Last week, Costa Rica hosted a meeting of the Central American Council of Tourism at which ideas were discussed to promote tourism investment in the region, said the Costa Rican tourism Institute (ICT).

Central America’s Tourism Ministers, businessmen and representatives of the region’s tourism chambers participated in this first “Forum of Exchange of Experiences for the Promotion of Tourism Investment in Central America,” held in Costa Rica on June 30.

Mauricio Ventura, President Pro Tempore of the Central American Tourism Council (CCT) and Minister of Tourism of Costa Rica, said the meeting served to analyze the impact of tourism incentives as a tool to promote investment in the tourism industry, which has seen a doubling in revenue in the past 10 years in the region.

“When there is interest in investing in tourism, local economies are energized, direct and indirect jobs are generated and this investment translates into a development lever for the country in general; Therefore, it is crucial to facilitate an enabling environment that stimulates tourism investment, through a national policy and specific laws related to tourism incentives to boost tourism investment,” said Ventura.

Carla Bush, Executive Secretary of the Central American Tourism Integration System (SITCA), explained that this forum was a space for governing bodies of tourism in each country to reflect and analyze their national regulatory frameworks for investment in the sector.

The ministers agreed that the tourism industry is an invaluable source of foreign exchange, and also promotes the integral development of communities, which is why it is important to design and implement the mechanisms that promote the sustainability of the sector.

Participants also discussed how marketing and promotion actions carried out by each country can help to promote the Central American region as a whole.

“We are a region that knows how to work as a team and has done a good job in tourism. Our challenge is that the central government and local authorities, entrepreneurs and state institutions beyond the Ministry of Tourism, understand the importance of the sector as a priority issue in society, in Central America and in the rest of the world,” said Ventura.