All together, the small-scale hotels that dot
Central America are an important segment of the region’s
tourism sector. To help these small but crucial businesses,
the Tourism Ministry has joined forces with the Organization
of American States (OAS) to provide training to 180 hotels region
wide in the use of innovative technologies.
With $92,000 from the OAS and counterpart funding and technical
assistance from local organizations, the program will provide
training to 30 hotels in each of the six participating countries.
Topics covered will include human resources development, training,
keeping products current, marketing and using the Internet.
Participating in Honduras are hotels from the Bay Islands,
Gracias, La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, San Lorenzo
and Copan.
The program’s focus is on new technologies available
for hotel management. Evaluations and technical assistance
are also available for environmental management, and special
funds will be created to encourage investment in environmentally-sound
improvements and to promote sustainable tourism. Three main
focus areas are the economy, the environment and socio-cultural
factors.
The fact that most lodging establishments are small- and
mid-sized hotels is of vital importance for the development
of tourism in Central America because it guarantees that tourism-generated
wealth will remain in the region to benefit local communities.
The program is part of a wider strategy to keep development
local.
The project emerged following conclusions made at the Summit
of the Americas regarding small business development in the
hemisphere. Rendering the hotel sector more competitive and
sustainable will encourage further initiatives to develop
products like the ambitious Mundo Maya project.
