In a landmark move to strengthen regional travel collaboration and drive tourist arrivals across Central America, two leading tourism industry bodies have signed a strategic cooperation agreement at the 2026 Centroamérica Travel Market hosted in Guatemala City.
The deal, signed October 21 by the Federation of Chambers of Tourism of Central America (FEDECATUR) and Mexico’s National Association of Travel Agents (AMAV), lays the groundwork for closer connections between Mexican travel sellers and tourism operators across all seven Central American markets and the Dominican Republic.
Efren Perez, president of FEDECATUR, explained that the partnership goes far beyond basic information sharing, opening avenues for joint funding access, skills training programs and cross-regional tourism development projects that will strengthen the competitiveness of the Central American tourism brand globally. Under the agreement, 1,200 active Mexican travel agents will receive specialized, up-to-date training on the unique attractions and offerings of each member destination – including Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic – equipping them to more effectively market the region to Mexican travelers and international visitors booking through Mexican agencies.
Perez emphasized that private-sector collaboration like this agreement is critical to expanding the regional tourism ecosystem, unlocking shared growth and helping Central America stand out in an increasingly competitive global travel market.
For his part, Levi Williams Manzanares, president of AMAV, described the pact as one of the most significant tourism cooperation agreements the region has seen in recent years, noting that it will deliver tangible benefits to all 1,200 member agents across Mexico by expanding their product offerings and opening new revenue streams.
Beyond the agreement with AMAV, FEDECATUR also signed a second cooperation deal with the International Association of Tourism Corporation during the Guatemala City event, which will also support access to cooperative funding for training programs and cross-regional tourism infrastructure projects. Industry leaders expect the new partnerships to deliver a measurable increase in Mexican visitor arrivals to Central America over the next three years, while strengthening the overall resilience and competitiveness of the regional tourism sector.