In 2022, Central American countries welcomed over 21 million visitors, indicating a clear upward trend in regional tourism aiming to recover pre-pandemic figures. Although these positive numbers haven’t been sustained in 2023, regional officials continue to develop strategies to nurture tourism.
For instance, in May, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) convened in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, to rethink the future of tourism and exchange strategies for building a more innovative sector. The discussions included ideas for integrating cutting-edge tools and solutions to meet the needs of tech-savvy consumers.
These meetings and initiatives underscore Central America’s focus on digitalizing its tourism offerings, ensuring that tourists stay connected during their visits and locals can provide the best vacation experiences.
Let’s explore three technologies in Central America that are helping connect travelers and providing them with the best vacations in 2023:
- AVAILABILITY OF CARD PAYMENTS IN MICRO AND SMALL BUSINESSES
The age-old challenge faced by all travelers in Central America is how to navigate currency exchange and an economy heavily reliant on cash as the primary method of payment. This situation creates uncertainty due to the risks of running out of local currency, losing it, or becoming a victim of theft.
To boost trade among micro and small businesses and facilitate payment methods for locals and foreigners alike, the Inter-American Development Bank’s BID Lab approved a $750,000 investment in the Salvadoran fintech company Cubo in May 2023. This startup focuses on increasing sales for small entrepreneurs by offering them a pocket-sized, user-friendly point-of-sale (POS) system that connects to a smartphone. The initiative will benefit 70,000 micro-entrepreneurs in El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Panama.
This initiative enables travelers to use their international cards smoothly at small establishments. Sellers can acquire their POS systems by requesting them via WhatsApp or visiting Cubo’s stores. Moreover, the service can be activated with minimal paperwork and without hidden monthly fees or charges.
- ENHANCED CONNECTIVITY ABROAD WITH ESIM TECHNOLOGY
The eSIM, or embedded SIM, replaces physical SIM cards. Through these, telecommunications operators remotely activate cellular service for users without the need for a physical SIM card. This feature saves travelers time on lengthy procedures to obtain and activate data services abroad—and eliminates costly roaming charges entirely.
In recent years, the Central America Tourism Agency has promoted the region as a multi-destination for tourists to cross borders and visit multiple countries during their travels. Those undertaking such journeys could benefit from an eSIM for cellular data that operates seamlessly across these countries, avoiding roaming charges.
Fortunately, there are now companies offering data plans specifically for international travel. For example, the eSIM company Holafly specializes in providing travelers with a multi-country option, allowing them to access data while traversing different countries in Central America without needing to change their eSIM. They achieved this through agreements with various telecommunications operators in each country they serve, ensuring the eSIM connects swiftly to each nation’s networks upon recognition.
Users only need internet connectivity when installing the eSIM before their trip, as they receive a QR code to activate and configure Holafly’s service on their cell phones. Additionally, they can continue using their phone number in applications like WhatsApp, creating a seamless experience while abroad.
- EASY BOOKING OF LOCAL STAYS THROUGH APPS
Recently, the hotel agency Hostelworld reported that 55% of bookings made in March 2023 were through its app. While reservations in the region increased by 40% last year compared to 2019, the company revealed that this year the figure rose to 180%. Hostelworld attributes this increase to the ease of booking through its app.
This mobile app also caters to the needs of solo travelers, as Hostelworld has added social networking features for these travelers to make friends during their journey. For example, when searching for a hotel, users can see how many people are staying there on the same dates and can exchange messages before and during their stay. Additionally, travelers can add a profile picture and publicly share the countries they have visited.
Thanks to technological advancements, Central America has been able to leverage its tourism potential and develop into one of the world’s top vacation regions. Among these innovations are eSIMs, card payment terminals in all types of establishments, and apps for one-click hotel bookings.
Source: Forbes Centroamerica
