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" .. ‘a.lLI-.Lp .I.v ”Cd-16.0 0,?! 8.0;... .n. o . I. .r .. . , . . .o . ......C-T... o.'o.. . . ... .r..—a...o...‘...0. 010.0. . o _ ... .. .- l ...-....o.. A... . .. . ..-. . ... ... .....lin. o -.....fo , ..,...»....Mv~..:r.u:. ..z....8....n.czo...6J‘—r.mm.?. .. : vow. Macs)“; o D . . .. . .. . ... . r . . . .. - .... .:.... ... _. . c5 ...; ...: , ......_........£. ...e. \............. ... ....,........¢. ..........:......$...3 .4.. ~..f&'1..ro...:1¢ . ...-... 2151.5’O‘1VVVU3: .o’l 8:43.3113132 v.1.ovoc.1 o...f-...r.ous.rv..o :1 01.1.0. 0.....001. x n at... ....o....v¢rfl.c.1.. 1.. - ...... ...... o v . a o yEkob O 0‘51”“. THEE ‘3 .“- - - - - ~ ~ - n l ‘ - u a ‘. 2 ~ . - O, 3 ‘ ;' ' ‘ ‘-U.’ - 0‘ 1 ‘1‘, 3.22;, s“— 1’ {1.01.1 ,1“: ...“1vusrty ABSTRACT TOURIST AREAS AND POTENTIAL ON THE PACIFIC COAST OF GUATEMALA by David Robert Hicks Revenue from tourism in Guatemala is disproportionately small compared with that of the Caribbean area, and especially Mexico. The primary factors responsible are unfavorable beach conditions and inade— quate tourist facilities on the Pacific coast. Despite present condi- tions of underdevelopment, the area appears to have definite tourism potential. The recently-Opened Pacific Coast Highway now provides an all-paved route through the region, and some roads connecting with the coast have been completed. The National Tourist Institute has shown increased interest in stimulating tourism in the area, as have a number of other government agencies. Although Guatemala is no less picturesque than Mexico, its tourist facilities on the Pacific coast consist mostly of poorly constructed thatchedrroof beach houses. Safe drinking water, electri- city, and proper sewage disposal are, in general, yet to be installed in most areas. Black volcanic sand occurs extensively along the shore, and.many tourists, especially North Americans, are not initially attracted to it. Elsewhere, poor access, mangrove thicket, heavy surf, strong undertow, and the lack of natural harbors have retarded tourism development. David Robert Hicks An analysis of field data indicates that much of the Guatemalan Pacific coast is unsuited to large-scale tourism development or promo- tion, but important exceptions exist. With paved access roads from the Pacific Coast Highway, tourists might begin to visit those beach areas having development potential, thus warranting the construction of facilities. To evaluate the tourism potential of the Pacific coast all transportation routes were analyzed, including roads, rivers, and the Chiquimulilla Canal. Interpretive study of aerial photos, tOpographic maps, and nautical charts made possible the analysis of beach charac- teristics. Extensive interviews with people knowledgeable concerning both the area and topic provided a useful supplement to personal observation. On the basis of this study it is recommended that: (l) roads constructed primarily to serve agriculture should be planned to stimu- late fishing and tourism as well, (2) a coastal road should be constructed to connect attractive beach areas that are presently inaccessible to tourists, (3) a national park and game preserve should be established near the Chiquimulilla Canal, and (h) a tourist complex should be built in conjunction with a proposed Pacific port facility. At present, San José is the favored site for the prOposed port, and the nearby Chiquimulilla Canal possesses significant tourism potential. A tourist complex located in this area, and benefiting from the advantages offered by the prOposed port, would attract additional investment and tourists. TOURIST AREAS AND POTENTIAL ON THE PACIFIC COAST OF GUATEMALA By David Robert Hicks A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Geography 1971 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v LIST OF MAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...! Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Study Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Findings of the Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . oomrrw II. GENERAL DESCRIPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Physical Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ll Vegetation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l2 Settlement and Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1h III. THE WESTERN PACIFIC COAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Inland Pacific Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Physical Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2O Settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Tourism Potential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 The Immediate Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2h Physical Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2h Settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Tourism Potential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 ii Table of Contents (Continued) CHAPTER IV. v. VI. VII. Physical Features Settlement . . . Economy . . . . Tourism . . . . . Tourism Potential The Immediate Coast Physical Features . Settlement . . Economy . . . . Tourism . . . . . Tourism Potential . Physical Features Settlement . . . Economy . . . . . Tourism . . . . . Tourism Potential The Immediate Coast Physical Features Settlement . . . Economy . . . . . Tourism . . . . . Tourism Potential EXISTING TOURISM . . Highways . . . . Secondary Roads . . Bridges . . . . . Airports . . . w . Waterways . . . . . Railroads . . . . . THE CENTRAL PACIFIC COAST The Inland Pacific Coast THE EASTERN PACIFIC COAST The Inland Pacific Coast TRANSPORTATION AS A FACTOR IN iii TOURISM Tourist Numbers and Expenditures Major Tourist Gateways Negative Tourism Factors Positive Tourism Factors Page Table of Contents (Continued) CHAPTER VIII. TOURIST FACILITIES AND SERVICES . . Food Establishments . . . . . . . Lodging Accommodations . . . . . Hotels . . . . . . . . . . . Pensiones . . . . . . . . . . Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . Service Stations . . . Recreational Facilities . . . . . IX. UTILITIES AND TOURISM DEVELOPMENT . Electricity . . . . . . . . . . . Potable water . . . . . . . . . . Sanitation . . . . . . . . . . . X. FUTURE AREA DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM Classification of Beaches . . . . The Problem of Access . . . . . . The Need for Improved Facilities Investment . . . . . . . . . . . A Deep-water Pacific Port . . . . The Chiquimulilla Canal - ~ - . - XI. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION . . Recommendations . . . . . . Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . BIBLIOGWHY O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 iv Page Th Th 75 76 78 79 80 8h 89 89 93 95 97 97 102 105 107 109 112 116 116 118 121 11. 12. 13. 1h. 15. LIST OF FIGURES Guatemalan Pacific piedmont east of Chiquimulilla. Laguna Nisguaya in foreground . . . . . . . . . . . Sugar cane east of Escuintla. Vblcén Agua in b aCkgmlm d O O . O O . C O C O O O O . O O O O 0 . Recently-constructed warehouse at Champerico . . . . . Chururin, a remote fishing village along the central Pacific coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bananas on the central Pacific coastal plain near El semillero O O O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O O O Estero de Pepesca (Laguna de Tecojate) near Tecojate . Chiquimulilla Canal near El Pared6n . . . . . . . . . Black sand beach west of Tecojate . . . . . . . . . . Village of Pasaco, on the lower slopes of the eastern Pacific piedmont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Piedmont slope and seaward plain in extreme southeastern Guatemala . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laguna El Comendador and rolling Pacific piedmont near Guatemala-El Salvador border from roadside turnout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Canal de Ubico, a tributary channel of the Chiquimulilla Canal, near Likin . . . . . . . . . Entrance to Likin, near the port of San José . . . . . Wide, attractive beach at Las Lisas, along the eastern Pacific littoral . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Rio Paz, part of Guatemala's southeastern boundary with El Salvador, near Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado . . Page 13 13 27 27 35 35 38 38 hh hh h7 h? 51 51 57 List of Figures (Continued) FIGURE l6. l7. l8. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 2h. 25. 