Following the removal of some of the restrictions imposed in Guatemala by the covid-19 outbreak, the hotel sector reports a rise in occupancy, reaching a level of 25% on August 15 and 16.
The revival of national tourism was planned for July 15, but due to the current conditions of the covid-19 outbreak, the new date to allow tourism activities at the local level is expected to be August 15.
The spread of the virus forced the Guatemalan authorities to close the borders to visitors, ban commercial flights and restrict tourist activities throughout the country.
For the end of 2019, is scheduled the inauguration of Oceana Resort, a hotel complex that will offer 200 rooms and is located on the beach of Iztapa, department of Escuintla.
Oceana Resort + Conventions will be a hotel that will have a total of 22 thousand square meters of construction and will operate under the format of "all-inclusive". The building is located at kilometer 6 of the road from Iztapa to Monterrico.
A new 106-room hotel complex was inaugurated in the department of Retalhuleu, with the capacity to accommodate 440 guests.
The new resort, called "Hostal Aldea de la Selva" was built by the Institute for Recreation of Workers of Private Enterprise of Guatemala (IRTRA) on a 50,000 square meter property.
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.
The Guatemalan association of small hotels has announced that they have started operating a web application that allows tourists to make reservations online and for hoteliers to publish their promotions.
María Renée Cárcamo, President of APEHGUA pointed out that "With this measure, the first step is being taken to make an active association and at the same time the aim is to encourage small hotels to optimize processes and services of the association towards hotels".
Three out of four hotels reported not having shown an improvement in their operations in 2015.
Results from the study "Tourism sector 2015, challenges to overcome, "prepared by the Association for Research and Social Studies (ASIES), underscores the need to modernize industry, improve strategies for promotion and attracting tourists (50% of the hotel respondents claimed to have no website).
In partnership with Cayalá Group the Marriott International chain has announced for 2018 a 160 room hotel in Guatemala City and another hotel with 115 rooms in the Cuidad Cayalá complex in zone 16.
The hotel to be built in Guatemala City will have 160 rooms and will operate under the brand Marriott Hotel, while the second hotel will have 115 rooms and will be of the brand AC Hotel.Both facilities will be built by Cayalá Group and operated by Marriott International Corporation.
The American chain La Quinta Inn has announced that in 2015 it will begin construction of three hotels in Managua, Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango.
From a statement issued by La Quinta Inn and Suites:
IRVING, Texas, Aug. 12, 2014 / PRNewswire / - La Quinta Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LQ) ("La Quinta" or the "Company"), owner, operator and franchisor of La Quinta Inns & Suites, announced it has signed franchise agreements for new hotels in Nicaragua and Guatemala, marking the entry of the company into those countries.
Despite recovery since the years immediately following the crisis of 2008, the average hotel occupancy rate for 2013 stands at only 55%.
From a report by the Association for Research and Social Studies (ASIES):
"... In Guatemala, the average age of a hotel is ten years old. However, there are several hotel companies over 30 years old, denoting their ability to transcend time. "
Central America is in the lead with a 34% average price growth of hotel reservations recorded in the region, while in North America it was 18% and in South America 14%.
From the Transhotel-HOSTELTUR Barometer published by Hosteltur:
The average price of hotel reservations in America during the first quarter of this year was $680, representing an increase of 20% according to the first edition of "Transhotel-HOSTELTUR".
On 18th and 19th of April Latin American small hoteliers in Costa Rica will meet to discuss issues such as competitiveness, promotion and marketing, and accommodation in small centers.
"Owners of small hotels in the Latin American region with a minimum of five rooms and a maximum of 50 will gather together on 18th and 19th of April at the Hotel Radisson Zurquí in Barrio Tournon," reported Elfinancierocr.com.
Guatemala's hotel sector is concerned about lack of inclusion of the tourism category within the country’s investment promotion policies.
The first version of the National Competitiveness Agenda excludes the tourism sector, confirmed Jaime Day, director of the National Competitiveness Program, who said it would be added in the new version of the agenda.
The Colombian Decameron Group is expanding its investments in Latin America in 2012, including the opening of two hotels in Costa Rica and one in Panama.
In Costa Rica, Decameron will open this year a 330-room Royal Decameron Irazu in San Jose, and one in Jaco Beach, with 130 rooms.
"In April, they will open the first Hard Rock hotel in Central and South America, which will be located in Panama and will have 1,463 rooms.
A significant drop has been reported in the occupancy rate of small hotels in Panajachel, Antigua Guatemala and Peten, near Tikal.
The effects of the tropical depression last October and insecurity have affected occupancy in small hotels in Guatemala, industry representatives complained.
According to PrensaLibre.com the destinations most affected are Panajachel (where there was no hotel occupancy for several months), Antigua Guatemala and Tikal.