After foreign exchange revenues from tourism in Costa Rica fell from $4 billion to $1.343 billion between 2019 and 2020 due to the closure of borders and airports, it is projected that the sector will remain in the red during 2021.
March 2020, when most countries began to register Covid-19 cases, was the month in which revenues began to fall. Statistics from the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) show that in this context of pandemic, between April and October of last year, the Costa Rican tourism industry practically did not earn any foreign currency.
After reporting a 16% year-on-year increase in revenues generated by this sector in El Salvador in 2018, a 13% growth is expected for this year.
According to authorities of the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) for this year is expected that more than 2.6 million tourists visit El Salvador, representing a 6.2% increase over what was reported in 2018.
Regarding the income generated by the sector, MITUR forecasts that in 2019 the income from tourist activities of foreigners in the country will reach $1,660 million, 12.7% more than the $1,473 million registered last year.
During the last year, the country's income from foreign tourism reached $1.473 million, 16% more than in 2017.
Regarding the number of tourists who arrived in El Salvador, representatives of the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), reported that between 2017 and 2018 the figure increased 13%, rising from 2.2 million to 2.5 million.
José Napoleón Duarte Durán, head of MITUR, told Laprensagrafica.com that "...
Visitors who came into the country in the first quarter generated $1,242 million, the highest quarterly figure for the last 16 years.
Of the total foreign exchange from tourism entering between January and March 2016, 77% was through personal trips and the remaining 13% from business trips, according to a detailed breakdown published by Nacion.com.
During 2014 2,142,000 visitors came into the country and tourism revenues increased 5.6% compared to 2013.
Foreign currency received from tourism amounted to $1,563 million at the end of 2014, representing $83.1 million more than reported in 2013 . Also, in 2014 142 thousand more than visitors were received than in 2013, coming mainly from El Salvador, Spain, the United States and the United Kingdom, among other places.
In the first five months of the year the country received 42,000 more tourists than in the same period in 2013.
Confirming the upward trend in the flow of tourists coming to Nicaragua, in the first five months of the year alone 545,174 tourists visited, 8.3% more than in the same period in 2013, when the figure was 503,077.
The executive president of the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute, Mayra Salinas said in an article on Elnuevodiario.com.ni that "... between 2007 and 2013, the number of tourists visiting Nicaragua grew by 65%."
The revenue generated by tourist arrivals is almost two times higher than the income received by tolls at the Canal.
The growth in the number of visitors to Panama and the amount of money they spend in the country has been so rapid that it already far exceeds the revenue generated by tolls on the Canal.
"Just five years ago, both sectors generated similar income according to the Comptroller General of the Republic.
An announcement has been made of a 12% increase in the number of visitors who came to the country in the first two months of the year compared with the same period in 2013.
Tourists coming to the country in January and February generated foreign exchange of $284 million, up from the $256 million which came in during the first two months of 2013.
"In the first two months of the year 383,219 tourists entered Guatemala, a figure which is 12% higher than the 342,268 in January and February 2013, detailed a report provided to the AFP by state entity Guatemalan Tourism Institute, INGUAT."
In 2013 tourists entering the country generated revenues of $904 million while last year the figure was $772 million.
Data from the Ministry of Tourism in El Salvador shows that during 2013 1,822,003 tourists entered the country, 17% more than the 1,738,317 people who visited the country in the previous year.
"Jose Napoleon Duarte, Minister of Tourism said:" El Salvador is becoming an easy destination to reach because we are connected to the major cities of America and there are more flights, that gives us a major boost for tourism in our country".
During the first quarter of 2013, tourist arrivals grew by 7.7% compared with the same period last year.
Data from the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT) shows that from January to March 2013 there were 524,430 tourist visits, while in the same period in 2012 486,740 travelers entered the country.
"As for currencies, the INGUAT states that $396 million was received, while in 2012 the total reached $365.8 million.
Using new strategies and promotions abroad, the sector is trying to consolidate the slow recent recovery.
Although slow, the tourism industry in Guatemala has recovered from the decline suffered in 2008, in the context of the international financial crisis.
So far this year, the amount of foreign currency that has come into the country from this sector totals $681 million, an optimistic figure when compared with the $700 million revenue in 2010.
Between January and August 1,283,256 foreign visitors came into the country, equating to 124,550 more than in the same period of 2009.
Regarding foreign exchange, Guillermo Novielli, subdirector of Guatemalan Tourism Institute (Inguat), added that in the first eight months revenue from tourism was $933.4 million, 11.3% up on the same period in 2009.
By the end of July, tourism revenue grew 15% when compared to the same period of 2009. If sustained, Panama could reach $2,4 billion by the end of this year.
Panama received $967,4 million in tourism revenue in the first seven months of this year, 15% more than 2009, when the country netted $837,7 million.
During these first seven months the quantity of tourists also increased to 991.000 visitors, a 10% increase when compared to last year.