26. Heavy surf at Tahuexco, southeast of Champerico . . Farm-to-market road near the agricultural deveIOpment zone of "Montfifar," in extreme southeastern Guat ema]. a O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O O O O O Mangrove flat at Likin, with Chiquimulilla Canal in baCRground . C O O O O O O O O O C O C O O O C 0 El Pared6n, on the leeward bank of a barrier spit separating the Chiquimulilla Canal from the Open ocem O O O O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O 0 Black, sandy beach at village of Hawaii . . . . . New residential construction at Likin . . . . . . . Large swimming pool adjacent to residential area in Likin O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 Wide, attractive beach and light surf immediately west Of Las Lisas O O O O O O O O O O I O O O 0 Palm grove on the leeward side of barrier spit at Las Li 883 O O C O O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O The Chiquimulilla Canal at Las Lisas . . . . . . Pelican in mangrove at El Pared6n . . . . . . . . . vi Page 57 68 68 86 86 9h 9h 99 99 115 115 LIST OF MAPS 1. Guatemala: Pacific Coast Region . . . . . . . . . 2. Guatemala: western Pacific Coast Region . . . . . 3. Guatemala: Central Pacific Coast Region . . . . . h. Guatemala: Eastern Pacific Coast Region . . . . . 5. Pacific Coast Region: 6. Pacific Coast Region: 7. Pacific Coast Region: TABLE Lodging Facilities . . Service Stations . . . . . Tourism Development . . . . LIST OF TABLES 1. Visitor Origin and Tourism Expenditures in Guatemfla, 1965-1967 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o 2. Central American Tourists Visiting Guatemala, 1967 . vii Page 19 32 h3 77 83 100 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The potential for tourism as a major source of foreign exchange in Central America is increasingly being recognized. Yet, tourism development throughout the isthmus has traditionally lagged far behind that of the Caribbean area and Mexico. That the lack of tourism revenue is seen as a regional prOblem is evidenced by the formation, in 1965, of the Secretaria‘d§_Integracién Turistica Centroamericana (SITCA) by the five Central American nations. The initial program of the organization is designed to attract selected elements of the potential tourist popu- lation, rather than tourists in general. This is due largely to the fact that the Central American countries have limited funds to expend in promotional efforts, and existing facilities are inadequate to accom— modate a large and sudden influx of tourists at this time.1 The paucity of tourism in Guatemala is particularly striking when compared with that of its neighbor to the north. In Mexico, revenue from tourism has increased to such an extent that it is by far the leading source of dollar income.2 Meanwhile, in Guatemala the income from tourism is less than one-tenth the amount earned from the 1"Tourism in Central America," Latin American Report, Vol. V, No. 12, December—January, 1966, p. 3h. 2"Turismo, factor bésico de la actividad econ6mica mundial", §1_Universal, Mexico, D. F., July 27, 1966. l country's leading export, coffee. Although Guatemala is no less picturesque than Mexico, it lacks suitable tourist facilities, is deficient in the promotion of tourism, and gains less income from tourists than its own citizens spend in travel abroad. Some tourism has developed on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, but it is limited primarily to native Guatemalans and to such occasions as weekends and religious holidays. North Americans, constituting the greatest potential number of tourists, and other foreign tourists are conspicuously absent. Three factors largely responsible for the dearth of tourists on the Pacific coast are: (1) poor accommodations, (2) poor access, and (3) inadequate development of areas that have significant tourism potential. Existing tOurist facilities consist mainly of poorly constructed thatched—roof beach houses. In general, electricity, potable water, and prOper sewage disposal systems have yet to be installed. Natural conditions have also contributed to the retarded status of tourism along the coast. Black volcanic sand occurs exten- sively along the shore, and many tourists, especially North Americans, are not initially attracted to the area. Mangrove thickets, heavy surf, undertow, and unfavorable beach conditions have also been detri- mental. Thus, until recently, the Pacific coastal plain has been a frontier of settlement, remote from the principal centers of economic activity in Guatemala. Objectives This study has a two-fold purpose: (1) to provide comprehen— sive data useful to both private and governmental agencies in planning the develOpment of tourism in Guatemala, and (2) to fulfill, in part, the requirements for a Master of Arts degree in Geography at Michigan State Univeristy. The Guatemalan government, through the Instituto Guatemalteco g9 Turismo, is seeking ways to develop new tourist areas and to enlarge existing ones. This organization, in its National Plan for Tourism Development, has recommended that a government-operated tourist center be built on the Pacific coast of Guatemala. Data from this study will supplement that of the National Plan, as well as that being compiled for an atlas-guidebook of Guatemala by the Committee on Applied Geography of the Pan American Institute of Geography and History (O.A.S.). An evaluation of the Pacific coast of Guatemala in relation to tourist facilities and potential is both warranted and necessary. The recently-opened Pacific Coast Highway offers an all-paved access to the area, and some resort facilities have already been built. There is, however, an urgent need to identify, analyze, and evaluate potential development sites, if tourism planning is to be adequate to meet future demands. In addition, areas suitable as national preserves should be considered with respect to both tourism planning and conservation. Study Area The study area includes all land on the Pacific coast of Guatemala from sea level northward to the lower slopes of the Guatema- lan highlands, where it is delimited by the SOO—meter contour. This area includes all or parts of the departments of San Marcos, Quezal- tenango, Retalhuleu, Suchitepéquez, Escuintla, and Jutiapa (Map 1). Procedure A review of literature related to tourism in Middle America, and specifically in Guatemala, was begun in October, 1966, and continued until the writer's departure for Guatemala in November, 1966. During this time also, correspondence was initiated with national tourism agencies in Middle America, and the thesis proposal was prepared at Michigan State University. After the writer's arrival in Guatemala, working relationships were established with persons competent in both the area and the topic under study. A useful orientation was thus acquired prior to the inauguration of field research. Detailed field surveys were made of the entire Pacific coast of Guatemala during the period from November, 1966, to February, 1967, and all transportation routes were analyzed. Four steps were taken in the field investigation: (1) a comprehensive survey was made to assess beach and offshore conditions with regard to tourism potential, using large-scale maps, nautical charts, government publications and aerial photographs; (2) existing tourist facilities were inventoried in terms of number, rates, quality, services, and nearby recreational GUATEMALA PACIFIC COAST REGION ,-’ ‘ /' 3 . (I f 1' \_; ‘r z. .............. ... ............. '1 .2 ‘ ! I . I I ' " l j I R... , BRITISH . '\, I I \. I \ .HONDURAS \K‘ I ' \, g \. I ‘ l \_ I M E x I c o \ : | I? I I f I .I 3' CARIBBEAN I o GUATEMALA I L:BASE= MINKEL, C. [IL W «wages? 1TH“ . ’3 '1’».- ...Sffl ' - Ea EL SALVADOR STUDY AREA [[1111]] . .. .3. r MAP 1 opportunities; (3) the potential for the establishment of new tourist facilities was evaluated; and (h) interviews were conducted with appropriate persons, particularly local fishermen, private investors, and government personnel. Findings 2£_the Study An analysis of field data indicates that much of the Guatemalan Pacific coast is unsuited to large-scale tourism develOpment, but important exceptions exist. Tourists may in the future be attracted to a few specific beach areas that are physically suitable and adequately developed. With paved access from the Pacific Coast Highway to such locations, tourists would begin visiting certain areas of the coast, and the construction of facilities at these sites would become econom- ically feasible. Some resorts-have, in fact, already been deveIOped despite poor access. It is recommended that wherever roads are constructed for agri- cultural marketing purposes, efforts should be made to stimulate tourism and other economic activities as well. It is considered especially important that a road be constructed along the entire length of the Guatemalan Pacific coastline to provide access to beach areas presently inaccessible. Since construction might have to be carried-out on a long-term basis, areas having greatest deveIOpment potential should initially be connected with one of the existing allaweather highways of the region. At least one large national seashore and wildlife preserve should be established