Narciso Casado meets in Tegucigalpa with authorities and representatives of business organizations from Honduras to promote collaboration between both countries
Strengthening business collaboration between Honduras and Spain, consolidating public-private dialogue, and officially presenting the III Ibero-American Tourism Forum, which will take place on June 2 and 3 in the Central American country, were the main objectives of the visit of the permanent secretary of CEIB-CEOE, Narciso Casado, to Tegucigalpa.
The visit began with a meeting at the Presidential Palace, where the president of Honduras, Nasry Juan Asfura, received the representatives of CEIB and the leadership of the Spanish business organization, accompanied by the president of the Honduran Council of Private Enterprise COHEP, Anabel Gallardó, accompanied by the leadership of the business organization.
During the dialogue, the Honduran president expressed his firm support for the celebration of the Tourism Forum in June and his willingness to actively accompany this strategic initiative for the regional positioning of the country. The Forum, which will be held for the first time in a multisite format (San Pedro Sula, Copán, and Roatán), is expected to bring together hundreds of participants, including entrepreneurs, public officials, international organizations, financial entities, and experts in tourism innovation.
In Casado’s words, “Ibero-American tourism has a historic opportunity, not only to grow but to lead. Honduras reminds us that tourism is not just a mere concept: it is territory, it is community, and it is identity. That is why the Central American country is the perfect place to take the next step in the Ibero-American tourism agenda.”
Both parties took advantage of the meeting to discuss the excellent bilateral relations that both countries maintain, especially in the business realm through the close collaboration between CEOE and COHEP, which is reinforced at the regional level within the Ibero-American Business Council.
The agenda of activities began on Monday with a working breakfast with the presidential commissioner for the Northern Zone, followed by a meeting with the mayor of San Pedro Sula, Roberto Contreras, and a meeting with the director of the city’s Convention Bureau. Subsequently, Casado moved to Tegucigalpa to continue technical meetings with the COHEP team.
On Tuesday, Casado held meetings with prominent representatives of multilateral organizations and financial institutions, such as CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean; the World Bank; the Inter-American Development Bank-BID; the Central American Bank for Economic Integration-BCIE; or Banco Lafise.
Throughout the day, he also met with the Minister of Investments, Epaminondas Marinakys; the Minister of Tourism, Andrés Ehrler; the technical team of COHEP, and executives from BAC Credomatic, addressing issues related to productive financing, digitalization, regional competitiveness, and investment opportunities.
After various meetings with authorities and representatives of local and regional institutions, Casado spoke at the General Assembly of COHEP and at the official presentation of the III Ibero-American Tourism Forum. He also held meetings during Wednesday with the management team of the National Chamber of Industries of Honduras and the National Chamber of Tourism of Honduras (CANATURH), which concluded with a working session to finalize preparations for the Forum in June.
In his speech before the General Assembly of COHEP, Casado highlighted the strategic role of business organizations as guarantors of stability, institutional dialogue, and trust generation. “When the private sector is recognized as part of the solution and not the problem, countries advance,” he stated. “Institutional stability, legal security, and social dialogue are not abstract concepts: they are the foundation upon which investment, employment, and development are built.”
In this regard, he emphasized that the current moment requires strengthening regional integration: “I am convinced that it is the hour of Ibero-America. In a fragmented and unpredictable world, our business networks, public-private cooperation, and commitment to innovation and inclusion are more important than ever.”
During Casado’s visit to Honduras, the official presentation of the III Ibero-American Tourism Forum took place, under the slogan “Technology and development: intelligence that enhances territories.” During the event, the president of CEIB and CEOE, Antonio Garamendi, conveyed in a video conference intervention a general invitation to all participants in the event, thus reinforcing the message of the country’s president, Nasry Asfura.
The Tourism Forum will be structured around four strategic axes: data-driven governance, productivity and inclusion of SMEs, youth talent and employability, sustainability, and territorial intelligence. “Tourism is not just a key industry; it is a transformative force. When managed with vision, it creates real opportunities for communities, drives innovation, and strengthens the productive fabric,” Casado pointed out.
In addition, technology must be understood as a tool for development, Casado noted: “We are not talking about technology as an end in itself, but as a means to make better decisions, anticipate risks, improve competitiveness, and better distribute the benefits of tourism.”
Honduras, host of Ibero-American tourism
The permanent secretary of CEIB highlighted that Honduras has unique conditions to lead this new stage of regional tourism: a strategic geographical position, a dynamic business sector, high potential in tourism, agro-industry, and services, and a young population called to be a motor of innovation. “Employability is the best social policy that exists. There is no more effective inclusion than formal and stable employment,” he stated, reiterating CEIB’s commitment to dual training, the connection between business and education, and the retention of young talent.
The III Ibero-American Tourism Forum is part of the ongoing lines of work of CEIB, which enrich the Ibero-American Business Meetings of the Summits of Heads of State and Government, in collaboration with the Ibero-American business organizations of CEIB and FIJE and related institutions in the region.
“Honduras calls us, Central America connects us, and Ibero-America needs us”, concluded Casado. “If we work together —public sector, private sector, and civil society— we will not only overcome current challenges but will emerge stronger.”