Between the first quarter of 2017 and the same period in 2018, the number of visitors that arrived in the country registered a slight decrease of 1.4%, but the overall expenditure made by them increased by 2.7%.
According to sector's figures, between the first quarter of 2017 and the same period of this year the number of tourists fell from 734,000 to 723,000, and the currencies received registered a slight increase, going from $302 million to $310 million.
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'."
Visits by foreigners to undergo medical procedures in Costa Rica last year generated $437 million, 5% more than was registered in 2016.
According to figures from the Central Bank of Costa Rica, medical tourism revenues have shown sustained growth, as in 2015, 2016 and 2017 there were reports of increases in relation to each of the preceding years of 9%, 16% and 5% respectively.
Explained by the arrival of Salvadoran and American visitors, from January to February 2018 the country received 390,919 tourists, 16% more than in the same period in 2017.
According to figures from the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (Inguat), 40% of tourists who came into the country in the first two months of the year were Salvadorans, when a total of 155,765 visitors were reported.
In 2017, tourists stayed on average 8.6 nights and spent an average of $134 per day, which is an increase of 1% and 2%, respectively, from 2016.
From a Report by the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic:
Tourist Expenditure and Average Stay by Air:
Non-resident foreigners who visited the country, in the year 2017, recorded an average stay of 8.6 nights, representing growth of 0.8% and made an average daily expenditure of US $133.5, an increase of 2.2%, compared to 2016.
Following 2017's 5% increase in the arrival of foreign tourists, the authorities foresee an increase of 6% for this year.
Regarding the figures on domestic tourism, authorities in the sector estimate that last year this item generated an economic spillover of about $2.122 million, an amount that they aim to exceed in 2018.
In the first quarter of the year the number of tourists who flew the US grew 6% compared to the same period in 2017.
After a period of uncertainty, the flow of American tourists has once again registered an increase in the first three months of the year.Specifically, 21,337 more Americans came into the country than between January and March of 2017.
According to a study carried out by Guatemalan touristic authorities, in 2016 there were 19,500 meetings in which one million people took part, generating revenues of $1 billion.
Tourism authorities reported that "... the meetings industry generated a direct expenditure (sales and consumption) of 1,051 million US dollars in the national economy, of which43.5% was spent on tourism concepts and the rest went to other sectors of the economy, generating a total of 27 thousand jobs. This data is reflected in a contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of 1.2%."
During Easter, 132 thousand tourists visited the country, and income from this sector amounted to $85 million, 18% more than in the same period in 2017.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Tourism:
April 9, 2018.- The Ministry of Tourism announced today that the arrival of international visitors during the Easter holidays grew by 17.2% compared to 2017, thus hitting a record number in these statistics.
During Easter Week 93 thousand tourists travelled by sea through different parts of the country, which represents an increase of 6% compared to the same period in 2017.
The Maritime Authority of Panama reported that from Thursday, March 29 to Sunday, April 1 of this year, 93,480 passengers were transported by sea, in 6,461 trips.This exceeds the 88,594 passengers reported in the same period in 2017.
The number of foreign visitors who arrived in the country during Easter Week increased by 33% compared to the same period in 2017, while domestic tourism grew by 21%.
Figures from the Guatemalan Tourism Institute detail that "... tourist activity from March 23 to 31 was intensified compared to the same period in 2017 and exceeded forecasts, with a total of 3,065,918 domestic and foreign tourists."
During the last year it was reported that the average stay of tourists was 10.5 days, which represents an increase of 11% compared to what was recorded in 2016.
The Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) reported that "...Average daily per capita expenditure made by non-residents who arrived in the country was 44.9 dollars, which represents growth of 0.2percent with respect to 2016. The biggest expense was reported by tourists from North and South America."
Last year, 2.3 million tourists arrived in the country, spending $715 million, 3% more than in 2016.
The Central Bank of Honduras reported that "...In the fourth quarter of 2017, spending by non-resident travelers in the country totaled US $714.8 million (54.2% of total service exports), 3.1% more than last year."
During the 2016-2017 season, 250 cruise ships arrived at the country's ports, representing an increase of 34% over the previous season, and the number of tourists on board increased by 16%.
According to official figures, between the seasons 2015-2016 and 2016-2017, the number of tourists who arrived on board cruises grew by 16%, rising from 242,930 to 280,854.
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.
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