The Government of Honduras and its Ministry of Tourism are issuing a public call for potential developers and operators with an interest in…
The Government of Honduras and its Ministry of Tourism are issuing a public call for potential developers and operators with an interest in investing in the privatization of maritime facilities and highland parcels located at two leading Honduran coastal destinations.
The first opportunity for such investment is found in the Bay Islands of Honduras; specifically in the town of Coxen Hole, Roatan. Presently, Coxen Hole is the primary gateway for all cruise ship traffic into Honduras. The island of Roatan as a whole is an idyllic tourist destination that boasts some great beaches, scuba diving and water sports, an array of natural attractions, short excursions, and a variety of stores and shops to visit. Consequently, in 2002 Roatan hosted nearly 240,000 passengers and port-of-call operations by leading cruise operators such as Carnival Cruises, Holland American Lines, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Lines. The Ministry of Tourism is presently assembling an information package that will detail available properties and facilities, cruise and tourism market potential, financial and legal terms associated with this investment opportunity, and the tender process to be followed. This information package will be available in January 2004; and the process of privatization should be completed within the third or fourth quarter of the same year.
Tela Bay, situated along the northwestern coast of Honduras, provides the backdrop for the second privatization opportunity. Once the focus of agricultural industries, the entirety of Tela Bay is undergoing a transformation into Honduras` premier resort destination and will be the subject of substantial public and private investment over the next five years. The mixed-use cruise, marina and related upland development portion of the Tela Bay effort will undergo planning and feasibility analysis commencing early 2004. Funding for this analysis has been provided by the UNDP, and its expected that the first phase of the call for tenders associated with Tela Bay will occur during the latter part of 2004.
Both development opportunities hold tremendous promise for Honduras and indeed for the communities in which they are found, stated Thierry de Pierrefeu, Minister of Tourism. The Government will be active throughout the privatization process to ensure that the full potential of both facilities is realized.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
