Central America’s tourism landscape is set for a new phase of collaborative growth, following the unanimous re-election of Belize Tourism Industry Association head Efrén Pérez to a second term leading the Federation of Central American Tourism Associations (FEDECATUR), one of the region’s most powerful tourism industry governing bodies.
The June 2026 vote, drawn from member stakeholders across Central America and the Dominican Republic, represents a resounding vote of confidence in Pérez’s policy agenda, which has centered on deepening cross-border industry cooperation, advancing sustainable tourism development, and embedding innovation into regional travel strategies. With his new term confirmed, Pérez has outlined a clear priority roadmap to strengthen the region’s global competitiveness amid shifting global travel demand.
In an exclusive interview following his re-election, Pérez highlighted that his core focus over the coming term will be breaking down longstanding barriers to integrated regional travel. Key priorities include expanding formal collaboration between public sector tourism bodies — namely national tourism ministries across member markets — and rolling out targeted capacity-building programs for private sector tourism operators. These programs will center on upskilling training, standardized industry certification, and creating structured pathways to expand multi-destination travel experiences across the region.
“To remain competitive in a fast-changing global tourism market, we have to take a more aggressive approach to facilitating cross-border movement of travelers,” Pérez noted. He added that upholding consistent service quality and operational standards across all regional destinations, particularly among private sector businesses, will be a non-negotiable pillar of the administration’s work.
Pérez emphasized that integrated regional tourism requires coordination beyond just tourism-focused stakeholders. For example, advancing cross-border connectivity and mobility initiatives will require ongoing dialogue with immigration authorities and other cross-sector public and private partners to streamline entry processes and remove bureaucratic hurdles.
The FEDECATUR president also pointed to the ongoing benefits Belize stands to gain from a new regional tourism pact between Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. The agreement, which is designed to boost air connectivity and lower inter-regional airfare, is expected to make cross-border travel simpler and deepen economic ties across the entire Central American region, with spillover benefits for all member markets of FEDECATUR.
Industry observers note that Pérez’s re-election comes at a critical juncture for Central American tourism, as the region works to recover from post-pandemic shifts and position itself as a cohesive, sustainable travel destination for global visitors. The unanimous vote reflects broad agreement among regional stakeholders that collaborative, cross-border action is the most effective path to long-term growth.