Page 90 - STRATEGY Magazine (G)

“Guatemala possesses an extraordinary cultural and natural richness along with a privileged geographic location that makes fulfilling a vacationer’s wish list quite easy. While the country is small, there is no shortage of things to do and places to see.” —Visit Guatemala
tional headquarters for Central Ameri- can businesses.
Just outside the city is Antigua Gua- temala, a World Heritage Site that is rising in the ranks on tourists’ must-see lists. Antigua Guatemala boasts well-pre- served Spanish Baroque architecture and colonial churches.
Like the capital, Antigua Guatemala falls short on accommodations—especial- ly during religious holidays like Easter, when the city easily attracts more than 75,000 foreign travelers. INGUAT esti- mates that about 56 percent of visitors look for entertainment and cultural attractions in addition to sightseeing when visiting Antigua. The growing number of tourists, along with a lack of
accommodations for visitors, means that Antigua is drawing significant interest from investors.
COASTAL LURE
With expansive beaches on the Pacific side and quaint coastal towns on the Caribbean, Guatemala’s seashores lure all types of tourists, including skilled fishermen and beach-lounging enthusi- asts. The Pacific coastline accounts for more than 85 percent of tourism among Guatemalan natives, and according to INGUAT, the cruise lines that port on the Pacific side of the country have dou- bled their revenues in the last four years. This is due, in part, to the development of the Mesoamerican Route, which was
established by INGUAT. Serving as a regional cruise line, the Mesoamerican Route utilizes Guatemala’s pivotal loca- tion to take tourists throughout Central America, including Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Sportsmen flock to the country’s Pacific coast annually for renowned fish- ing tournaments such as the ILTTA and the Presidential Challenge. Investments are currently underway for a project called “Guatemágica,” which will com- bine ecological and rural tourism with theme parks and water sports. Although this project is making great strides, there is a very real need for the development of four- and five-star hotels in the region.
As for the Caribbean side of the coun- try, its calm, cerulean waters are as in-
Embracing a Profound Cultural Heritage
FERNANDO PAIZ
President
Maya Museum for America
With its sunny weather, world-famous coffee, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and pristine beaches, Guatemala has a lot to offer tourists. Fernando Paiz, President of the Museo Maya de América Foundation, shares his thoughts on attracting more visitors to Guatemala.
CULTURAL TOURISTS WANTED
The country now caters to backpackers, who are welcome but do not contribute much to the economy, and business travelers, who “stay a couple of days, buy a bottle of rum, and go home,” says Paiz. Guatemala needs to attract a different brand of visitor. Known for its cultural heritage, from ancient and mysterious Mayan ruins to the beautiful plazas and palacios of the colonial Spanish, the hospitality industry wants cultural tourists, who stay longer and travel more within the country.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES
Latin American governments tend to support the hospitality industry with incentives. Guatemala lags behind its neighbors, offering few benefits for developers and operators. The perceived lack of security in Guatemala raises a further concern. Developers, however, are careful to attach new projects to protected environments and secure areas, both in the capital and in smaller cities. Business travelers during the week and weekend leisure travelers help maintain Guatemala’s hotel occupancy rate at a healthy rate.
Contends Paiz, “We enjoy double-digit tourism growth in the region, and our tourism bureau is doing its best to catch that growth. It’s becoming very attractive to come to our region.”
“Tourism is the hidden, smokeless industry of our country. We especially want to attract cultural tourism. They stay longer and respect our environment. So we have to be very careful as a region to cultivate that cultural tourism.”
88 STRATEGY
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