Honduras Tourism News

Roatán's mayor's office denied involvement in reports of a L5,000–L5,800 charge on tourist transport operators, saying the Honduran Land Transport Institute (IHTT) called the meeting; an IHTT official clarified the charge is a L2,800 (about $112) permit fee for drivers to legalize licenses.

The Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa in West Bay has received a Michelin Key, a prestigious international honor awarded to exceptional hotels, marking another international recognition for Honduras's luxury hospitality sector.

The Honduran Institute of Land Transport will issue a temporary special permit costing 2,800 lempiras (about $112) to unlicensed tour transport operators in Roatán, allowing them to keep working while they complete the administrative steps required to legalize their vehicles.

Sargassum seaweed arrived on Omoa's Caribbean beaches two days ago, disrupting fishing and threatening tourism during the busy Morazán Week holiday, with local authorities organizing cleanup crews to keep the coastline clear.

Tourism operator Marco Galindo estimates Roatán's visitor numbers have doubled in 2026, driven by more flights and yacht traffic, but says waste management and urban infrastructure must improve to sustain growth.

Honduras and Japan have agreed to build a new visitor center at the Copán archaeological park for approximately 17.5 million lempiras (about $700,000), with a one-year timeline, to streamline tourist entry and provide modern ticketing and orientation services.

The Paseo de los Girasoles in Copán Ruinas, which began in 2020 as a drought-relief feed crop, has evolved into an ecotourism attraction with scheduled plantings to ensure year-round blooms, visitor services, and a honey project.

Tela is preparing to welcome approximately 200,000 tourists during Morazán Week (October 7–10), one of the year's peak tourism seasons, with about 60% of visitors coming from central Honduras departments.

The president of Honduras's national tourism chamber said the part-time employment law, which requires a minimum 18-hour work week, is incompatible with tourism's needs and that the industry is pushing for hourly-based employment instead.

Honduras's Tourism Ministry is launching a campaign for the October 7–10 Morazánica holiday, projecting over 500,000 travelers and encouraging domestic tourism to keep spending within Honduras rather than abroad, while promoting lesser-known destinations alongside traditional coastal and archaeological sites.

Tourism Minister Andrés Ehrler projects that about 500,000 Hondurans will travel domestically during the Morazán Week holiday, generating over 600 million lempiras ($24 million) in spending, with popular destinations including Tela, La Ceiba, Omoa, and the Bay Islands.

Chepes Beach on Utila has been selected for Corona Beach 100 – World's Best Beaches 2026, an international ranking that positions Honduras's Bay Islands among the world's premier destinations and highlights its marine ecosystems and natural attractions.

The Honduran Institute of Tourism and Tomalá municipality are partnering to upgrade El Cerrito, a scenic overlook in the Lempira municipality, with new trails, a second elevated level, perimeter walls, lighting, cultural murals, and a café to boost local tourism and economic opportunity.

Tegucigalpa will hold the second edition of TRESOrígenes on September 12, a free cultural event celebrating the identities of Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala through music, food, and local entrepreneurship at Plaza del Monumento de La Paz.

Tourism Minister Andrés Ehrler held talks in the Dominican Republic with investors and airline representatives, including Grupo Barceló (which has no direct investments in Honduras) and Arajet, to promote tourism projects and expand air connectivity to position Honduras as a Caribbean hub.

President Nasry Asfura announced an electronic card system to modernize visitor access at Copán Ruins, part of a broader effort to boost tourism at the 1,600-year-old archaeological site.

Honduras and Japan signed an agreement to build a modern visitor center at the Copán Ruins archaeological site for 17.5 million lempiras (about $700,000), featuring online ticket sales and improved facilities to strengthen tourism at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Roatán's municipality is rolling out a structured training and certification program called Anfitriones del Destino (Destination Hosts) for tourism workers, including beach massage providers, to raise service standards and professionalize the sector.

Honduras's tourism board will represent the Bay Islands at DEMA Show, a major international diving and water-sports trade fair held November 3–6 in New Orleans, to promote the islands' diving industry and connect with global operators.

More than 15,500 Salvadorans entered Honduras during the August holiday week, a 31% increase over the same period last year, generating approximately $1.2 million in foreign exchange for the country, according to Tourism Minister Andrés Ehrler.

Growing visitor numbers to El Merendón's natural attractions and cafés—including flower farms, mountain biking, and hiking—have prompted police to increase patrols to protect tourists and local entrepreneurs in the mountain communities.

Danlí inaugurated FESTIMA 2026 on August 11, the 47th edition of its International Corn Festival celebrating the city's agricultural heritage and cultural identity with pageants, traditional crafts, corn-based cuisine, sports, and performances.

Margaritaville Island Reserve Resort Roatán, backed by a $330 million investment, is advancing with government support and is projected to create more than 1,500 jobs across construction and permanent operations.

Tela's municipality presented plans for a 1.5-kilometer linear park along a defunct canal, a tourism pier for boats and yachts, and a bike path to improve public spaces and marine-based tourism, though projects remain in design phase pending permits and financing.

The Honduran Tourism Institute is investing L8.25 million (about $330,000) in Santa Rosa de Copán to construct a glass viewpoint in La Honduras sector and a bird-watching tower at El Cerrito, converting former dumpsites into family recreation and tourism spaces.

Business leaders in Copán Ruinas submitted a five-year tourism agenda to the government on August 5 that outlines infrastructure, workforce training, and border-crossing improvements to boost the region's competitiveness and economic activity around the Maya archaeological park.

Honduras's Cacao Ecotourism Route (RETCACAOH) connects family-run cacao farms, natural reserves, and tourism parks across the country where visitors can learn chocolate production from harvest to finished product, with the government and farmers aiming to diversify rural incomes through sustainable agritourism.

The Infrastructure and Transport Ministry (SIT) is driving construction of a yacht marina in Tela, with a shopping center and hotel also projected, in a development officials say will attract domestic and foreign tourists.

Roatán's municipal tourism office held a second training session for over 60 street vendors and tour operators in customer service, environmental practices, and visitor engagement as part of its Destination Hosts Program.

President Nasry Asfura announced an electronic card system for visitors to Copán Ruins during a ceremony marking 1,600 years of the archaeological site, aiming to streamline access and boost tourism.