This week, SEGITTUR and The Secretariat for Central American Tourism Integration (SITCA) are organising the first course on Smart Destinations for Central America, inaugurated by the Nicaraguan minister for Tourism, Anasha Campbell; the executive secretary of SITCA, Ilka Aguilar; and the Chairman of SEGITTUR, Enrique Martínez.
The course, which will be held online, will be attended by 70 representatives from tourism bodies from the seven Central American countries: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
Among the institutions in attendance are the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), the Belize Tourism Industry Association, the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT), the Guatemalan Tourism Chamber of Commerce (CAMTUR), the El Salvador Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), the El Salvador Tourism Board (CASATUR), the Honduras Tourism Institute (IHT) and the Honduras National Tourism Board (CANCATURH).
This is in addition to the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute (INTUR), the Nicaragua National Tourism Board (CANATUR), the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), the Costa Rican National Tourism Board, the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) and the Panama Tourism Board.
This initiative highlights the international interest garnered by the smart tourist destinations model, developed by the Secretary of State for Tourism with SEGITTUR.
The course will last for five days, during which the Spanish Smart Destination model, innovative tourism, sustainability and accessibility, governance and public-private communication, technology and the digitalisation of Smart Destinations will be discussed. The course will be given by the SEGITTUR expert team, joined by leaders from national destinations who have worked with Smart Destination methodology and who will explain success stories, such as the Smart Office in Benidorm, the technological infrastructure in Santander and Data Driven in Almería and the city of Valencia.
International destinations like Tequila are also participating to discuss their experiences as Smart Destinations. Montevideo will present its Smart Office, Buenos Aires will share its intelligent tourism system and Costa Rica will explain its sustainability-based tourism model.
Some of the companies within the Smart Destinations Network will also be present to demonstrate different solutions that respond to the needs detected between Smart Destinations.
