Guatemala is already preparing to expand its capacity to host major events with projects such as Arena Gallo, Distrito Futeca, and the convention center planned by IRTRA in Retalhuleu. However, accommodating the visitors these investments could attract also requires lodging, air connections, transportation, and security measures both inside and outside the venues.

Javier Arzú, CEO of ASA Promotions, agrees that the new infrastructure must be accompanied by an expanded hotel supply to attract visitors from other countries.

The availability of venues has limited the organization of some events, explained Allison Batres, an expert in MICE tourism. When an international association seeks a venue, it also evaluates the destination’s safety, sustainability practices, and capacity to accommodate and transport its participants.

From the hospitality sector, Luis Rey of the Guatemalan Chamber of Tourism (Camtur) believes that the current offerings can accommodate events through facilities of various categories. However, he warns that as demand increases, it will be necessary to build more hotels and train staff to meet visitors’ standards.

Added to these requirements is emergency preparedness. Susan Godoy, a standards specialist with the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred), notes that a building’s capacity must correspond to its evacuation routes and that each event requires safety measures tailored to its specific characteristics and risks.

More Space to Compete for Conferences

The convention industry encompasses more than just concerts: it also includes conferences, conventions, trade shows, exhibitions, and other events that bring together participants and vendors. For Batres, new projects can expand Guatemala’s opportunities in a market where available space determines which bids are successful.

The organizer cites the Ibero-American Poultry Congress as an example, which she is organizing at Coperex from November 10 to 13 for some 3,500 participants. The event requires spaces for conferences and exhibitions, as well as meals for thousands of people—a combination that limits the available options.

“We don’t have another venue where 3,000 people can have lunch while also attending conferences and having access to an exhibition space,” she says. She also explains that at the chosen venue, meals will need to be served in two shifts.

Batres mentions the Westin Camino Real and Tikal Futura among the venues that currently have the capacity to host large events. In his view, the new venues will provide more options for promoting the country to organizers who require spaces and services that must operate simultaneously.

José Javier Arzú, founder of  Futeca Corporación, interviewed for this article, explains that the project aims to accommodate sporting events, performances, and business meetings. He notes that between the lower level of the venue and the convention halls, approximately 15,000 square meters are planned for conferences, trade shows, and exhibitions.

“If I’m not mistaken, we’ll become the largest convention center in Central America. And that, when it comes down to it, is definitely going to bring a lot of business to Guatemala,” he said. 

The goal is to attract events that currently face difficulties due to infrastructure limitations. However, he acknowledges that providing a venue for thousands of attendees requires services capable of accommodating them throughout their stay.

Javier Arzú, of ASA Promotions, points out that having permanent facilities can reduce production costs compared to open-air venues, where promoters must set up restrooms, chairs, dressing rooms, and stages for each show. In his view, this difference can make the country more attractive to international producers and artists.

“The cost of producing an event will definitely go down (...) and that will help build a stronger industry in Guatemala for producing events, conventions, and any other type of event.”

Claudia Coronado, of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (Inguat), reports that 23 conferences were held last year, 12 of which took place in Antigua Guatemala and 11 in the capital. She sees the new venues as an opportunity to expand the country’s offerings to international organizers. 

“When we talk about MICE tourism—which is very important for the sector, accounting for 25% of all tourism—25% of all incoming tourism comes from conferences and conventions,” explained the INGUAT representative.

The hospitality industry must keep pace with demand

The ability to accommodate large groups is one of the main concerns of the Futeca District representative. He points out that the success of these projects depends on visitors being able to find suitable accommodations and services, whether they are arriving from abroad or from other departments.

“It’s important for this sector to grow and become more dynamic,” he said regarding the hotel industry. He believes that the growth of the lodging sector requires a national plan that encourages investment in this industry.

Rey adds a nuance regarding the current state of readiness. He asserts that three-, four-, and five-star hotels can help accommodate events, although growing demand will require further investment. He also mentions the development of lodging options in Cayalá and the presence of establishments in Zone 10.

