CATA promotes women's economic autonomy through regional tourism

The Central American Tourism Promotion Agency (CATA) has joined the Regional Policy on Gender Equality and Equity (PRIEG/SICA) by becoming a member of its Steering Committee, a regional body dedicated to promoting the economic advancement of women in Central America and the Dominican Republic. By joining Pillar 1, which focuses specifically on economic autonomy, CATA reinforces its commitment to a more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive tourism sector.

Tourism is one of the sectors with the highest female participation in the region. Thousands of women lead activities in hospitality, gastronomy, tour guiding, community-based rural tourism, handicrafts, and businesses linked to the tourism value chain. However, gaps persist in access to financing, inequalities in leadership positions, and cultural barriers that limit their economic autonomy. Given this reality, CATA's presence contributes to promoting measures that expand economic opportunities and strengthen the role of women in regional tourism.

The PRIEG/SICA is the most important instrument of the Central American Integration System regarding gender equality and equity. Its development involved national and regional institutions, and it proposes concrete measures distributed across seven strategic pillars, including economic autonomy, education for equality, health, security, and political participation. The incorporation of CATA into Pillar 1 opens a new avenue for reducing gaps in the tourism sector, strengthening women's participation in international markets, and promoting access to real opportunities for economic growth.

CATA's integration was formalized on October 7, 2025, enabling its participation on November 20 in the 10th Meeting of the PRIEG/SICA Steering Committee. During the meeting, the agency presented its strategic vision for closing gaps in tourism, highlighting initiatives related to strengthening value chains, gender-sensitive training, digitalization of women-led tourism businesses, market access, and the generation of disaggregated regional data.

The PRIEG/SICA Steering Committee brings together entities responsible for the region's economic and social development and is coordinated, in its first pillar, by the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA). Within this framework, CATA collaborates with organizations such as COSEFIN, SISCA, BCIE, CENPROMYPE, OSPESCA, SITCA, and the Central American Agricultural Council.

CATA's participation ensures that the tourism sector—where women play a key role—is integrated into regional initiatives aimed at promoting equality, inclusion, and economic autonomy. Its inclusion strengthens inter-institutional collaboration and consolidates tourism as an engine of development and empowerment for thousands of women in Central America and the Dominican Republic.

SOURCE: CATA / SICA