Representatives from the cruise lines together with the Honduran authorities are defining new flights from Río Amarillo airport in the tourist center of Copán.
Boosting the domestic tourism sector through the Roatan / Copan / Gracias triangulation, which will be possible with the opening of the Celaque airfield in Gracias, Lempira and the Rio Amarillo Airfield in Copan, is the aim of sector authorities who will meet from 28 to 30 May with executives of the Federation of Rail Florida and the Caribbean (FCCA) in order to establish this route as a new option for cruise passengers arriving in Roatan.
Up to November last year, 301,149 tourists arrived on cruise ships at Panamanian ports, 9.2 % more than in the same month in 2012.
Statistics from the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) reveal that between January and November 2013, 301,149 tourists arrived in the country on cruises, 25,470 visitors more than in the same period in 2012, an increase of 9.2%. This sector contributed $45 million to the national economy in that period.
Most cruise ships arriving in Central America have to operate at docks designed for cargo handling, and as such are not fit for passenger traffic.
Richard Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises USA, noted that one of the main issues is having suitable docks so that cruise ships can dock directly, instead of using small boats to unload passengers in groups, as this causes many delays.
The momentum in this sector needs more services and port infrastructure in order to consolidate and join the global growth of this industry.
The region needs to improve port infrastructure in order to be able to receive the new boats which are becoming bigger and bigger and with this take advantage of the 20% growth that is projected in the next season.
The Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism and the Cruise Association of Florida and the Caribbean have signed an agreement to promote the arrival of cruise ships to the shores of the country.
As part of the agreement, Nicaragua will pay a fee for each cruise passenger who disembarks on Nicaraguan soil.
An article in Elpueblopresidente.com reports that the promotion agreed to means "Nicaragua will be included in published catalogs and brochures and all promotional activities carried out by the Cruise Association of Florida and the Caribbean, in order to increase the arrival of these boats to Nicaragua. "
Cruise operators have informed the government of Panama about their interest in investing $30 million in order to build a cruise terminal on the Amador Causeway.
The concession would be awarded for a period of 20 years, renewable for another 20 years, and would be for the operation of a port to be built on the Amador Causeway, near the Balboa Yacht Club.
Despite the government committing to get rid of the $10 tax per cruise ship passenger, it still remains in force with the beginning of the season just 27 days away.
The first boat with tourists, of a total of 62, is scheduled to arrive on 29 September and the sector's businesses are concerned that the $10 tax will not be abolished in time.
In May the government promised the leaders of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) that the tax would be eliminated.
Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises and the Caribbean Cruise Liners Association visited the country.
They were invited by the Tourism Ministry, and paid a technical visit to Acajutla Port as well as an aerial overview of the Salvadoran coastline and other locations of the country.
Napoleón Duarte, Tourism Minister, told ElSalvador.com: "This visit has been very positive.