UNWTO Secretary General visits Honduras
Historic: UNWTO Secretary General visits Honduras!
Last week, Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) made a historic visit to Honduras. His tour of Honduras included time in Tegucigalpa, Roatan, La Ceiba, Copan Ruinas and Gracias. One of the most significant moments of his visit took place during his stay at La Ceiba, where he was invited to a luncheon at the Lodge at Pico Bonito, the premier eco lodge in Honduras. The luncheon was offered by Canaturh La Ceiba, and was attended by the Secretary General Dr. Taleb Rifai, as well as by Mr. Carlos Vogeler, director for the Americas at the UNWTO, the Dean at the National Autonomous University of Honduras, Dr. Julieta Castellanos, Mr. Norman Aguilar, Honduras ambassador to Spain, Mr. Emilio Silvestri, director of the Honduras Institute of Tourism and Pamy Marinakys, National President of CANATURH. The four mayors of Atlantida, Mr. Mario Fuentes of Tela, Mr. Carlos Aguilar of La Ceiba, Dr. Noe Guardado of Jutiapa and Mr. Mario Melendez of El Porvenir were all present at the event.
During the exclusive luncheon, John Dupuis, president of Canaturh La Ceiba offered a toast for Atlantida, the new destination that includes the above mentioned municipalities, that he considers the most complete and authentic destination in Central America, offering World Class diving, 8 National Parks or protected areas and the Garifuna culture, declared by the UNESCO as an Intangible World Heritage asset.
One of the highlights was when Dr. Taleb Rifai spontaneously offered a short speech, congratulating Honduras for being the third country in the World to establish a UNWTO sustainable tourism observatory, after China and Greece. This means that Honduras is actually leading in the Americas in this important effort to promote sustainable tourism! The observatory, which will function out of the UNAH – Curla campus in La Ceiba, will measure over 160 factors of how tourism impacts on the environment, local economies, society as well as the effect it can have in the reduction of poverty. Dr. Julieta Castellanos, the Dean at the UNAH will be the enthusiastic leader of this new observatory.
This is the first time that a UNWTO Secretary General visits Honduras, however, Dr. Taleb Rifai was so impressed with Honduras, that he pledged he will be back next year with his family on a vacation!
The official commitment on behalf of Honduras was stamped in Tegucigalpa by President Hernandez himself, after accepting the open letter from the UNWTO and signing the “UNWTO Golden Book” making Honduras the sixtieth country in the World to commit to the development of tourism as an important tool to promote development and reduce poverty.
We congratulate La Ceiba, its chamber of tourism, and the CURLA branch of the National Autonomous University of Honduras for such an important milestone on behalf of La Ceiba, Atlantida and Honduras!
