IAN STALKER
Air Canada will soon become a weighty air bridge between Toronto and Guatemala, leaving Guatemala tourist board INGUAT hopeful that a nation that traditionally has had a somewhat low profile in this country will build upon the recent inroads it’s been making among Canadians.
Air Canada will begin Toronto-Guatemala City service in December, complementing its Montreal service.
INGUAT president Harris Whitbeck told a recent Toronto gathering that the Montreal route “opened the door to Canada for us” and the Toronto service represents a new opportunity for the Central American nation’s tourist trade.
Whitbeck noted Canadian visitations are on the upswing, rising 20% in the January-September period of this year. The country is expecting around 50,000 of us to visit this year and is hoping to top 60,000 in 2027.
Whitbeck noted that Guatemala – which once used the tourism campaign slogan The Heart of the Maya World and which has dozens of Indigenous dialects – isn’t relying on beaches and nature alone as it competes for tourists.
“Some of (Guatemala’s) neighbors have beautiful beaches but not history…” he said.”Our objective isn’t to reinvent Guatemala. The authenticity of our products is our main selling point.”
Much of Guatemala’s tourism trade revolves around the scenic former capital of Antigua, known for its colonial architecture and cobblestone streets and which is ringed by three volcanoes. Antigua has UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
Another World Heritage Site is the northern Guatemala archaeological site of Tikal, which features 5 massive temples that rise above the jungle canopy and numerous other ancient structures, and is one of thousands of Maya archeological sites in the country, prompting Whiteck to declare that his homeland is “different because we have that 3,000 years of history.”
Tikal amounted to the “New York City of the Maya empire,” he continued of that site, now in a national park bearing the same name. The Maya influence is very visible in Guatemala, where women often wear traditional Maya clothes.
Also popular with tourists is Lake Atitlán, which Brave New World author Aldous Huxley labelled the most beautiful lake in the world.
Whitbeck also said his country – home to large tracts of rainforest and Caribbean and Pacific coasts – has some of “the best expressions of nature you’ve ever seen.”
Whitbeck noted Guatemala has varied lodging options that include chain hotels and boutique luxury properties, and yoga retreats are also available.
INGUAT is working to ensure that locals benefit from tourism in the predominantly Indigenous country, with Whitbeck noting that the Camino del Tiempo – which features hiking in Guatemala’s Highlands – has worked to ensure Indigenous involvement in a project that showcases his country’s long past.
“When you walk these trails today, you’re walking trails that have been walked for thousands of years,” he continued.
The evening also saw Air Canada’s Shabnam Esfahani praise Guatemala, saying it “offers an incredible combination of culture, history, nature, adventure and warm hospitality, making it a destination that can be enjoyed throughout the year.”
Meanwhile, Whitbeck said his homeland is safe for foreign visitors, reporting that fewer than 80 of them reported being victims of crime last year.
More information about the country can be found at visitguatemala.gt.en.
