Attracting executives, pensioners and people willing to work remotely from Costa Rica, who extend their stay in the country for long periods, are some of the business opportunities that businessmen have detected in the current commercial scenario.
Although the sector is practically in the zero season, since the outbreak of covid-19 Costa Rica closed the borders to tourism, and during April and May there were practically no visitors to the country, the businessmen are beginning to prepare themselves to face the new commercial reality that arose from this abrupt change in the ways that people relate to each other on a global level.
In Costa Rica, 5% of people who show interest in traveling are attracted by adventure tourism, and about 40% of them are between 21 and 30 years old, and have a high level of purchasing power.
An analysis of consumer interests and preferences in Costa Rica, compiled by CentralAmericaData's Trade Intelligence Unit, provides interesting results on the characteristics of people who express an interest in travel. [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphics]
It is estimated that more than a thousand events of all kinds are held annually in El Salvador, generating an economic output of around $100 million.
In 2018, five fairs and more than 1,063 private events of all kinds were held just at the Centro de Ferias y Convenciones (Cifco), for which the center budgeted around $11 million for activities.
Marta Cecibel Lau, the president of Cifco, told Elsalvador.com that "...
The Tourism Authority informed CCA-Cocige, responsible for building the Convention Center in Amador, the intention to cancel the contract because of critical flaws in the design and infrastructure.
The work was originally awarded to HPC Contratas P&V, but in 2016, after work was halted for 24 months because of a liquidity problem, the project was assigned to the CCA-Cocige consortium.
In 2019 the country will be the host of a meeting of the Regional Commission of the World Tourism Organization for the Americas.
From a statement issued by the Guatemalan Tourism Institute:
Paraguay, April 13, 2018.Today Guatemala was selected as the venue for the 64th meeting of the Regional Commission of the World Tourism Organization for the Americas (CAM), in the framework of the 63rd meeting of the regional commission, in which they will also be holding the International Seminar on the empowerment of women in Asunción, Paraguay.
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%."
In Costa Rica, hotels and companies in the sector are preparing themselves with expansions and new services in order to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the new convention center.
The recent inauguration of the new convention center, with 16 thousand square meters and capacity to hold up to 5,600 people at the same time, promises to boost the country's hotel activity, particularly in the Greater Metropolitan Area.
Almost five years after the Tourism Benefits Act was approved outside of the District of Panama, it has been announced that the regulation will be ready in the coming weeks.
The regulation of Law 80 of 2012 was prepared by the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) and has been sent to the Ministry of Commerce and Industries for approval. The document establishes the requirements that investment projects and tourist activities outside of the district of Panama must meet, in order to be eligible for tax exemptions.
In order to encourage business tourism and congresses in the area, plans are being made to tender the design and construction of a convention center in Boquete, in the province of Chiriquí.
The Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) has announced that they have already done the legal transfer of the lands where a "green" convention center will be built, with capacity for 2,000 people.The objective of the ATP is to boost the business of tourism and congresses in the province of Chiriquí.
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.
The average european tourist plans trips less than a year in advance and searches and books tour packages via the internet, without using intermediaries.
A study by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute to identify best prospectsfound that"... generally Europeans decide on their holiday destination less than a year in advance and in most cases organize their trips independently i.e., without using intermediaries. It was also found that the most used methods of finding information include recommendations from friends, search engines and online travel agencies and websites promoting the destinations.
In 2016, 19,586 meetings were held with 1.2 million participants, 695 thousand hotel rooms were occupied and an estimated economic turnover of $1 billion was generated.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute:
Guatemala April 5, 2017.With the objective of finding out the significance of the segment for Meetings, Incentives trips, Conferences and Events, (MICE), the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism, INGUAT, disseminated the results of a study that measured, among other subjects, the contribution in consumption in the tourist industry and in other economic activities, as well as in the generation of jobs.
The goal of tourism authorities is to organize 950 conferences and conventions for 500 people each in the next five years, generating $1.3 billion in revenue.
The five-year plan presented by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) is based on the opening of the National Congress and Convention Center (CNCC), which is scheduled for the first quarter of 2018.
Up to September 2016 tourist activities such as business, medical treatments and traditional tourism generated $3.624 billion, 16% more than the same period in 2015.
While traditional or vacation tourism is still the main source of revenue generated in the tourism sector, with 64% of total revenue up to September 2016, other activities such as medical tourism and business trips are gaining more and more strength.Revenues generated in the segment of medical or wellbeing tourism accounted for 13% of the total, while revenues generated by business tourism accounted for 15%.
From June 19 to 23 companies working in convention tourism will be meeting in Antigua with international buyers and suppliers in order to develop business opportunities.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute:
Guatemala January 26, 2017.The Guatemalan Tourism Institute, INGUAT together with the Convention Bureau of Guatemala, announced that the City of Antigua Guatemala will host the Latin America Meetings and Incentives Travel Exchange, Lamite, from June 19 to 23.