on the Pacific coast, preferably near the Chi- quimulilla Canal. Numerous sites along the canal would be suitable for a reserved area. In addition, certain segments of the canal would have significant tourism potential if adequate facilities were provided. However, any resort development in the area should be planned in harmony with such a preserve, rather than at the expense of conservation. A new port facility is proposed for the Pacific coast of Guatemala and should include the establishment of a national tourist center. This center need not be physically part of the port facility, but it should be located so as to take advantage of access to the port and protected swimming areas. Tourist accommodations, such as dock space for deepsea pleasure craft, should be provided. The future of any large-scale tourism development will be influenced greatly by construction of the proposed Pacific port and its location relative to pOpulated areas. Since an adequate harbor does not now exist along the Pacific coast of Guatemala, areas near the proposed facility will have harbor access and wharfage for the first time. Though several port sites have been suggested, San José seems to be the preferred location. This area possesses considerable potential for tourism development, especially in terms of access and infrastruc— ture. If the Pacific port is built at or near San José, the growth of the existing resort industry would be greatly enhanced. In recent years, a substantial investment has been made in several private resort facilities in the San José area, and a national tourist center associated with the proposed port would attract additional investment and tourists. Acknowledgments Numerous organizations and individuals in Guatemala deserve acknowledgment for their cooperation and assistance in support of the study. The firm.§l_§§l§99 S, £29 through its director, Mr. Robert C. Dorion, provided the writer with lodging and subsistence at its £1332 near Escuintla, Guatemala, during the period of field work. Mr. Dorion provided, in addition, boat transportation to facilitate field study in the San José area. I am deeply indebted both to Mr. Dorion and to the many other helpful persons associated with the firm for their assistance. Through the Instituto Geogréfico Nacional (I.G.N.), of Guatemala, and its former director, Ing. Alfredo Obiols G6mez, land transportation was obtained for much of the field investigation. Maps, aerial photographs, and the use of facilities and services were generously provided. Ing. Gonzalo Barillas Flores, director of the Direcci6n General g2 Obras Pfiblicas (D.G.O.P.), furnished a boat on several occasions for field work in the Chiquimulilla Canal area and also provided useful information regarding present and future public works in Guatemala. Ing. José L6pez Toledo, Chief of the Seccién'dg Estudios Geograficos, offered the use of facilities and valuable counsel. The Instituto Guatemalteco gg_Turismo, through its director, Colonel Ricardo A. Porras, showed continued interest in the study and supplied publications pertinent to the topic as well as useful suggestions.) Dr. James R. Snitzler, representing the firm Consultora Latinoamericana Ltda., provided information related to the construction of new roads within the study area. Other organizations in Guatemala deserving adknowledgment include the Instituto Nacional ge_Electrifi- caci6n (INDE), the Direcci6n General g§_Telecomunicaciones (D.G.T.), the United States AID Mission to Guatemala, and the AID Regional Organization for Central America and Panama (ROCAP). Valuable assistance in the thesis program was provided by several persons having continuing research interests in Middle America. Dr. Arthur L. Burt, Coordinator for Maps and Publications, U. S. Department of State, provided helpful suggestions pertaining to sources of information in Guatemala and supplied maps and other materials related to the study topic. Dr. Paul C. MOrrison, former Professor of Geography at Michigan State University, read portions of the manuscript and offered valuable criticism. Finally, acknowledgment is due to Dr. Clarence W. Minkel, Professor of Geography and the writer's thesis advisor at Michigan State University, who gave helpful advice and counsel. CHAPTER II GENERAL DESCRIPTION The Pacific coast of Guatemala extends from Mexico on the west to El Salvador on the east, a distance of 156 miles. An alluvial plain stretches from the coast northward toward the volcanic range of the Guatemalan highlands. The plain is approximately thirty miles wide near the Mexico-Guatemala boundary and narrows to only ten miles near the border with El Salvador. Coastal alignment is generally northwest to southeast, but a.middle segment about fOrty-five miles in length has . . I an east-west or1entation. The latitude of the Pacific coast is approximately fourteen degrees north. Physical Settipg The Pacific coastal plain is low, flat, and relatively uniform, the entire area being composed of coalescing alluvial fans of volcanic ash eroded from the mountain axis. However, numerous streams rising in the higher elevations have incised the alluvial deposits along their lower courses, resulting in the formation of low riverine terraces. Along the coast, beaches of black volcanic sand are backed in many places by extensive areas of marsh, lagoon, and mangrove. The 1Port Feasibility Study, Pacific Coast 9£_Guatemala, g, Ara U. S. Army, Corps of Engineers, washington, D. C., 1963, p. hl. 10 11 numerous lagoons result from the ponding effect of barrier spits and sand bars that have been formed along the coast by longshore currents and the deposition of sediments. Because of the accumulation of volcanic alluvium and sandy marine deposits, no significant rock out- croppings occur along the coast, nor is any coral or other reef-building material present offshore.2 Climate The climate of the Guatemalan Pacific coast is tropical, with contrasting wet and dry seasons. A distinct rainy season, accompanied by high temperatures and humidity, extends from May through October and is followed by a hot, dry season from November through April. During the latter period pronounced droughts may occur. Champerico, represen- tative of this climatic regime, has an average annual temperature of seventy-nine degrees Fahrenheit and receives approximately thirty-seven inches of rainfall annually, over 95 percent of it during the wettest six months of the year.3 Genetically, the climatic pattern results from the poleward advance and retreat of the Pacific high pressure system. From November through April, when high pressure is dominant, stable conditions are present, and hot, dry weather prevails. With the retreat of high pressure in May, wind shifts from east to west, the area then being 2_p, cit., p. l. 3Estudio geogréfico: Champerico, Direcci6n General de Obras Pfiblicas, Guatemala, C. A., October, 1966, pp. 7, 75. 12 dominated by equatorial low pressure and subject to heavy rains. Important local climatic influences prevail as well. Because of adiabatic cooling, the inland windward Pacific slopes receive three to four times as much precipitation annually as the low-lying coastal areas (Figure 1). In addition, the coastal wet season is about one month shorter than that farther inland, due to the lack of significant relief. Vegetation The natural vegetation of the coastal plain is a tr0pical broad— leaf deciduous forest, but extensive savanna grasslands developed with the clearing of land for agriculture and now predominate. The savanna areas are characterized by partially cultivated or vacant land, inter- spersed with ceiba, guanacaste, and in some areas, scrub palm. Bunch grass, providing pasture for beef cattle, is found throughout the savannas. Deforestation has been widespread, especially in the west, where much of the land was cleared with the advent of’commercial cotton production. Along the western and central coastal sections are wide, grass- covered beaches backed by scrub growth and savanna, while bare sand is more typical of the eastern coast. In the latter area, extensive mangrove thickets line the margins of lagoons, marshes, and especially the Chiquimulilla Canal. Several varieties of palm occur throughout the coast, but these are concentrated mainly along the leeward sides of barrier spits and on the margins of some lagoons. Figure l Guatemalan Pacific piedmont east of Chiquimulilla. Laguna Nisguaya in foreground. Figure 2 Sugar cane east of Escuintla. Volcén Agua in background. 