Honduras Political Resolution

TOURISM AREAS CONTINUE TO WELCOME VISITORS
Tegucigalpa, Honduras (October 30, 2009) – Four months after President Manuel Zelaya was relieved of power on June 28, the interim Roberto Micheletti government and Zelaya officials have come to a resolution to end the ongoing political situation in Honduras.

On the evening of October 29, in a U.S.-brokered deal, both sides agreed to a resolution that asks the Honduran Congress, with prior authorization by the Honduran Supreme Court, to approve Zelaya’s return to the presidency until the end of his term. Under the agreement, the candidate elected in the November 29 elections will take office as planned in January 2010. The international community has praised both Micheletti and Zelaya for their willingness to come to a consensus, and end four months of uncertainty in the country.

As a result of this resolution, the World Bank will resume all projects committed to prior to June 28, and the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa will begin issuing Visas to Hondurans within the next week. The Honduran consulates in the U.S. and throughout the world will also resume their diplomatic positions within the next week.
Meanwhile, the Honduras tourism sector continues to welcome visitors to its many tourist areas. Wholesalers, tour operators and hotels in areas such as Roatán, Utila, La Ceiba, Tela and Copán Ruinas are offering special promotions to visitors for the remainder of 2009 and continuing into the 2010 high season. With this resolution and its widespread acceptance in the international community, the travel alerts issued by many countries are expected to be lifted in the forthcoming weeks.
“The committal to this resolution is excellent news for the Honduras tourism industry,” stated Ana Abarca, Minister of Tourism for Honduras. “With this, travelers from around the globe should have no hesitation in taking advantage of everything Honduras has to offer. We very excited to welcome visitors back to our beautiful country.”

Honduras is located in the heart of Central America, encompassing over 43,000 square miles, making it about the size of Tennessee. It is only a short flight from the U.S.: two hours from Miami or less than three hours from Houston or Atlanta. Honduras features a 500-mile Caribbean coastline on its north and a 100-mile Pacific coastline on its south. Travelers can tour Maya ruins in the western highlands, explore an underwater paradise in the Bay Islands, engage in eco-tourism in the La Moskitia region, immerse themselves in the Garifuna or Lenca culture, and much more. Honduras borders on the west with Guatemala, the southwest with El Salvador, and on the east with Nicaragua.