The Honduran president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, expressed hopes that tourism generate some 800 million dollars this year, 100 million dollars more than that recorded in 2013.
“I'm sure that Honduras can put itself at the forefront regarding tourism in Central America, and this has been my dream, my focus on the tourism sector since I came to Congress (Parliament),” said Hernandez during the launch of the Summer 2014 campaign.
The campaign was inaugurated by the governor in the colonial city of Gracias, in the western area of Lempirea, where he is from originally. “The goal should be to put Honduras on the map globally, and make it the main tourist destination of Central America,” emphasized Hernandez.
He added that the mission is to attract 100,000 tourists this year, to generate 16,000 jobs, and to record 100 million more dollars than the 700 million from last year in the summer and during Holy Week.
The ceremony on the promotion of tourism in Honduras took place at Saint Christopher Fort, which was built by the Spanish in Gracias, a city founded in 1536.
The president referred to the different tourist sites that the country has, like Rabbit Island (Conejo Island), in the Fonseca Golf; the part of the Pacific that Honduras shares with El Salvador and Nicaragua.
Rabbit Island, where Honduras exercises sovereignty and has Pacific access, is claimed by El Salvador.
Hernandez said that a heliport will be build on the island, as well as a dock, so that El Salvadorians can also arrive as tourists.
“I am going to inaugurate the heliport and the dock on Rabbit Island, because it is here that we are going to design pathways, and my dream is that some El Salvadorians come, but as tourists, and that we can say that the territory is 100 percent Honduran,” said the head of state.
Hernandez said that his government will guarantee peace and security and he gave instructions to the Honduran Minister of Infrastructure and Public Services, Roberto Ordonez, to start the repair of the country's roads that lead to tourist sites.
I just got back from Honduras, I was robbed by 3 different bar owners, the police twice, my hotel was broken into, and I was pick pocketed. No thanks. You can keep that horrible, dirty, den of thieves. All the other Tourists experienced the same as me, some worse.