1h Settlement and Economy Until recently, most of the Guatemalan Pacific coast was a frontier in terms of settlement, communication, and economy. With the exception of Iztapa, which served as a shipbuilding center during colonial times, the region's ports owe their existence to the establish— ment of commercial coffee and sugar production around 1860. San José, Champerico, and Oc63 subsequently became centers for the export of coffee, sugar, hides, rubber, and lumber. Elsewhere, settlement was retarded well into the twentieth century because of poor communications, malaria, and dense vegetation. In recent years, improved access and communication facilities, as well as malaria control, have made possible the opening of much of the area to agriculture and settlement. Improved utilization of the region's rich volcanic soils, coupled with the processing of agricultural commodities, has made the Pacific coastal plain Guatemala's most productive agricultural region. The most significant period of development on the coastal plain began in 1936, with the establishment of banana production in the Tiquisate area by the United Fruit Company. With the beginning of plantation agriculture, new settlements were organized and access improved. About 1950, further development was stimulated by the rise of cotton cultivation near Champerico, El Semillero and Escuintla. In addition, the livestock industry developed considerably with the intro- duction of new beef cattle breeds. Agricultural colonization has provided a more recent impetus, especially by stimulating migration into remote areas of the coastal plain. In 1952, vigorous government 15 attempts at land reform were begun under the regime of President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman. Many of the land reform measures were replaced or modified in 195k, however, by a more moderate program under the govern- ment of Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas. During the latter administra- tion, agricultural cooperatives were established in a national effort to develop the region generally and agriculture in particular. The establishment of commercial shrimp operations at San Jose and Champerico by private initiative, in 1960, also proved significant. The economy of the immediate coastal area is now based primarily upon commercial shrimp fishing, salt production, port commerce, and some localized tourism. Both San José and Champerico have small but modern freezing and packing plants for seafood, and each maintains shrimp fleets that Operate along much of the coast.h A130, fishing in brackish waters is locally important in many parts of the coast. The production of salt by evaporation from saltpans is of considerable importance at some coastal locations. San José, Champerico, and the eastern section of the Chiquimulilla Canal are primary centers for this activity, the product being recovered in the dry season and marketed domestically. At Champerico, the three saltpan areas have a total production of about 6,250 tons annually.5 Port commerce, including the export of coffee and cotton in return for crude petroleum, fertilizer and machinery, is important at San José and hPort Feasibility Study, Pacific Coast 9£_Guatemala, Q, A,, 5Estudio geggréfico: Champerico, p. 1h. l6 Champerico. Port facilities are at present inadequate, the result being high freight rates and costly delays. However, a proposed new port facility, when completed, should stimulate foreign trade and area development. Tourism is a small but growing factor in the coastal economy, having attained some importance in the area between San José and Iztapa, and particularly at Likin. West of San José, resort facil- ities have been built at Quitasombrero and Chulamar. Some development has also occurred at Tilapa, near the Guatemala—Mexico border. Tropical plantation agriculture is the economic base of the coastal plain and adjacent piedmont areas. Cotton is the major crop, and its cultivation has expanded to the extent that it is now Guatemala's second-ranking export. Beef production is also well— developed, and some banana cultivation is still carried on by private producers despite the closing of the United Fruit Company Operation at Tiquisate in 196%. In the Escuintla area sugar production on the alluvial piedmont is significant, while Guatemala's principal export, coffee, is grown primarily on the adjacent slopes of the Guatemalan highlands (Figure 2, page 13). Since colonial times, a series of market towns have served the needs of the piedmont and coastal region. After the mid-nineteenth century, with the establishment of extensive plantation agriculture and the construction of railroads in the area, some of these communities became substantial commercial centers. Coatepeque and Retalhuleu are major coffee marketing centers, and Mazatenango is important for both coffee and sugar. Escuintla, due to its strategic location and l7 well-develOped transport facilities, has become a center for light manufacturing, such as cotton processing and the production of crude sugar. Meat packing in conjunction with the area's cattle industry has also been established at Escuintla, and a petroleum refinery has recently been built. It appears that Escuintla will function increas- ingly as an agricultural and manufacturing center for the rapidly developing Pacific coastal region. CHAPTER III THE WESTERN PACIFIC COAST The western Pacific coastal region is one of Guatemala's richest agricultural areas, although the immediate coast remains largely forested and is sparsely settled. The coastal section is sixty miles in length, and extends from the Rio Suchiate on the west, which forms the Guatemala-Mexico border, to the Rio Nahualate on the east (Map 2). Landward, the coastal plain extends northward to the alluvial piedmont. Cotton and cattle production, as well as the extraction of tropical woods from the remaining forest areas, constitutes the economic base of the inland coastal plain, while salt recovery and brackish water fishing are economically significant along the immediate coast. The initiation of government-sponsored programs of agricultural colonization has in recent years Opened much of the region to settle- ment. The regularity of the western Pacific coastline is interrupted only by a series of forest—rimmed lagoons. Despite these numerous lagoons there are no natural harbors, and the port of Champerico is therefore an open roadstead. Paralleling the coast is the Pacific Coast Highway, which is the principal means of access to the region. This road, about thirty miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, connects the important market towns of Coatepeque, Retalhuleu, and Mazatenango with Escuintla and Guatemala City. 18 19 mg 82 .29 ...fiqzmpgo mo «Iojmoaum. 2 c600 EEUQQ Bernice IHIquI Odom rmgzoomm 19.4.2 I >45wa om>m§ozoowm 10.42 I >43IQI om>4n_ mw1k4u3..34 28mm 548 uses. 265m. gmbafi uu Figure 9 Village of Pasaco, on the lower SIOpes of the eastern Pacific piedmont. Figure 10 Piedmont slope and seaward plain in extreme southeastern Guatemala. 1+5 Physical Features The inland portion of the eastern Pacific coastal plain, which gives way to the rolling interior piedmont, consists Of large areas of savanna grassland and semi-deciduous forest. The plain is approximately thirty miles wide in the west, near Escuintla, but gradually narrows to about ten miles at Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado, in the extreme east. Several small inland lakes are found to the east of Chiquimulilla, but there are few large rivers other than the Rio de los Escalvos, Rio Michatoya and Rio Maria Linda (Figure 10, page Ah). Settlement The coastal plain is predominantly rural in nature, and the cattle hacienda, rather than the large commercial plantation, has been the predominant land holding type since the Spanish Conquest. Much of the eastern coastal plain remains sparsely populated, the limited agri- cultural potential having discouraged migration from other parts of the republic. Likewise, there has been only a limited effort at agricultural colonization by the national government, except near San José and Garita Chapinam Econogy The raising and fattening of beef cattle on coastal plain pastures is the region's primary economic activity, but the production of dry rice is becoming increasingly important. In addition, significant numbers of cattle are driven annually from neighboring El Salvador and Honduras. The influx of cattle from Honduras is substantial. Approxi- mately h0,000 to 50,000 steers are driven annually into the coastal A6 pastures of southeastern Guatemala and southwestern El Salvador. Most of the cattle are pastured on bunch grasses and marketed in.Escuintla.l Tourism The majority of foreign travelers who visit the area are Salva- dorans. However, some North Americans also use the Pacific coast route. A major problem confronting tourism development is the lack of suitable facilities for travelers. The communities of Chiquimulilla, Guazacapén, and Taxisco lack satisfactory lodging accommodations and restaurants and are therefore not well equipped to handle tourists. Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado, the eastern terminus of the Guatemalan Pacific Coast Highway, also lacks adequate visitor facilities. Tourists traveling eastward must continue on to El Salvador for lodging and food, with the result that potential foreign exchange for Guatemala is lost. Tourism Potential The eastern Pacific lowlands possess considerable tourism potential, particularly along the Pacific Coast Highway. Two roadside scenic turnouts have been constructed along the route east of Chiqui- mulilla and would offer attractive sites for new visitor facilities (Figure 11). In addition, Chiquimulilla and Guazacapan appear to have some potential. Both communities could attract tourists, if suitable facilities were provided, because of their location midway between Guatemala City and San Salvador. lWest, Robert C., Augelli, John P., Middle America, Its Lands and Peoples, Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1966, p.7A2l. A7 0 Figure 11 Laguna El Comendador and rolling Pacific piedmont near the Guatemala-El Salvador border from roadside turnout. Figure 12 Canal de Ubico, a tributary channel of the Chiquimulilla Canal near Likin. A8 The Immediate Coast The immediate coast is an area of marsh, mangrove thicket, and intracoastal waterways. The Chiquimulilla Canal serves as the main fishing area, and most villages are located adjacent to this waterway. Landward, numerous cattle estates use the savanna grasslands to pasture livestock. However, during the dry season, when much of the savanna grass becomes unpalatable, the coastal marshes become a valuable source of livestock forage. Physical Features The most salient physical feature of the eastern Pacific littoral is the Chiquimulilla Canal, which backs nearly all of the eastern section of coastline (Figure 12, page A7). The waterway passes through flat, swampy coastal areas and is, for the most part, separated from the Open ocean only by a series Of narrow bar formations. Extensive areas Of mangrove line the canal throughout most of its course, and sizeable reed patches occur particularly near Monterrico. Occasional stands of palms are also found, especially in the easternmost portion of the canal from Hawaii through Las Lisas to Barra del Jiote. In general, steep beaches occur between San Jose and Monterrico, while farther east, wider and more gently leping beaches predominate. Only a relatively small area extending from Barra de la Gabina to the mouth of the Rio Paz is steep. Surf is generally strong in the west, near Iztapa, but moderates farther eastward. At Las Lisas surf condi- tions are generally light, and undertow is normally absent. A9 Settlement Most settlements along the immediate coast are oriented toward nearby lagoons and the Chiquimulilla Canal. The actual village sites, in most cases, lie athwart sand spits between the canal or lagoons and the open ocean. Iztapa, in the extreme west, is the largest settlement and has a population of several thousand persons, while farther east Monterrico and Las Lisas are the primary settlements. There are no natural harbors along this coastal section, except the hazardous inlet near Iztapa. Most fishing villages line the canal in a string-like pattern and rely chiefly on the adjacent waterways from transportation. Econogy The economy of the immediate coast is based on subsistence fishing and some commercial salt production. The Chiquimulilla Canal is the main fishing area and parallels the immediate coastline eastward to Barra del Jiote. The width of the canal varies from seventy-five feet throughout much of its course to 500 and 1,000 feet in the east near Las Lisas. The canal and adjoining waterways are used chiefly for fishing, but the canal also facilitates the marketing of salt produced in saltpan areas between Monterrico and Hawaii. Some salt production is likewise carried on near the Guatemala-El Salvador border several miles from.Garita Chapina. There are approximately ten producing saltpans between Monterrico and Hawaii, and there are nine in the vicinity of Garita Chapina alone. Tourism Most tourism development has occurred along the Chiquimulilla canal west of Iztapa, while facilities are lacking elsewhere along the 50 eastern Pacific littoral of Guatemala. The resort development of Likin is an area of private homesites and is equipped with potable water, electricity, and adequate sanitation facilities (Figure 13). Public tourist accommodations, however, are totally lacking along the remainder of the coast except at San José. Thatched-roof beach houses are avail- able at Las Lisas but are not suitably equipped for use by tourists. Likewise, restaurants catering to travelers are nowhere to be found along the eastern Pacific coastline of the country. Tourism Potential Despite the present lack of tourism, the eastern Pacific coast possesses considerable development potential. The surf, which is a detrimental factor in the central and western coastal sections, is generally more moderate to the east. Many beaches, especially those between Hawaii and Las Lisas, are wider and less steep and extend land- ward to the scenic Chiquimulilla Canal (Figure 1A). Las Lisas and Hawaii appear to have the most potential and are probably the most picturesque settlements along the Guatemalan Pacific coast. Roads constructed to serve tourism in this area would be less costly than farther west near Escuintla, Mazatenango or Retalhuleu, since here the Pacific Coast Highway is located nearer the immediate coast. The attractive beaches at Las Lisas and Hawaii, though farther from Guatemala City, could attract some foreign exchange from Salvadoran tourists because of the eastward location. \ Figure 13 Entrance to Likin, near the port of San Jose. Figure 1A Wide, attractive beach at Las Lisas, along the eastern Pacific littoral. I. l '1 II III. CHAPTER VI EXISTING TOURISM During recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of tourists visiting Guatemala. In 1967, some 171,631 foreign tourists visited the country, as compared with 139,307 in 1966 and 153,A53 in 1965. Likewise, there has been a prOportionate increase in the amount of foreign exchange earned through tourism. The origin of foreign tourists and the extent of their expenditures are shown in Table 1. Tourist Numbers and Expenditures The two largest groups of tourists in Guatemala are (1) North Americans, and (2) visitors from other Central American countries, particularly El Salvador. Increasing numbers of North American tourists now enter Guatemala, and it is this group that accounts for over one-third of all foreign exchange earned from tourism. Central American tourists, mainly Salvadorans, comprise over one-half of Guatemala's visitors. However, most Central Americans spend consid- erably less than their North American counterparts, and the amount of foreign exchange received is therefore less than that from North American tourists. The fact that Salvadoran tourists comprise such a 52 53 TABLE 1 VISITOR ORIGIN AND TOURISM EXPENDITURES IN GUATEMALA, 1965-1967 —1965- -1966- -1967- Visitor Expend- Expend- Expend- Origin Number itures Number itures Number itures United States 37,039 3,666,861 38,292 3,860,208 A7,8A6 A,736,75A Central America 86,573 A,285,363 71,363 3,530,1A2 88,A02 A,375,899 South America A,502 AA5,698 5,5A5 5A8,955 6,16A 610,236 Mexico 8,A05 A16,0A7 9,A22 A66,389 11,302 559.AA9 Germany 2,988 295,812 2,570 25A,A3O 3,355 332,1A5 Spain 2,037 201,663 1,657 16A,0A3 2,278 225,522 Canada 1,157 11A,5A3 1,560 15A,AA0 1,7A8 173,052 France 1,A27 1A1,273 1,A89 1A7,A11 1,710 169,290 Italy 1,36A 135,036 1,008 99,792 1,A53 1A3,8h7 Asia 1,155 11A,3A5 91A 90,A86 980 97,020 Switzer- land 810 80,190 828 81,972 83A 82,566 The Antilles 1,02A 101,376 898 88,902 810 80,190 Other A,972 A92,228 3,808 376,992 A,7A9 A79,151 TOTAL 153,A53 10,A90,A35 139,35A 9,86A,162 171,631 12,056,121 W Source: Ingreso de_divisas eg_concepto ge_turismo - afios 1965, 1966, 1967, Centro Guatemalteco de Turismo, Guatemala, C. A., 1968. 