During 2019, tourist arrivals to Guatemala increased 6% over the previous year; however, the average stay decreased slightly, from 6.63 days in 2018 to 6.56 days in 2019.
Figures from the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT) show that in 2019 2,559,599 tourists entered the country, a figure 6% higher than the 2,405,902 visitors reported in 2018.
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.
Authorities estimate that this year the number of visitors that will come to the country will be 2.2 million, 4% more than the flow of tourists registered last year.
Following an 11% tourist increase between 2016 and 2017, representatives from the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (Inguat) project that this year the number of visitors will reach 2 million 197 thousand, a figure that is 4% more than the 2 million 119 thousand reported last year.
It has been estimated that 2017 closed with the arrival of 2.1 million visitors to the country, 11% more than in the previous year, and foreign currency generated of more than $1.2 billion.
The Guatemalan Tourism Institute also stressed that this is the best cruise season in the history of the country, which will see 122 dockings.
Real Estate Development & Adventure Park Jacó, Costa Rica. Multiple Investment Opportunities Available. The Ocean Ranch eco-residential development is located...