“In the long term, we’re going to need more investors—given the existing demand—to build new hotels,” he notes.

Location also plays a role. Rey explains that the proximity of the hotels in Zone 10 to the airport is an advantage, but that the commute to the event venue must be taken into account. Accommodations near the airport can lead to complicated travel arrangements if the venue is far away and the commute coincides with peak traffic hours.

In Retalhuleu, where the IRTRA project is being planned, he identifies opportunities to expand the hotel and restaurant sectors. Regarding Antigua Guatemala, he acknowledges its potential, though he points out space and mobility constraints that must be taken into account when organizing events.

Service preparation is another issue. Rey highlights the staff’s attentiveness and warmth as one of the country’s strengths, but suggests working with future employees to achieve higher quality standards. Batres also agrees on the need to train those who organize meetings and the companies that provide complementary services.

Javier Arzú, of ASA Promotions, recalled during the interview that, during the production of Shakira’s tour in El Salvador, room availability was a challenge: “One of the major problems was the lack of hotel accommodations,” he noted. In his view, expanding the range of lodging options would allow shows in Guatemala to attract foreign visitors as well.

Arriving in the Country and Traveling to the Event

Connectivity is also a key consideration for both organizers and business leaders. It includes flights to Guatemala and attendees’ travel between the airport, hotels, event venues, and tourist destinations.

“No speaker, no conference participant wants to spend an hour on the bus to get to their session and another hour on the way back,” warns Batres. He explains that attendees also have to attend to work commitments during the trip, so the time spent traveling affects their experience.

The founder of Futeca Corporatión notes that they commissioned a mobility study to identify improvements in the area surrounding the project. He mentions proposals for overpasses, lane changes, and street improvements to facilitate access.

In addition to immediate access routes, he argues that the country needs a functional airport and air connections that will allow it to attract visitors from different markets. In his view, the development of infrastructure in the surrounding areas requires the participation of municipalities and the government.

Rey also points out the need to improve transportation options to destinations outside the capital. He explains that visitors typically seek out short trips, so air connectivity can influence the ability to complement an event with other tourist experiences.

“One of the biggest problems we have in Guatemala City is hotel capacity.”

Coronado acknowledges that infrastructure and the speed of access to venues are areas that need to be improved.

“We must continue working with organizations, ministries, and companies (…) to strengthen this so that you can reach these venues much more quickly.”

Visitor Safety and Emergency Preparedness

For Batres, safety is one of the first factors considered by those looking for a destination. Travel advisories for the country and the ability of participants to move about with peace of mind are part of that assessment.

“The meetings industry is one of the tourism sectors that keeps artists safest and best cared for,” he said.

Rey cited examples of coordination with the City of Guatemala, Emetra, and the National Civil Police (PNC) to organize transportation and perimeter security for hotels and event venues. Coronado, for his part, highlighted the tourism assistance offered by Inguat as part of the services it presents to potential organizers.

Arzú points out that producing concerts in open-air venues requires installing restrooms, seating, dressing rooms, and stages for each show. He believes that having this infrastructure in place can reduce costs and improve the country’s competitiveness. “The cost of producing an event will definitely go down,” he says.

At these venues, safety also depends on the ability to evacuate the audience and respond to an emergency. Godoy explains that NRD-2 establishes technical requirements for buildings and facilities intended for public use and that it must be applied to both existing structures and projects currently in the planning stages.

She notes that this assessment allows for determining the maximum occupancy and the necessary evacuation routes. These include exits, stairways, and ramps, as well as their dimensions and characteristics to facilitate the movement of people to public thoroughfares.

“That is the main thing we need to put in place: knowing how many people we will have and ensuring that those people evacuate in an organized manner,” explains Godoy. He adds that evacuation resources must be sufficient to accommodate that population.

The institutional information shared by CONRED regarding NRD-2 confirms that its scope covers existing and future public-use buildings, with the purpose of protecting people from natural or man-made events.

