The Dominican Republic hosted the “First Central American Strategic Forum on Sports Tourism for the Economic and Social Development of the SICA Region”, initiative of the Central American Parliament (Parlacen), which seeks to promote sports tourism throughout the Caribbean region.
The activity was headed by the deputy and president of Parlacen, Silvia Garcia Polanco, who highlighted the importance of sports tourism as a driver of regional development and the legislator Belinda Nunezmember of the entity’s tourism commission. In addition, the Vice Minister of Tourism and International Cooperation, Carlos Peguerowho stressed the country’s commitment to promoting the aforementioned segment of the sector.
During the forum, Resolution AP/1-355/2024 was presented and read, recommending to the Council of Ministers of Tourism of the SICA promote sports tourism as a destination strategy for the economic development of the region.
The debates focused on the challenges of sports tourism and its contribution to economic, social and sustainable development.
They also addressed the impact of sports tourism on tourist destinations with interventions by personalities such as Patricia Iraldo, founder of Happy Dolphins and Marcus Bohm, founder of the Master of the Ocean event.
The forum included presentations on sports tourism from the perspective of demand, market volume and potential, as well as marketing and promotion of sporting events. In addition, golf was discussed as a sport and a wealth-generating industry for the region, with speakers such as Ovidio Díaz, president of FEDECATUR, and Juan Cohen, executive director of the National Commission for the Promotion and Development of Golf of the Dominican Republic.
Also participating were prominent figures such as Morena Valdez, Minister of Tourism of El Salvador; Luis Guillermo Chévez, Undersecretary of State in the Office of Planning, Management and Investment of the Secretariat of Tourism of Honduras; and Erzi Marleni Espinoza Flores, Director of Tourism Product Development of the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism.
