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.
From May 26 to 27, 170 wholesalers from Europe, and North and South America will be meeting with Central American tourism companies to explore business opportunities.
From a statement issued by the Tourism Authority:
The Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) and the Chamber of Tourism of Panama (CAMTUR) announced this Thursday that as part of the celebration of Expocomer, the Eighth Edition of International Tourism Expo-2017 will be held from May 26 to 27.
What is needed is simple and effective governments that put an end to the bureaucracy that limits the integration of tourism in the region.
So says Epaminondas Marinakys, president of the Federation of Tourism Chambers of Central America (FEDECATUR). The official believes that the governments of the region must adjust their border rules in order to expedite the passage of tourists from one place to another.
Building on the momentum that the industry gained from the Central American Cruise Convention 2013 the best tourist sites in the country are being promoted.
According to the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (INGUAT), thanks to the implementation of strategic plans and new campaigns, the results from cruise tourism have been satisfactory. 628,550 tourists were recorded last year and 668,403 in the first quarter of 2013.
Local operators are negotiating via the Internet with European tour operators, selling the country as a destination for conventions, congresses and incentive trips.
In total 25 companies participated in a virtual exhibition tour along with operators in Europe which concluded yesterday, however, the link www.guatemalaexpo.com/2013/ will continue to operate for a month.
The 2013 edition of Expotur is to receive 180 representatives from international companies at the Hotel Wyndham San Jose Herradura on the 9th and 10th of May.
A statement from the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals (ACOPROT) reads:
Country's Main Tourism Exchange Market Prepares its XXIX Edition
- From 9th to 11th the 29th edition of Expotur will be held at the Convention Center at the Hotel Wyndham San Jose Herradura.
With the European crisis and the fall in the number of visitors from that region, the Guatemalan Tourist industry is promoting itself in emerging countries and others where there are travelers with high purchasing power.
Pedro Pablo Duchez, director of the Guatemalan Institute, Inguat, spoke at the opening of the Travel Market, saying,
"We have identified that European tourists have restricted their trips and are traveling inside Europe which is why we need new spaces for promotion ....
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 Guatemalan Tourism Institute (Inguat) has directly hired the firm Arnold & Porter to promote the country in six countries and attract investors.
The objective of the $575,000 contract is encourage countries to withdraw warnings issued to its citizens not to visit Guatemala.
Pedro Duchez, Inguat’s director, said "We looked for a company with the experience, the tenacity and enough connections to make a lobby, to try to mitigate the contents of consular documents and attract tourists."
The Central American region is attempting to become more integrated in the way it promotes itself.
Although each Central American country has its own unique characteristics, their geographic proximity and similarities, among other things, are elements that can be used to raise the region’s profile as a worldwide tourist destination.
These were the conclusions reached at the VIII Central American Travel Market, CATM 2011, one of the isthmus’s more relevant tourism industry promotion events, which recently took place in Panama.
The region is being promoted in London as a multi-venue touristic destination.
Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama are presented as a single exhibitor at the International Tourism Fair in London, one of the largest in the world.
"In the first half of 2010, Central America received 4.5 million foreign visitors, representing an increase of 17% over the same period last year," says an article published in Sigloxxi.com.
3.762 business meetings between wholesalers and businessmen in the region took place.
The event featured participation of 158 wholesalers and tour operators from 41 countries, 155 exhibitors from the region and 91 international media.
Laprensagrafica.com published, "This year, seven out of 10 participants attended the fair for the first time, this will open the doors to new business contacts, said Roberto Robles, director of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT). Next year's fair will take place in Panama."
The fair will begin on Monday October 18th with participation of 245 tourism wholesalers.
Countries like China, India, Japan, Russia, Turkey and New Zealand among others will attend the seventh edition of the Central America Travel Market (CATM), which will take place in Antigua Guatemala from the 18th to the 20th of October.
Elperiodico.com.gt informs in an article, "The fair also attracted 207 exhibitors and 111 international media ...