Please find to follow the latest news from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.  For further information please contact Cristina Cunchillos at Latina Marketing on 020 7704 8485 or email cristina@latinamarketing.com.

Belize starts the year with record visitor figures

The Belize Tourist Board has reported a very positive start of the year with record visitor figures for the first quarter of 2013.  A total of 92,991 overnight visitors arrived from January-March 2013, a 13% increase compared to the same period last year.  March alone saw the arrival of more than 35,000 visitors to Belize for the first time ever.

Belize’s increasing popularity can partly be attributed to the opening in recent months of new luxury resorts such as El Secreto (www.elsecretobelize.com) and Las Terrazas (www.lasterrazasresort.com), both on Ambergris Caye.  For more information on Belize go to www.travelbelize.org.

New flights to Costa Rica and Honduras from the US

United Airlines has started new non-stop weekly flights between San Jose, Costa Rica and its hubs in Chicago and in Washington-Dulles.  These flights are operated with Boeing 737-800 aircrafts with 16 seats in United Business, 48 seats in Economy Plus and 90 seats in Economy.  The airline connects Costa Rica with four of the now most important cities in the United States: Chicago, Houston, Washington and New York, which are major flight hubs.

American Airlines will start a second weekly flight between Miami with Roatan on the Bay Islands from 12 June.  The carrier will fly to the popular Caribbean destination on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

El Salvador targets surfers with new Waves Route

El Salvador Tourist Board has launched a new tourist route linking the best spots for surfing along the country’s Pacific Coast.  The new “Waves Route” includes some of the most popular beaches amongst surfers such as La Paz (better known as Punta Roca), El Sunzal, El Tunco and El Zonte, all near the port of La Libertad.  It also include other lesser known surfing beaches in the eastern part of the country, such as Punta Mango, Las Flores and El Cuco in the district of San Miguel.

El Salvador is considered one of the world’s best surfing destinations and has hosted major international surfing competitions including the ASP Quicksilver Cup in 2012 and the 8th Surf Latin Pro Championship 2012.

Guatemala announces launch of new Mesoamerican cruise route

The Guatemala Tourist Board (INGUAT) has announced that a new Mesoamerican cruise route linking the main ports in Central America will be launched in January 2014, providing visitors with a new way of exploring the countries’ main attractions.  INGUAT confirmed there is already interest from at least one cruise company to operate the new route.
 

Cruising is an increasingly important market for Guatemala.  More than 70 cruises are expected to have visited the country in the 2012-13 season, bringing around 85,000 passengers.  Guatemala will host the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association’s II Central America Cruise Conference from 19 to 31 May 2013. 
 

First “cocoa canopy tour” in Honduras

Visitors to Honduras can learn about the production of chocolate in this country in a fun new way, visiting a cocoa plantation from high above on the first “cocoa canopy tour” in the country, at El Ocote Ecotourism Park and Resort.  The new zip wire covers approximately 1.5km, linking 10 platforms set amidst lush vegetation and robust trees, from which they can enjoy birdwatching and amazing views of the cocoa plantation.  At the end of the tour visitors can enjoy a refreshing dip in one of the park’s natural pools or try some traditional cuisine (and of course chocolate) at the resort.  For more information go to www.elocote.com.
 

Nicaragua celebrates its fourth successful FENITUR

More than 50 tour operators and buyers from 12 different countries around the world gathered in Managua for the 4th edition of FENITUR, the International Tourism Fair of Nicaragua, held on 26 and 27 April 2013 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Convention Centre.  FENITUR provided an ideal platform to showcase the many natural and cultural attractions that Nicaragua has to offer, and present the latest developments to tourism professionals and media from Europe, the US, Canada and Central America.
 

Panama ready to host ISA World Surfing Games 2013

From May 4-12, Panama will become the gathering place of the world’s best surfers, who will compete in the 2013 Reef ISA World Surfing Games (WSG) in the perfect reef break of Santa Catalina Beach, in the Veraguas province. Surfers from more than 20 countries will compete in individual Open Men’s and Open Women’s divisions. The top seven National Teams will qualify for an invitation to the 2014 ISA China Cup, part of the ISA’S Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival, along with the local host team from China.

In addition, the winning team will receive a special trophy to commemorate the 500th Anniversary of the discovery of the Pacific Ocean by Vasco Núñez de Balboa.  For more information on the ISA World Surfing Games go to www.isasurf.org.