5A large share of the total number can be attributed to the proximity of El Salvador, its high population density, and easy access via the Inter— American and Pacific Coast Highways. The number of tourists from each of the Central American countries, plus British Honduras and Panama, is shown for 1967 in Table 2. TABLE 2 CENTRAL AMERICAN TOURISTS VISITING GUATEMALA, 1967 Country Number of Visitors Per cent El Salvador 52,776 59.70 Nicaragua 13,678 15-h7 Honduras 11,230 12.70 Costa Rica 8,036 9.10 Panama 1,769 2.00 British Honduras 913 1.03 TOTAL 88,AO2 100.00 Source: Estadisticas ge_turismo, 1967, Centro Guatemalteco de Turismo, Guatemala, C. A., May, 1968, p. 3A} Of the 171,631 foreign tourists who visited Guatemala in 1967, some 88,AO2 were from Central America and A7,8A6 from the United States. Mexico occupied third place with 11,302 tourists, while South America with 6,16A was the fourth largest source. In addition, a significant number of Europeans visited Guatemala. Central American tourists comprise by far the largest group of tourists, although visitors from the United States are the single most important source of foreign 55 exchange. Central American tourists usually spend less for food, lodging, and entertainment than do those from North America or Europe. The National Tourist Institute of Guatemala estimated in 1966 that Central American tourists spend approximately U.S. $10.00 daily while visiting the country, as compared with $20.00 spent daily by tourists of other nationalities and particularly North Americans and Europeans.1 Estimates for-the year 1967 show a substantial increase in daily per capita visitor expenditures. Daily expenditures for Central American tourists increased from U.S. $10.00 to $15.00, while other foreign tourists, especially those from North America and EurOpe, spent $30.00 instead of $20.00. The average length of stay for all tourists in 1967 was three and one-third days, a slight increase over previous years.2 Also, since daily per capita expenditures by Central American tourists are only one-half those of North Americans or Europeans, the income received is not commensurate with the number of tourists, but is instead governed by type and economic class of visitors. For statistical purposes, the National Tourist Institute has officially adopted the term "visitor," which is defined by the 3 United Nations as including both tourists and excursionists. Foreign 1Plan nacional ge_desarrollo turistico, Centro Guatemalteco de Turismo, Guatemala, C. A., November, 1966, Table following p. 6. 2Ingreso ge_divisas ep_concepto ge_turismo - afios 1965, 1966, 1267, One-page table. 3Estadisticasdeturismo, 1967, p. 7. 56 tourists are defined in the accepted sense as persons remaining in another country for a period of at least twenty-four hours for reasons of vacation, health, education, diversion, or business. In addition to the many Central Americans who are classified as tourists while visiting Guatemala, a significant number of other Central Americans, particularly Salvadorans, are classified as "excursionists" during their stay and are not included in national tourists statistics. This system of classification is based on the premise that many Central Americans spend only small amounts of money while visiting Guatemala, and the reason for travel is not touristic but personal or religious in nature. Major Tourist Gateways Guatemala has seventeen official points of entry, including the international airport "La Aurora," five maritime ports including San José and Champerico, and eleven terrestrial border points shared with Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and British Honduras. La Aurora Airport, serving the national capital, is the most important gateway for foreign tourists, especially North Americans, and accounts for much of the foreign exchange received. Of the 61,A81 tourists who arrived by air in 1967, some 32,6AA were North Americans and 11,713 were Central Americans. The most important terrestrial gateway is Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado, bordering El Salvador at the eastern terminus of the Guatemalan Pacific Coast Highway (Figure 15). The number of tourists entering the country at this point in 1967 totaled 39,333 persons, or 22.92 per cent of the national total. Of these, 31,8A3 were Central Americans and A,155 were North Americans. Valle Neuvo, located in the highland region bordering Figure 15 The Rio Paz, part of Guatemala's southeastern boundary with El Salvador, near Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado. Figure 16 Heavy surf at Tahuexco, southeast of Champerico. 58 El Salvador, was the third-ranking tourist gateway in 1967 and accounted for 29,308 visitors. San Crist6bal Frontera and Angiatfi, also highland border points, reported 8,3A3 and 871 tourist entries, respectively. Because of its location at the western terminus of the Guatemalan Pacific Coast Highway, bordering with Mexico, E1 Carmen is by far the most important gateway for North Americans motoring to Central America and accounted for 23,52A tourist entries in 1967. Ciudad Tecfin Uman, to the south, reported only 2,720 for the same year. The remaining border points, including La Mesilla on the Inter-American Highway at the Guatemala-Mexico boundary, are relatively unimportant as tourist gateways because of poor access and remote locations. The number of tourists entering Guatemala through maritime ports is negligible. In 1967, only 1,022 tourists arrived by sea, of whom 280 were North Americans. Negative Tourism Factors Various negative factors have contributed to the retarded status of tourism in the Pacific coast region. Among the more prominent are: (l) unfavorable climate, (2) unfavorable beach and sea conditions, (3) inadequate tourist facilities and services, and (A) poor access to most coastal locations. High temperatures prevail in the Pacific coast region through- out the year, but are especially noticeable during the wet season from May through October. At this time conditions are unpleasant because of "Ibid, p. A1. 59 excessive humidity and the almost daily occurrence of heavy rains. Many North American and European tourists are neither accustomed, nor attracted to such a hot, humid lowland climate. Though not a major detraction, some severe squall activity also occurs at this time, and wind damage is sometimes widespread. Commercial banana cultivation on the the Pacific side of Guatemala has particularly suffered from such storms. One of several factors responsible for the closing of the United Fruit Company's large plantation at Tiquisate was that extensive banana losses resulted from repeated "blowdowns" associated with squalls during the wet season. During periods of severe weather, parts of the coast have been inundated and widespread damage has occurred, notably at Champerico.S The dry season, from November through April, is therefore the most desirable time for tourists to visit Pacific coast beaches, due to the absence of storms and high humidity. A second negative factor is that most beach areas have unfavor- able characteristics for tourism development. Beaches of black volcanic sand occur along the entire coast and radiate heat during period of high sun to an uncomfortable degree, in contrast with the white sand beaches of the Caribbean side of Guatemala. Coupled with the problem of heat is the fact that most Pacific coast beaches present a rather barren appearance, being for the most part unvegetated except for monotonous stretches of short beach grass backed by scrub undergrowth and savanna. Palm.groves occur in a few localities along the coast but are restricted mainly to coastal inlets and parts of the Chiquimulilla Canal. 5Estudio geografico: Champerico, p. 7. 60 In many places sea conditions are hazardous to swimmers and boaters, since steep beach gradients continuing offshore result in dangerous drop—offs and a heavy surf (Figure 16, page 57). An excep— tionally heavy surf occurs between Churirin and Tecojate, and undertow at the latter location is also a problem. Natural harbors along the Pacific coast are conspicuously absent, a situation detrimental to both port commerce and tourism develOpment. At present, sport fishing is extremely limited, and craft used in shrimp fishing can enter the Chiquimulilla Canal only at a hazardous inlet between Iztapa and San José. The piers at San José and Champerico fulfill only a temporary berthing function for tugs and lighters, due to heavy sea and swell, while large ocean—going vessels must anchor at a considerable distance from shore. Sea conditions have also had a decidedly negative effect on the develOpment of boating facilities and swimming areas with tourist accommodations. In addition, tidal ranges on the Pacific side of Guatemala are much greater than those of the Caribbean coast. Daily ranges of five to six feet are common from June through October, and during 1966 tidal ranges of over six feet were reported on a total of 101 days. June alone, had twelve days of such a range, while March was representative of the period having more moderate tides with only five such days. Inadequate facilities and services to meet the needs of tourists constitute a third major problem in the coastal areas. The few existing tourist facilities consist mostly of rather poorly constructed 6Tablas de_sol, luna y mareas ara, 1966, Instituto Geografico Nacional, Guatemala, C. A., 1966, Tables '—5. 