Two agreements were signed by Stéphanie Balmir Villedrouin, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Industries (MTIC), during the 35th edition of the International Fair FITUR 2015, which ended in Madrid, Spain on 1 February. An event where the Haiti booth received many visitors eager to learn more about the destination.

Recall that the FITUR, the second largest tourism fair in the world, this year recorded a record attendance with 225,000 visitors including at least 120,000 professionals or 3.3% more than the previous year, according to provisional figures

With the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism of the Kingdom of Spain, the MTIC signed a first MoU around the cooperation between the two countries in terms of tourism on an equal basis of mutual benefits. In this Memorandum, several axis were taken into account, particularly from the perspective of tourism relations, cooperation between the tourism sectors, information exchange, tourism investment, technical assistance, etc... This agreement extends over the next five years, will allow the Haitian government through the MTIC, to receive crucial assistance from Spain in relation to tourism studies and some promotional activities of tourist attractions in the country such as exhibitions, conferences, fairs, workshops and seminars.

A second agreement was signed between the Government of Haiti and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), concerning the holding from 19 to 28 May in Port-au-Prince, of the 58th meeting of the Commission of the OMT for the Americas. This agreement concerns among other the privileges, immunities and facilities of the participants and the conditions of organizations of this important meeting in which nearly 32 ministers and senior officials of the UNWTO, specialized agency of the United Nations, are expected in the Haitian capital during the event.

Note that the Ministry of Tourism, in its policy to promote Haiti as a destination, actively participates in major events of the industry worldwide. Currently, significant benefits are seen both in the recognition of the destination in the international press, as in the number of tourist arrivals in the country.

HL/ HaitiLibre