Haiti - Tourism : Ambitions and challenges of Minister of Tourism
The year 2012 will be very important to plan the Haitian tourism product that is not comparable to other Caribbean countries. The slogan of these countries "sun-beach" is also applicable in Haiti. In addition, Haiti has other added values: the first free country of Latin America, it combines a mystical blend with history, its gastronomy, culture, crafts, music and hospitality of its people.
Stéphanie Balmir Villedrouin, the Haitian Minister of Tourism, has set the challenge of placing Haiti as a multi-destination tourism offer in the Caribbean in 2012-2013, with the ambition to integrate the sector of beach resorts in 2014 [the first resort in Haiti is scheduled to open in 2014]. She emphasized on the growth opportunities in Haiti and investment in hotel infrastructure in the country and stated that two major hotel chains of Spain (NH and Occidental) had already signed agreements to manage two hotels in Petion-ville, near the capital Port au Prince.
Adding that the immediate objectives of Haiti are "to establish new tourist transport companies and the total reconstruction of the international airport of Haiti, with the three airports in the South region which will become international." These projects will promote job creation, estimated by the Ministry to more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.
In order to promote the tourism potential of Haiti, Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin, signed in Madrid on the sidelines of the second largest international tourism fair "Feria Internacional de Turismo en España" (FITUR) agreements with the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and World Trade Organization (WTO) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-4748-haiti-tourism-stephanie-balmir-villedrouin-signed-important-agreements.html and held meetings with international organizations such as the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation and Development (AECI).
