During 2019, tourist arrivals to Guatemala increased 6% over the previous year; however, the average stay decreased slightly, from 6.63 days in 2018 to 6.56 days in 2019.
Figures from the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT) show that in 2019 2,559,599 tourists entered the country, a figure 6% higher than the 2,405,902 visitors reported in 2018.
With the strategic development of the Guatemala Country Brand, there are expectations in the business sector to jointly promote investments, exports and tourism.
After having carried out the adaptation work on its infrastructure, it reopened the San José Port aerodrome, in Escuintla, which will be used initially for private flights.
The expectation of the authorities is that in addition to private flights that can already be operated in the air terminal located in the Pacific, commercial flights will be scheduled in the future.
At the end of 2018, it is projected that the tourist arrivals to the country will register an increase of 13% with respect to 2017, and the currencies generated by the sector could exceed $1.6 billion.
Authorities of the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (INGUAT) reported that if the arrival of tourists increased 13% during 2018, it would be the second consecutive year that the country reports double-digit increases, since between 2016 and 2017 there was a year on year variation of 11% in the number of visitors.
With the aim of promoting the destinations of both countries, businessmen from the hotel sector of Quintana Room, Mexico, seek to create alliances with Guatemalan tour operators.
In Guatemala, a business meeting is held between Guatemalan tourism businessmen and a group of Mexican executives, headed by representatives of the Posadas hotel chain.
On November 19th, flights between Guatemala City and the head of the department of Huehuetenango will begin operating three times a week.
From the statement of the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism:
Guatemala, November 12th, 2018. The Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (INGUAT), together with members of the Tourism Self-Management Committee (CAT) of Huehuetenango, comprised of local businessmen, announced that from November 19th direct flights will start from Guatemala City to the Huehuetenango aerodrome three times a week. The flights operated by Mundo Maya Viajes will have a 30-minute duration, with a roundtrip price of Q 1,000.00 and a one-way price of Q 750.00.
In Guatemala, the 2017-2018 cruise season closed with the arrival of 115 vessels, exceeding by 20% those reported in the previous period.
According to statistics from the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (INGUAT) in the 2017-2018 season, the boats that docked on the coasts of the country had a total of 152,192 tourists.
During the next months the Guatemalan government intends to bring into operation the aerodromes of Puerto San José, Cobán, Huehuetenango and Esquipulas.
Guatemalan authorities reported that the first project that will be launched will be the renovation of the San José Port aerodrome, in the department of Escuintla, which will require an approximate investment of $272 thousand.
The number of foreign visitors who arrived in the country during Easter Week increased by 33% compared to the same period in 2017, while domestic tourism grew by 21%.
Figures from the Guatemalan Tourism Institute detail that "...
A decree reform to promote local tourism, and a bill that would grant tax exemptions for investments in certain tourist sites, are some of the proposals to boost tourism activity in Guatemala.
In addition to the decree that moves holidays to a Monday or Friday in order to favor destinations which are further away by creating long weekends, and the bill that would give tax benefits to investments in tourist sites, authorities at the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism also intend to modify the institution's Organic Law.
Authorities estimate that this year the number of visitors that will come to the country will be 2.2 million, 4% more than the flow of tourists registered last year.
Following an 11% tourist increase between 2016 and 2017, representatives from the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (Inguat) project that this year the number of visitors will reach 2 million 197 thousand, a figure that is 4% more than the 2 million 119 thousand reported last year.
In the season which began on September 16 and which will end in August 2018, the record number of 120 cruise ships is expected to arrive at the ports of Santo Tomás de Castilla, Río Dulce, Livingston and Puerto Quetzal.
From a statement issued by the Guatemalian Tourism Institute:
In the first eight months of the year, the number of tourists who visited the country grew by 14% compared to the same period in 2016, and businesses expect to close 2017 with an annual increase of 10%.
Between January and August this year, there were 432,712 tourists, 14% higher than in the same period last year. Regarding how the year will end, the director of Inguat, Jorge Mario Chajón, "... is more conservative in visualizing the whole year and considers that it will close at a rate of 10%, since September to November are average seasons and it wont be high season again until December."
Throughout the rest of the year Guatemala will take part in 39 tourist fairs in Europe, South America and the United States.
The aim of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (Inguat) is to strengthen marketing and promotion of the country as a tourist destination in the markets that traditionally have been the main emitters of tourists to Guatemala.
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