Biometrics are already in use at airports such as John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, where the technology is being used during the check-in and boarding processes.

More than 70 million visitors came to the Orlando area last year, setting a record despite the closing of its theme parks and airports during Hurricane Irma.

Some 52 percent of these were first-time visitors to the island, demonstrating the huge business potential for agents selling domestic breaks.

According to sources with knowledge of industry figures, tourist arrivals in the first three months of the year fell to roughly 1.4 million compared with 1.5 million in the same period of 2017.

In the heart of town, the 49-room Marina Copán hotel offers a quaint setting for an impactful meeting, with capacity for up to 120 people.

The growth for the travel and tourism industry in 2017 was fueled by the strength of the international market, with the record-setting pace continuing in the first quarter of 2018.