Tourism authorities in Central America augur the arrival of 5.6 million vacationers in the course of the ongoing year, up 9 percent from 2003 when the region welcomed 5 million visitors, then 4.2 percent more than the numbers posted in 2002, said Spanish entrepreneur Javier Vega, president of the Central American Tourism Advertisement Agency (CATA).
Mr. Vega’s remarks came within the framework of an ordinary meeting of the Central American Tourism Council (CCT) in which Guatemala replaced Belize as new nonpermanent president of the organization for the next six months.
The Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) logged a 9.52 percent increase in the number of passengers all around the world in 2003, with American tourists punching a 6.9 percent growth in that same period of time.
According to the latest issue of Travel Weekly magazine, cruises also netted a 102.3 percent spike in human cargo, up four percentage points from 2002. CLIA members also reported that a dozen new vessels are scheduled to take their maiden voyages in the course of 2004, compared to 15 ships that sailed for the first time last year and 13 that were launched in 2002.
The inflow of tourists to the Dominican Republic all through 2003 grew a whopping 19.5 percent, compared from the year before, to $3.1 billion, some $380 million more than in 2002, the nation’s Central Bank revealed.
The banking institution also reported that the number of travelers and the volume of revenues “set a couple of record highs for the local sector and now point to more positive outcomes yet to come in the course of 2004.”
Colombian hotel chain Decameron has just announced its intention to pour $150 million into building at least nine hotels in Panama in the course of the coming years.
Jorge Loaiza, a consultant for the Colombian company, told the local press that the decision to build the hotels came over after the tremendous success of the Farallon, a lodging facility some 110 miles southwest of Panama City.
The European Union (UE) will promote the free circulation of the euro in Central America in an effort to guarantee a much larger trade exchange with this region, European officials were quoted as saying in Panama.
Thomas Abadia, chargé de affaires of the European Commission to Costa Rica and Panama, explained that a stronger euro circulation and a fairer currency exchange rate will further trade, cooperation and investment.
Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) members reported a record 9.52 million passengers worldwide in 2003, a 10.2% increase over 2002. North American passengers increased by 6.9%.
According to Travel Weekly, the cruise lines hit a 102.6% load factor, over the 98.6% recorded in 2002. CLIA members also reported they will introduce 12 new ships in 2004, on top of 15 in 2003 and 13 in 2002.