In the last months of 2020 and in January 2021, interest in travel agency services and other tourism-related services began to increase, a rise that was most evident in Costa Rica and Guatemala.
Through a system that monitors in real time changes in the interests and preferences of consumers in Central American countries, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project demand trends in the short and long term, for the different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
The amount of visitors arrivals to Central America and the Dominican Republic shows a downward trend since 2016, which was consolidated in 2019 and worsened in 2020, a phenomenon that is explained by the events recorded in the extra-regional market.
Between 2015 and 2019, the countries of the SICA region, the average growth rate of visitor arrivals was 4.9%, where only in 2019 there was a negative rate of -0.2%, highlights a document of the Secretariat for Central American Tourism Integration (SITCA) published in January 2021.
Due to the alert that health authorities have issued for the appearance of a new SARS-CoV-2 strain and in line with the decision made by El Salvador, the governments of Panama and Guatemala will also ban the entry of people from the United Kingdom and South Africa.
Due to the new variant of Covid-19, the National Operation Center decided to temporarily suspend as of 11:59 p.m. on December 21 the entry into the country of those who have stayed or transited through the United Kingdom and the Republic of South Africa in the last 20 days, informed the Presidency of Panama.
When the pandemic began, interest among Central Americans in travel agency and other tourism-related services dropped significantly, and although it rebounded in mid-May, in recent weeks it has again reported a downward trend.
Through a system that monitors in real time changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long term demand trends for different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
In Central American countries, nearly 8 million people are looking for travel packages online, and of this consumer segment, about 5% explore options for travel to destinations in North America.
CentralAmericaData's interactive information system monitors in real time the changes in consumer habits in all markets of the region, with fundamental information to understand the current commercial environment in which companies of all industries must operate.
In the context of the economic reopening, it was announced that as of October 15, Costa Rican air terminals will begin to receive flights carrying citizens from Central America and Panama.
Due to the covid-19 outbreak, air transport between Costa Rica and the other countries in the region has been interrupted since March.
The risks involved when visiting a destination and the possibility of making reservations with less notice are fundamental factors that consumers will consider when deciding whether or not to take a trip in the coming months.
The outbreak of covid-19 in several countries around the world almost caused air, sea and land transport to disappear, as several governments decided to ban leisure and business travel.
After the Constitutional Court halted the government's decision to request a negative PCR test to covid-19 from travelers arriving in the country, the Executive assures that they will demand this requirement from the airlines.
Arguing that the right to enter the territory is restricted, on September 15 the Supreme Court of Justice suspended the decision of the Executive Autonomous Port Commission (CEPA) to demand proof of covid-19 from Salvadorans and foreigners with definitive residence in the country, who want to enter El Salvador when the international airport resumes operations for commercial flights as of September 19.
When restrictions were decreed due to the covid-19 outbreak in the region, interest in travel agency services collapsed, but by mid-May the decline was reversed and all markets are already experiencing increases in interactions related to the issue.
Through a system that monitors changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries in real time, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long-term demand trends for the different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
The current scenario of reactivation of commercial flights and tourist activities, are an opportunity for insurers to increase their sales, since the hiring of a policy is a mandatory requirement for tourists to be allowed to travel.
Products that offer a refund in the event of having to cancel the trip due to illness, as well as coverage at the destination if the person becomes ill, both for medical expenses and for lodging in case a quarantine is needed, constitute a great opportunity in this context of the spread of covid-19.
After authorities submitted the biosecurity protocols, the Oscar Romero International Airport is scheduled to resume operations on September 4.
The plan of the Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA) is that as of Friday September 4, the skies of El Salvador will be open for connecting flights and as of September 19 for commercial passenger flights.
After an abrupt drop reported in March and April in consumer interactions associated with vacation properties, since the beginning of May in all markets of the region interest in this topic has rebounded.
Through a system that monitors changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries in real time, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long term demand trends for the different products, sectors and markets that operate in the region.
As part of the reopening of borders and the revival of commercial flights, the European Union did not include any country in the region in its initial list of markets authorized to resume commercial flights.
Because of the covid-19 outbreak, commercial flights continue to be suspended in all Central American countries; however, it is expected that in the coming weeks restrictions will be lifted and airports in the region will begin to normalize their operations.
The biosecurity regulations that will control operators of tourism, transport, restaurants, museums, theaters, archaeological and theme parks in this new context of health crisis were published.
As the restrictions imposed due to the covid-19 outbreak have started to be relaxed, the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) and the tourism sector businessmen refined the biosecurity protocols that they will apply for the staged return of the sector in the coming weeks.
Since restrictions began to be imposed due to the outbreak of covid-19 in the countries of the region, interest in travel agency services collapsed, but in mid-May the decline was halted and most countries are already seeing rebounds.
Through a system that monitors in real time changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long term demand trends for different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.