CATA promotes female leadership in Central American tourism
The agency promotes socially focused investment and highlights the impact of women's work on local economies and community development
As part of the commemoration of International Women's Day 2026, the Central American Tourism Promotion Agency (CATA) is participating in the "Investors for Equality 2026: Rights in Action" Fair, promoted by the Council of Ministers of Women of Central America and the Dominican Republic (COMMCA), an initiative aimed at mobilizing resources and strengthening equality in the region.
In this space, CATA positions tourism as a platform for social transformation, highlighting the leading role of women in the industry. In Central America, tourism has a woman's face: more than 60% of the sector's micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are led by women, who sustain and energize the tourism value chain through hospitality, gastronomy, local guiding, and artisanal production.
During the fair, the Agency, together with the SEMIYA association, presents an exhibition highlighting the link between tourism and women's economic empowerment, showcasing how handicrafts, beyond being products, represent identity, territory, and memory. Each piece, crafted by women in communities, reflects processes of autonomy, income generation, and social transformation, demonstrating the real impact of tourism on people's lives.
With this participation, CATA opens a window into the foundation that sustains tourism in the region, promoting a vision that transcends the economic to focus on human development. The Agency encourages purposeful investment and recognizes that empowering women within tourism not only boosts destinations but also transforms entire communities.
This space, developed under the motto “Rights. Justice. Action. By and for all women and girls”, is part of the efforts of the Central American Integration System (SICA) to translate regional commitments into concrete actions, strategic alliances and investments aimed at guaranteeing women's rights, in response to challenges such as inequality, migration and climate change.
Source:
Central American Tourism Promotion Agency (CATA)