Central America must be the driving force behind a globally accepted document that will be vital for the recovery of the global economy and tourism in particular.
The generation of a physical or digital document of global acceptance (like national passports) that certifies that the bearer has been vaccinated against Covid-19 will facilitate the movement of people that has been severely restricted as part of the measures adopted by governments, both locally and internationally, to contain the pandemic.
The National Assembly approved a bill that aims to streamline the procedures for granting concessions for the development of yacht clubs and berths.
The deputies of the National Assembly approved on March 12 a new Law for the Development and Operation of Tourist Marinas that will stimulate the development of the tourism industry and encourage national and foreign investment, both public and private, in the water tourism sector, the government informed in a press release.
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.
Construction has started in Tola of a mixed tourist complex estimated at $20 million which includes 12 houses, a four-story tower with 18 apartments and a commercial area.
Travis and Lucas Boychuk, promoters of the tourism project that will be located in Gavilán beach, reported that for the tourism development called "Surf Ranch Hotel & Resort-Emerald Coast Popoyo", they will be building condominiums, apartments, restaurants, an events center, commercial premises, swimming pools, a spa, casino, gym and other amenities.
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.
Between 2010 and 2016, the number of tourism companies grew by 47%, and in the same period, the number of transport companies and travel operators increased by 320% and 160%, respectively.
In 2010 the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute counted 62 businesses dedicated to providing travel organization services, and last year, this figure reached 161, thanks to the growth experienced in tourism in the country.
In the past 12 months, 78 environmental impact studies were submitted to develop hotels, marinas, clubs and beach residences in Central American countries.
Data from the interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData:
In the second quarter of the year, incoming tourism recorded an average stay of 10.3 days, reflecting a year-on-year change of 7.1% and 3.5% compared to the first quarter of 2017.
From a report by the Central Bank:
On August 23, 2017, the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) published the Tourism Survey Report for the second quarter of 2017.
A delegation of tourism entrepreneurs led by the owner of Air Europa are in Managua to explore business opportunities with the government and local companies.
The entrepreneurs who make up the group represent companies linked to the tourism sector, such as the airline Air Europa, tour operators and others. Representatives from the government explained to Elnuevodiario.com.ni that the businessmen "... are going to meet with the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism, aeronautical authorities and ProNicaragua."
A new measure imposed by Nicaraguan immigration authorities requires foreigners who intend to enter the country to file a "notice of entry" seven days in advance.
The Nicaraguan business sector, particularly companies working in the tourism industry, regret the government's decision to implement this measure. The only thing it does is to discourage the entry of foreigners, who in their vast majority come to the country to take part in tourist activities.Complaints have arisen from El Salvador and other nations about the difficulties of this new measure, especially from tour operators and tourist companies that manage trips to Nicaragua from neighboring countries.
In Nicaragua, a law is being prepared to facilitate concessions for the development of marinas, piers and yacht clubs, with the aim of encouraging tourist activities such as sport fishing.
The bill is an initiative by private sector entrepreneurs, who want to attract foreign investment to develop tourist activities that are centered around marinas, such as sport fishing.
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.