Godoy also explains that NRD-4 establishes minimum requirements for social and organizational events. The assessment considers whether the activity is held indoors or outdoors, the type of audience, the number of attendees, and the nature of the event.

According to the interviewee, measures such as the availability of ambulances, notification of nearby hospitals, and emergency response equipment depend on that classification. The number of resources required must be determined on a case-by-case basis.

She explains that risks vary depending on the activity: an event involving fireworks presents different conditions than a soccer game. Therefore, preparations must take into account both the physical space and the threats associated with how it will be used.

Identifying events before venues open

For Javier Arzú of ASA Promotions, attracting conventions requires joint organization among the sectors involved. Among the opportunities, he mentions the regional sales conventions of multinational companies that are currently held in other destinations. He believes that Guatemala could compete for these events if it has the necessary conditions to host them.

Competition for hosting rights begins years in advance. Batres explains that associations may award contracts for their international conferences three to six years before they take place, so the effort to attract such events must go hand in hand with infrastructure development.

“International conferences are secured three, four, or six years in advance,” he says. In his view, Guatemala should begin submitting bids now to take advantage of the opportunities that will become available in the coming years.

He proposes involving Guatemalan professionals and associations that are part of international networks to promote the country as a host. These contacts can identify opportunities at scientific, academic, and business meetings and communicate each organization’s requirements to local vendors.

“What we’re looking to do is show them that Guatemala is ready for these events.”

It also involves determining what types of events we want to attract and what capacity is needed. This decision requires knowing the number of participants, the exhibition spaces, lodging, meals, and services requested by each organizer.

Coronado explained that INGUAT participates in international trade shows alongside companies that offer services to host events in the country. “We invite these businesspeople to promote Guatemala, whether through packages or whatever else they have to offer,” she said.

The official added that the Convention Bureau supports site visits, during which organizers assess whether the venues meet their needs. Among the planned events, she mentioned: “Next year we have an infectious diseases conference coming up, as well as an agriculture event also scheduled for next year, each with 500 to 600 attendees.”

Batres adds that training and sustainability must be part of that preparation. She notes that organizers are looking for practices that can be demonstrated and measured, and that in Guatemala there are still few hotels, venues, and professionals with specific certifications.

“In Guatemala, there aren’t many certified meeting planners, and there aren’t many hotels certified in sustainability,” she said.

Regarding administrative procedures, Rey proposes a one-stop tourism service center to streamline the processing of permits for new investments and for tourist transportation.

 “The paperwork takes a long time, and if the permit has already expired because the new one hasn’t been issued yet, the transportation company gets fined,” he says.

The CEO of ASA Promotions also proposes establishing clear procedures for obtaining the necessary licenses to hold shows. He believes that reducing bureaucratic red tape would make it easier to organize events and improve the country’s ability to compete with other destinations.

“The less bureaucracy there is—or the fewer administrative hurdles there are to organizing an event—the easier it becomes, because that puts us in a more competitive position compared to other countries,” he says.

The benefits sought also extend to businesses outside the venues. Coronado explains that attendees can extend their stay to visit other destinations. “They come for their conferences, but they arrive about two or three days early. […] They attend their conference, convention, or event, and then stay a few more days.”

Rey identifies opportunities for other services. “It’s not just the hotels and the venue; it also has to do with tourist transportation. People will want to take a city tour or explore Antigua.”

Arzú of ASA Promotions explains that, depending on the scale of the concert, direct hiring can reach 2,000 people on the day of the event, including waitstaff, private security personnel, ushers, and cleaning staff. Added to this figure are between 200 and 300 people involved in the setup beforehand. He clarifies that these estimates correspond to temporary jobs generated by large-scale events.

For Batres, this opportunity must be pursued starting with the initial bid. “We have to go out and bid on events today,” he says. Planning ahead would allow organizers to be offered the venues they need and, at the same time, prepare the services that event participants will require.

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