by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 9:15 AM ET, Tue March 20, 2018
A destination that by some accounts has long remained under the radar and somewhat undiscovered, Honduras is turning a corner when it comes to the development of its tourism industry.
In recent years the country has witnessed a steady increase in arrivals. In 2017, the small Central American country welcomed more than two million visitors, which represented more than $700 million in tourist spending.
Much of the growth was driven by cruise ships, according to a recent statement released by the Honduras Institute of Tourism, with several new ships arriving in 2017.
At the same time, the country is committed to the development of its tourism infrastructure, and that effort has grown to include new airport improvements, cruise terminals, tour offerings and hotels.
The International Airport of Juan Manuel Galvez, in Roatan, for instance, is slated to undergo multiple upgrades, including a runway extension and the construction of a new building for passengers.
The improvements, according to the statement from the Honduras Institute of Tourism, will allow the airport to receive more planes and better service passengers using the facility.
On the cruise front, Honduras welcomed more than one million passengers in 2017, which is a nearly five percent increase over the prior year. Among the latest ships to begin visiting the country are Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Reflection, Viking Ocean's Viking Sky and TUI Cruises' Mein Schiff, from Germany.
To assist with the flow of cruise ship passengers, Honduras has begun constructing its fourth cruise port. Ampala Cruise Port will open on Tiger Island. It's completion date, however, was not immediately available.
In addition to all of the infrastructure upgrades and construction, Honduras is now seeking to promote itself as a birdwatcher's paradise.
Well-known for its impressive archeological sites (such as Copan) and its diving opportunities, Honduras also offers exquisite bird watching opportunities thanks to being one of the countries in Central America with the most protected land. There are 121 protected areas in the country and more than 770 species of birds have been documented in Honduras.
The country's varied ecosystems provide a home for such birds as the Ocellated Quail, Keel-billed Motmot, Lovely Cotinga, Agami Heron and the Honduran Emerald Hummingbird.
A variety of guides and tour operators specialize in offering bird watching experiences, according to the Honduras Institute of Tourism.
And one last notable milestone for Honduras came in the form of a new Air Europe weekly direct flight from Madrid, Spain to San Pedro Sula. The new route was started in April 2017 and has created far greater connectivity between the Central American country and European travelers.
Occupancy on the weekly flights initially exceeded 85 percent. The airline has since expanded aircraft capacity on the route, shifting to an Airbus 330-300 capable of carrying 388 passengers, which represents an addition of 89 seats.
There's also talk of increasing the frequency of the flights to two per week, according to the Honduras Institute of Tourism.
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