San Pedro, Belize. The Central American Tourism Agency (CATA) reinforced its regional tourism strategy through active participation at the 17th Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC 2026), held in Belize under the organization of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Belize Tourism Board.

CATA Secretary General Boris Iraheta highlighted the importance of the forum as a strategic space for regional coordination, emphasizing Belize’s role as a key bridge between the Caribbean, Central America, and southern Mexico.

“CATA was invited by Minister Anthony Mahler to participate in this sustainable tourism conference called Tourism in Full Color, where blue, green, orange economies and emerging global tourism models are being discussed,” Iraheta stated.

He also stressed that STC 2026 is helping shift the conversation from policy design to practical implementation in sustainable tourism.

From policy frameworks to actionable tourism models

Iraheta pointed to international benchmarks such as New Zealand’s Indigenous tourism approach, underscoring the need for communities to become active protagonists rather than passive participants in tourism development.

“The key takeaway is moving from policies to actions. When we talk about Indigenous or sustainable tourism, communities should not just be part of the destination — they must be protagonists of tourism,” he said.

He added that the region still faces the challenge of fully operationalizing sustainability across its environmental, social, economic, and cultural dimensions.

A shifting global map of tourism demand

Beyond sustainability, Iraheta emphasized that Central America is entering a period of strategic repositioning within a changing global tourism landscape.

He described international tourism flows as a “pendulum” that is currently creating new opportunities for the region.

Central America, he noted, is already established in key markets such as Europe, South America, and Canada, but is now facing a broader opportunity window driven by global redistribution of demand.

At this point, Iraheta highlighted the need to rethink source markets and proximity markets, positioning the discussion within a wider strategic transformation.

Rather than relying on traditional patterns, CATA is working to redefine its approach to nearby markets, North America — particularly Canada — Europe, and Latin America, as part of a more balanced and resilient regional strategy.

He also reiterated CATA’s position regarding global instability, stressing that while the organization condemns violence worldwide, geopolitical shifts are reshaping tourism flows and market behavior.

According to Iraheta, this scenario creates what he described as a historic opportunity for Central America, as emerging demand from Canada and selected European markets shows growing interest in the region, while Latin American connectivity also gains strategic relevance.

Strategic outlook for 2026–2027: diversification and resilience

Looking ahead, CATA outlined that its main priority is to redefine its market strategy for the 2026–2027 period, with a strong focus on diversification.

“The most important issue is how Central America continues to pursue sustainable growth,” Iraheta said, noting that fluctuations in the U.S. market have impacted regional projections in recent years.

He stressed that the next stage of regional planning will focus on balancing demand across multiple source markets:

“We need to define which markets we will prioritize, how we approach proximity markets, and how we balance potential declines in the U.S. market with growth in Canada, Europe, and Latin America.”

Countries such as Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia were also mentioned as key components of this diversification strategy.

Iraheta concluded that the redefinition of source markets will be one of the central debates in the upcoming CATAM agenda, marking a structural shift in regional tourism planning.

Belize as a platform for regional integration

CATA’s participation in STC 2026 reinforces the growing integration between Central America and the Caribbean around sustainable tourism models based on the blue, green, and orange economies.

Belize continues to position itself as a regional platform for strategic dialogue, innovation, and cooperation, at a time when market diversification and climate-resilient tourism have become key drivers of the sector’s future.