SICA plans to strengthen the Tourism Industry in the region
manuel heredia jr.
Belize’s pro tem presidency of the Central American Integration System (SICA) is seeing great strides being taken to bolster its friendly relationship with neighboring countries. Among the many areas in which that association is being strengthened is the tourism industry. A delegation of representatives from eight Central American countries including Belize were present today in San Pedro to discuss ways in which the tourism product can be supported and marketed among member countries. Together they comprise a sub-agency known as Consejo Centroamericano de Turismo and chairing the meeting was Belize’s Minister of Tourism Manuel Heredia who shared regional figures on overnight and cruise tourism.
Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism
“In 2010 approximately tourism grew by a little over four percent with approximately an estimated eight thousand, million U.S. dollars and also we must say that about seven point six, four million tourists visited the region in this same 2010 season with a nightly spending of U.S. ninety-seven point six dollars and a stay of about eight point eight days per trip. This gives approximately fifty to sixty percent hotel occupancy.”
Nelly Jerez, Minister of Tourism, Honduras
nelly jerez
“We are now trying to plan to work harder how we can sell ourselves as a region we think that each one of us in our country has a lot to give to the world but we must work in a better way so that we can show this effort to the whole world. Show what Central America really means. Not only what we have, the different destinations but also what our people mean, the ability of our people, the friendship of our people is nowhere found only in Central America.”
The delegation is in Belize on a three-day working visit in which they are also discussing several other regional issues including climate change and security. SICA’s aim is to realize the incorporation of Central American countries in order to become a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development.
Congratulations to Minister Heredia and for selecting San Pedro to boast our tourism product all in a peaceful and breathtaking environment. We should focus a lot on the integration of our unity to exploit tourism potential to gain world market and increase occupancy and visits. We share a culture, the infrastructure, our borders and and embassies to strenghten this relation.. It is said that unity makes us stronger and we should take the lead and become agressive in this marketing and integration opportunity.