MITUR to hold forum on extending scope of National Tourism Plan from 2014 to 2020

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (September 16, 2008) – The El Salvador Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) will hold a “Forum of Reflection” this coming September 17 and 18 to extend the scope of the 2014 National Tourism Plan to the year 2020. The Forum will have five integrated working groups at which the sectors summoned to participate will propose actions to supplement what has already been established in the Plan and the National Tourism Strategy.

The event has been structured in such a way that it will incorporate five relevant areas: Public Infrastructure Services Geared Towards Tourism, Tourism Segments, Tourism Services, Marketing, and Commercialization and Promotion.

This national gathering is the most important event concerning tourism to take place this year in El Salvador, and it will be attended by tourism industry executives, hotel and restaurant entrepreneurs, tourism operators, municipalities, expert consultants, travel agencies, car rental firms, public sector representatives, union officials, academics and other guests.

Those who are unable to take part in the event will have access via the web at http://www.elsalvador.travel/ by clicking on the link “Foro de Reflexion,” (Forum of Reflection), which has been created by MITUR for all interested parties who, starting September 11, can send in their own comments to be included in the proposals for the new 2020 National Tourism Plan (Spanish acronym, PNT).

The 2014 PNT has laid the foundation of the strategy that has fostered activities determining El Salvador’s model for tourism development over the past two and a half years. At present, the Plan contains 188 actions, which constitutes a 62 percent increase, a significant point, considering that it was initially designed for a time horizon of 2014.

Both the National Discussion that took place this past July, as well as the Forum of Reflection and the drafting of its final document, which is expected to be ready in November of 2008, are being coordinated by the Spanish company GDT, a group from Andalusia engaged in consulting, training, new technologies and business advisory services, with comprehensive support for the sector of tourism, hotels and land development.