Anayansy Rodríguez (INGUAT): “Being a Partner Country in FITUR 2023 will allow Guatemala to position its tourist attractions worldwide”
Anayansy Rodríguez Castillo, Minister of the Guatemalan Institute of TOURISM (INGUAT), affirms in the following interview that FITUR 2023 is a showcase and a loudspeaker for Guatemala, which is presented in this edition with a new innovative Country Brand “Guatemala. Amazing and unstoppable”, demonstrating that it is a renewed and current country that is hoping to increase the number of Spanish tourists. According to Rodríguez, being a Partner Country in FITUR 2023 will allow Guatemala to position its main tourist attractions worldwide.
How important is tourism in Guatemala and how has the number of international visitors that the country receives in recent years evolved?
Tourism in Guatemala is a fundamental sector, which represents 3.8% of GDP (year 2021) and generates 199,050 direct jobs. After a few years in which the number of foreign visitors was forcibly reduced due to the pandemic, thanks to INGUAT’s efforts to promote tourism in Guatemala, the numbers are growing very positively. During the first semester of 2022, Guatemala received 770,876 foreign visitors, 199% more (513,002 more) than in 2021.
How can the promotion of tourist destinations in Guatemala contribute to the economic, social and cultural development of the country?
Exposing the tourist attractions of Guatemala, as well as giving Guatemalan companies the possibility of being in contact with the Spanish and European sector is a very important opportunity to reach tourists. FITUR is the ideal showcase for Guatemala to promote all its destinations and wealth. In this way, reaching travelers from the European market, we favor the tourist, economic and social impulse of Guatemala.
Nature and culture are two great attractions of Guatemala, how do you plan to further promote knowledge of these segments among international tourists?
Culture is immersed in each tourist region of Guatemala, in the traditions of each department, in its gastronomy, but also in its customs, which are influenced by Mayan heritage. By valuing our greatest differentiating element, the living Mayan culture, we will be able to empower this segment through the more than 3,000 years of cultural wealth that we find in our country in the more than 3,000 archaeological sites found in our territory. Added to this, our gastronomy has had a heyday that has put us in the eyes of the world, so much so that three of our restaurants with Guatemalan chefs have reached the list of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America. So it is that our living Mayan culture and our gastronomy are the elements that we will promote to make more known.
We are known as the Country of Eternal Spring, and one of the 19 megadiverse countries in the world, so enjoying culture, traditions and adventure activities surrounded by fantastic flora and fauna is a plus for Guatemala that it offers to all its visitors. , which we will show through familiarization tours to specialized agencies. Added to this, Birdwatching in various tourist regions offers 720 species of birds, of which 350 species are endemic, which will make the tours a total immersion in our natural wealth so that they can live and enjoy with their eyes, ears and touch. the natural beauty of Guatemala.
Its tourism products also include adventure, sports, meetings, language, volunteering, health and wellness, destination weddings and honeymoons, and cruises. What actions in these sections have you planned for 2023?
Promotion through participation in international fairs specialized in each of these segments will be one of the tools we will bet on the most, now that we can see each other face to face, we will take advantage of these platforms that international markets offer.
Additionally, other tools will be very useful such as training for agencies, wholesalers and tour operators or other profiles depending on the segment, since they will open doors for us to show what we have for these market niches and the quality of services through caravans. , which will result in business conferences to show not only the destination but also the services of Guatemalan businessmen.
What other tourist segments do you plan to address in the coming years?
One of the segments to which we will give more strength is that of Gastronomy, to show its richness and the quality of our chefs, their preparation and scope. Likewise, other segments not yet developed such as Filmographic and Astronomical Tourism, which are already receiving visitors from these very specific market niches.
In addition, international events will be held in Guatemala in alliances with international institutions for the Meetings Industry segment such as ICCA, FIEXPO, for Aventura con ATTA, in addition to the international fair of Romantic Guatemala focused on Destination Weddings and Honeymoons, Guatemala Heart of the Mayan World for the Culture segment, which allows through familiarization tours and business roundtables to promote all segments within the 7 tourist regions.
How important is quality and sustainability in tourism in Guatemala?
The quality of tourist destinations and services in Guatemala are essential for tourism in the country. Every tourist who visits any of the Guatemalan destinations can perceive the careful work that is applied for the well-being and satisfaction of the whole world. All travelers who arrive in Guatemala leave wanting to repeat their experience and recommend it to their relatives.
On the other hand, sustainability is a fundamental aspect for all tourist activities that take place in Guatemala. Focusing on sustainability allows destinations to develop their tourism products, but also to guarantee that they will be maintained over time. In a country where nature and biodiversity is so important, all work involves promoting its care.
Taking into consideration that the National Policy for Sustainable Tourism Development of Guatemala 2012-2022 establishes that education, training and human resource management are key aspects in the sustainability and competitiveness of a tourist destination, as well as in the creation of added value that While it contributes to differentiate and specialize the offer, it is considered a priority to improve the quality and coverage of tourism education in the country and to promote the tourism culture.
For this reason, the Tourist Training Section has organized a course on Customer Service, Entrepreneurship and Business Finance, Digital Marketing, Business Administrative Management, Etiquette and Protocol, Management of Social Networks among others In order to improve the quality of the services they provide the businessmen.
What specific actions have you designed to enhance the competitiveness of Guatemalan tourism companies?
Strengthen cross-cutting issues in the tourism sector in terms of Business Administration, Occupational Health and Safety, and Sustainability through its three pillars.
-Ensure compliance with quality and sustainability indicators under the framework of the National Certification of Quality and Sustainability Q Seal and Green Q Seal.
– Strengthen the capacities of the sector’s human resources, through training and technical assistance in terms of tourism quality and sustainability.
-Periodic evaluation of continuous compliance with the implementation of national and international standards and good practices of sustainable tourism.
-Promote, through the SICCS Seal, the integration of Guatemalan companies into the regional quality and sustainability certification program.
How many Spanish tourists did Guatemala receive and how many visitors from your country arrived in Spain in 2021? What forecasts do you have for the whole of 2022?
During 2021, Guatemala received a total of 666,017 visitors, of which 36,155 (5%) came from Europe. Thanks to the strong promotion strategy that is being managed by INGUAT, the projection of tourists for the year 2023 is 2,168,000 tourists received.
What will the Guatemalan stand be like at FITUR 2023 and what will be its main proposals at the Fair?
The Guatemalan stand at FITUR 2023 will revolve around “Guatemala. Amazing and unstoppable.” It will be a reflection of Guatemalan culture and tradition thanks to the exhibition of typical textiles, the shell of time and vibrant colors. In addition, it will be a tribute to the heritage and biodiversity that characterize Guatemalan destinations.
During the process of designing and developing the stand, INGUAT has kept in mind at all times that it must be sustainable, just as tourism is in the country, and representative of Guatemalan traditions, so that everyone who visits us during the fair he sits in Guatemala.
What will Guatemala’s participation in FITUR mean and what effects will it have for the promotion and empowerment of tourism in your country?
FITUR 2023 is a showcase and a loudspeaker for Guatemala, which is presented in this edition with “Guatemala. Astonishing and unstoppable”, which reflects the country’s culture and tradition from a more innovative approach, demonstrating that it is a renewed and current country that is hoping to increase the number of Spanish tourists.
Being a Partner Country in FITUR 2023 will allow Guatemala to position its main tourist attractions worldwide along with different activities scheduled during the international fair with the aim of publicizing the wide offer of the Central American nation that has a great cultural and gastronomic millennial wealth .
Source : Inguat
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