Commitment to high value from a unique vacation destination

The Honduran Ministry of Tourism is promoting the country through three key initiatives; Caribbean Creation, Archaeology, and Nature and Adventure

Spanish colonial forts, Mayan ruins, wild rainforests and golden beaches; the natural beauty and history of Honduras are almost without comparison. It offers more forest area, Caribbean beaches, and indigenous cultures than any other Central American country. It is also home to the second largest reef formation in the world, good hunting ground for scuba divers.

The fast growing tourism industry is well organized. As a result of some hard work, many species of rare plants and animals can still be found in their natural habitats. The government is understandably committed to low impact, high value tourism to protect its prized assets. At the same time, it aims to attract new investment to the sector.

There are efforts to build on the country’s core strengths through three key initiatives. ‘Caribbean Creation’ offers a mix of beaches, reefs, and diving; ‘Archaeology’ draws visitors to the Copan Ruins and the regions surrounding the Copan Valley, Sepulturas and La Entrada; while ‘Nature and Adventure’ is based on the largest tropical forest in the Americas after the Amazon.

“Our logo is: one small country, three small worlds,” says Thierry de Pierrefeu, Minister of Tourism. He recognizes the importance of Central America as a multi-destination region to outsiders but is eager to flag the country’s own unique attractions.

Honduras is nurturing its international profile through a series of exciting projects. “We needed something to put Honduras on the world tourism map,” he says. “We are developing the Bahia de Tela resort, a major investment of $60m which involves the Italian and Spanish governments and the private sector in Honduras.” When completed, it will have two thousand rooms, seven four and five star hotels, and golf courses. Well known international hotel chains are planning to invest their money on the site.

MARIA ALICIA DE ALVAREZ Hotel Portal del Angel

Certainly, the standard and quality of local hotels is on the rise. Maria Alicia de Alvarez, owner of the Hotel Portal del Angel, a small and stylish boutique property in Tegucigalpa, says there is now more emphasis on customer service – the only way of keeping up is taking care of the details. “We can surpass the level of service that a big hotel can provide. We offer something special – the details, the warmth, and customer service.”

The hotel first opened in 1997 with 14 rooms catering to visiting businessmen. It has since expanded with a further nine rooms and now caters to all kinds of travelers including foreign tourists and long-stay guests. Many find it through the Internet.

She describes it as Tegucigalpa’s best-kept secret. “We have earned our reputation on guests’ experiences. Everyday we are thinking about how to improve our service and to make a better hotel.”

International hotels are also operating in this growing market. Other important players include Grupo Real, the hotel division of Grupo Poma.