Insecurity Puts Guatemalan Tourism in Harm´s Way

The ever-growing insecurity that´s sweeping Guatemala is seriously jeopardizing the advance of tourism in that Central American country, that according to several businesspeople who where recently polled by the Social Studies and Research Association (ASIES is the acronym in Spanish).

ASIES Chief Luis Carrillo said a majority of the 500 entrepreneurs who took the survey grumbled about increasing levels of insecurity in Guatemala that have made a dent in the local travel industry so far this year.

According to the report -Caribbean News Digital obtained a copy of it- approximately 82 percent of all hoteliers and 96 percent of tour operators pointed at insecurity as the main issue that´s hampering the development of tourism.

The current situation is bugging corporate Guatemala at a time when tourism is rapidly becoming one of the top income sources of the country, second only to money remittances sent by nationals living overseas.

The Guatemala Tourism Institute (INGUAT) informed a grand total of $612 million worth of revenues were socked away in the country´s coffers in the first ten months of 2004, up $100 million more than in the same period a year ago.

Mr. Carrillo noted that Guatemalan authorities ought to pay special heed to the battle against crime if they actually intend to keep the local travel industry on the rise.