The financing has been assured by the Inter-American Development Bank, but the construction works that would increase the influx of international tourism by 20% are still awaiting a political decision.
IDB funds of $6.3 million, the land and the plans are all available, the only thing lacking is the political will to build it.
The president of the National Chamber of Tourism in Honduras (CANATURH), Epaminondas Marinakys together with a Spanish expert in tourism have met with the Finance Minister who promised to carry out the project, adding "even if it is late, it has to be done" .
Carnival Corporation's $70 million cruise ship pier was inaugurated in Mahony Bay.
With the new facility, the company can accommodate two 4.500 passenger ships simultaneously.
Ana Abarca, Tourism Minister, told Laprensahn.com: "...if Carnival's projections prove correct, we will receive some 500.000 tourists from cruise ships. This would imply sales for $850 million, as every tourist spends an average $107 in the country".
Starting December 14th, charter flights from Canada and Milán, Italy, will resume their Roatán operations.
Honduras Tourism Chamber reported that there will be 6 weekly flights from Canada.
"These flights will resume on December 14 and 21. This is important, not only for the number of arriving tourists, but also because the country's image is recovering, and with it, international confidence in Honduras", commented the Tourism Minister for Elheraldo.com.
The estimate for 2009 for investment tourism infrastructure by local business owners and investors from Guatemala, El Salvador, the United States and France.
The article on Elheraldo.hn provides details on several of the development projects in the tourism sector that are in progress or in the review phase, including: "the La Ensenada tourism complex, which includes a convention center costing $1.5 million dollars and a 60-room hotel valued at $20 million" which will be inaugurated this week.