61 thatched-roof beach houses, lacking both utilities and proper sanitation. Although some first—class accommodations have recently been built along the Pacific Coast Highway to the north, a need still exists for improved lodging facilities along the immediate coast and particularly in the San José area. Food establishments are also inadequate to meet the demands of any tourist influx, especially with regard to sanitation. Since most settlements along the Pacific coast are small, and in many cases remote, community services and communications are poorly develOped. Iztapa, San José, and Champerico have post offices and serve as small but vital governmental communications centers for the region. Recreational and entertainment facilities are limited in these communities, however, due to their small size and lack of tourism promotion. A fourth factor that has retarded tourism development is the lack of suitable access to beaches and coastal communities that are potentially attractive to visitors. Two all-weather paved highways presently connect San José-Iztapa and Champerico with the Pacific Coast Highway, but most other roads connecting beach areas and agri- cultural colonization zones have only a base of loosely packed sand or earth and are impassable during the wet season. As a result, some coastal communities are completely isolated for extended periods of time, especially in the west-central coastal section. Yet, the initiation of rural bus service linking coastal villages with Guatemala City and the major agricultural marketing centers of the Pacific coastal plain, has in recent years increased commercial contacts with other parts of the republic. 62 Positive Tourism Factors Despite the many problems militating against the growth of tourism along the Pacific coast, some development potential does exist. Among the most important factors are: (l) the regional gateway function of the Pacific Coast Highway, (2) certain beaches that could be made accessible and attractive to tourists, and (3) the proximity of some Pacific coast beaches to the national capital. The Pacific Coast Highway, completed in 196A, offers an all— paved access to the developing Pacific coast region. The highway is 213 miles in length and extends from the Talisman Bridge at El Carmen, bordering Mexico, eastward to the Guatemala-El Salvador boundary at Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado. Located approximately thirty miles inland, the highway roughly parallels the coast and traverses the coastal piedmont throughout most of its length. In so doing, it offers a faster and more direct route across the country than does the moun— tainous Inter-American Highway to the north. In addition, the route offers the tourist a different type of scenery than is usually associated with Guatemala, since it passes through extensive areas devoted to coffee, sugar cane, cotton, and the grazing of beef cattle. Since its completion, the road has played a key role in the economic development of the Pacific coastal plain and will undoubtedly assume even more importance in the future. Much of the Pacific coast, though previously isolated, is now an effective part of the national territory. Because of this road, agricultural products formerly sold locally can now be marketed nationally. The road is also a vital transportation 63 link with other parts of Central America, facilitating the distribu- tion of goods produced for the Central American Common Market. The number of tourists using the highway is modest but growing. Likewise, the demand for tourist facilities and services has increased, as evidenced by the recent construction of restaurants, motels, and service stations along the route. Most beaches along the Guatemalan Pacific Coast are unsuited for tourism development because of heavy surf, undertow, lack of access, and the relative unattractiveness of many coastal sites. However, some beaches having both a moderate surf and attractive physical settings are to be found at Tilapa in the west, Sipacate and San José along the middle segment of coatline, and at Hawaii and Las Lisas in the east. The beach at Tilapa is the most favorable of any in the western coastal region in terms of tourism potential. A wide, sandy beach, moderate surf, and proximity to the agricultural colony of "La Blanca" are factors favoring development. In February, 1967, the DirecciOn General de Caminos was planning to undertake a feasibility study for the construction of an all-weather road connecting La Blanca with the Pacific Coast Highway. Such a road would not only serve an important farm-to-market function, but could promote tourism develOpment at Tilapa as well. At Sipacate the beach facilities are inadequate, and there is some undertow. However, the western terminus of the Chiquimulilla Canal is adjacent to the beach area, and the site offers excellent tropical lowland scenery as well as brackish water fishing. Sipacate 6A is presently accessible only by gravel road, but plans call for exten- sion of the paved route between the Pacific Coast Highway and La Democracia to the coastal village. San José and the adjacent settlements of Chulamar, Quitasombrero, Likin, and Iztapa constitute the most developed area of the Pacific coast in terms of access, communications, and public utilities. Consid- erable resort develOpment has also occurred along the coastal inlets and Chiquimulilla Canal. Recreational activities such as pleasure boating and fishing remain oriented toward the coastal waterways, rather than the sea, due to the heavy surf. Foremost in regard to the potential growth of tourism in the area is the prOposed construction of a deep-water port with an artificial harbor. Such a facility could provide a means of access to the open ocean for pleasure craft from the Chiquimulilla Canal and make adjacent beaches more secure for swimmers. Hawaii and Las Lisas, located in the eastern section of the coast, possess significant tourism potential in terms of beaches, surf conditions, and scenic beauty. Wide, flat, sandy beaches are found at both locations, and surf conditions are favorable for swimming. The tourism potential of the two coastal villages is further enhanced by the proximity of the Chiquimulilla Canal, which could offer opportun- ities for fishing and boating. Although access to the settlements remains a problem, the outlook appears favorable. The national government is currently planning a paved road to connect the settle- ments of Los Cerritos and Aguacate for agricultural marketing purposes. When completed, it may contribute significantly to the develOpment of tourism at Las Lisas. 65 Because the heavily populated highland centers of Guatemala, including Guatemala City, are situated much nearer the Pacific coast than the Caribbean, most Pacific coast beaches have a decided advantage with respect to time and distance from the national capital. The middle segment of coastline near San José offers excellent access and is only about sixty—five miles from Guatemala City. Iztapa, to the east (If San José, is only eight miles farther from the capital city. The resort development of Likin, midway between San José and Iztapa, has benefited greatly from the adjacent highway. New roads have encouraged both the continuing expansion of facilities at Likin and additional investment planning by private interests. The private resort developments of Chulamar and Quitasombrero, west of San José, have also experienced considerable growth as a result of accessibility from the highway linking San José and Guatemala City. Sipacate, mean— while, remains undeveloped because of poor access, rather than distance from the capital city. Champerico, on the southwestern Pacific coast 1A0 miles from Guatemala City, is connected with population centers to the north and east by a paved road, as is San José. Little resort develOpment has occurred, however, due in part to the remoteness of the location. Isolation from the major national population center is also a problem at Hawaii, and particularly at Las Lisas. Tilapa is the most remote in terms of distance from Guatemala City, yet some private resort development has already occurred in the area. Due to the lack of improved roads, most visitors arrive by private plane and utilize coastal landing strips. CHAPTER VII TRANSPORTATION AS A FACTOR IN TOURISM DeveIOpment of beach.areas for tourism along the Pacific coast of Guatemala depends upon their location relative to transportation routes, and specifically to allaweather roads. The lack of such roads along the Pacific littoral has proven to be a decidedly detrimental factor to tourism development. Isolation is a major problem throughout the immediate coastal area, since most beaches remain inaccessible from Guatemala's major population centers in the highlands to the north. Highways Two all-weather highways connect the Pacific coast region with the adjacent highland core. The communities of Iztapa and San José, almost directly south of Guatemala City on the nation's Pacific littoral, are linked with Escuintla and the national capital by the paved Southern Highway (Carretera del Sur). In the western part of the coastal region, a similar road connects the port of Champerico with Retalhuleu and Quezaltenango, the republic's second largest city. The highway to San José was completed in 195A and is now the principal transportation corridor for cotton exports and for some crude sugar produced in the Escuintla area. In recent years the road has assumed additional importance as a transportation route for the shipment of 66 67 imported crude oil from San José to the new refinery at Escuintla and for marketing refined petroleum products in Guatemala City. The paved route from the Pacific Coast Highway southwestward through Retalhuleu to Champerico serves the need for marketing cotton, coffee, and shrimp. Elsewhere, gravel and earthen roads are the only means of access to beach areas, as well as to most of the Chiquimulilla Canal region. The problem of transportation remains acute, since beach sites that possess the greatest potential for tourism development are also the least accessible. Such picturesque locales as the eastern segment of the Chiquimulilla Canal and the nearby beaches at Las Lisas, Hawaii, and Monterrico are essentially inaccessible by road. Secondary Roads Existing secondary roads divide the coastal region into large segments that are practically inaccessible, since no road traverses the immediate coast to connect the various settlements and stretches of coastline having tourism potential. Access is especially difficult during the rainy season, from May through November, when roads become mired and coastal settlements are isolated from the main inland centers of economic activity. There is great need for the improvement of almost all secondary roads. Most are not graded, and nearly all are narrow, pitted and inadequate for standard types of motor vehicles. The majority of secondary roads in the Pacific lowlands have an earthen base and, because of their inaccessibility much of the year, are almost never used by tourists (Figure 17). Examples of such roads are to be 68 Figure 17 Farm-to-market road near the agricultural development zone of "Montfifar," in extreme southeastern Guatemala. 5‘ ‘*.‘|~‘ . p . _ r, \ '7’, .. .fi 1 I Figure 18 Mangrove flat at Likin, with Chiquimulilla Canal in background. 69 found at Oc6s, near the Guatemala—Mexico border in San Marcos Depart— ment; in the Tahuexco area of Suchitepéquez Department; at E1 Pared6n, in western Escuintla Department; near Hawaii and Las Lisas, in the department of Santa Rosa; and at Garita Chapina, in Jutiapa Department. ~Few roads penetrate the Chiquimulilla Canal region, except at several isolated locations such as in the San José-Iztapa area or near Sipacate. Coupled with the problem of access to Pacific coast beaches is the factor of distance. Guatemala City is the leading gateway for North American tourists and the principal source of Guatemalans with funds to expend on tourism. The city of Quezaltenango is a second source of tourists but, because of its smaller size, is much less important than the national capital. Development of the Pacific coast for tourism will thus depend not only upon road types and conditions, but also upon distance from major visitor source areas. Bridges The lack of adequate bridges on the secondary roads is a major problem throughout the Pacific coastal plain. Due to the large number of heavy trucks transporting agricultural produce, existing bridges are inadequate and constitute a definite safety hazard. In some areas bridges have been closed because of unsafe structure, but most bridges along major secondary roads remain Open regardless of their condition. The problem has been especially serious near the communities of Rio Bravo and Tiquisate. In 1966, local government officials appealed to the national government to endorse a bridge and road improvement program for the area, with the costs to be financed primarily by taxes 70 levied on locally produced cotton and on insecticide purchases. How— ever, the prOposal has been strongly opposed by the large and influ— ential cotton producers who would be most directly affected by the tax. Airports Air transportation is an important means of access throughout the coastal region, but it has been develOped mainly in terms of private flying, since the area is tributary to Guatemala City for commercial air service. Small airfields and landing strips have been built throughout the area on private properties and along some beaches. The landing strips are centers for spraying and crop dusting Operations and, in addition, serve as transportation links with the national capital and with other parts of the coastal plain. Two of the coastal airstrips which provide access to private resort areas are maintained by flying clubs. One such facility, having overnight accommodations for its members, is located along the Chiquimulilla Canal near Likin. Another in the extreme west, near Tilapa, serves a somewhat smaller resort development. Waterways An important means of access to many beaches having tourism potential on the Pacific coast is the Chiquimulilla Canal. The canal, an intracoastal waterway more than sixty miles in length, extends from Sipacate in the central coastal area to Barra del Jiote near the Guatemala-E1 Salvador border. From Sipacate to El Pared6n, it backs a 71 barrier beach six miles in length. Eastward, it again borders barrier beaches from La Barrita to Iztapa and from Hawaii through Las Lisas to Barra del Jiote. The Chiquimulilla Canal has also been a strong loca— tional factor with regard to settlements in the area. Its influence has been especially strong from Monterrico to Barra del Jiote, where a series of small coastal settlements depends on the canal for the pro- duction and marketing of fish as well as for contact with the rest of the republic. Two sections of the canal are neither adjacent nor readily accessible to the Pacific coastline and are separated from it by extensive areas of heavy undergrowth and mangrove (Figure 18, page 68). One such area occurs from El Pared6n to La Barrita, and the other is found to the east between Iztapa and Hawaii. In the latter section, a series of lesser tributary canals provides limited access for small, shallow-draught boats and canoes to the many small settle— ments along the coast. A saltpan area east of Monterrico is dependent on the many small channels for the transport of salt and dried fish. Beach areas from Sipacate westward to the Mexican border have, in general, remained more isolated than those adjacent to the Chiquimulilla Canal. There are numerous coastal estuaries west of Sipacate, but these are for the most part isolated from each other. Fishing villages on the margins of various lagoons are rarely visited by foreign tourists, because of remoteness. However, the lower course of the Rio Maria Linda, immediately east of Iztapa, is occasionally visited by tourists using chartered boats. The most important land connection with coastal waterways is a six-mile section of paved highway between San José and Iztapa, while an 72 airfield Operated by the Aero Club offers access to the same area and is frequently utilized. From Iztapa eastward to Barra del Jiote there are secondary road connections with the Pacific Coast Highway at La Avellana, Papaturro and Casas Viejas. None are allaweather roads, however, and tourism is therefore limited. Other settlements, especially between Iztapa and Monterrico, rely soley on water transport. The latter two communities are connected by an unimproved and little used road backing the beach on the seaward side of the Chiquimulilla Canal. This beach section has remained isolated, since there is no suitable bridge or other means of access for motorists wishing to cross the intracoastal waterway. The majority of coastal lagoons on either side of the Chiquimulilla Canal possess considerable beauty but remain inaccessible to most tourists. Railroads Railroad transportation in Guatemala is provided by the former International Railways of Central America (Ferrocarrilles Internacio— pgl£§_g§_Centro-America), which also serves part of neighboring E1 Salvadbr. A large part of this system, now operated by the Guatemalan government, is concentrated on the Pacific coastal plain. The ports of San José and Champerico are thus connected with the piedmont area and with Guatemala City. In the extreme west, a line connecting Océs with Ciudad Tecfin Uman has been abandoned. Today, the railroads are engaged mainly in the transportation of goods to and from the ports of San José and Champerico. Most of the rolling stock is outdated, the railroads themselves are of narrow—gauge construction. Freight service, 73 rather than passenger transport, is emphasized. Consequently, little has been done to attract the potential traveler. Although passenger service is available on a few trains, it is rarely used by Guatemalans and almost never by foreign tourists. CHAPTER VIII TOURIST FACILITIES AND SERVICES Since tourism is undeveloped in most areas on the Pacific side of Guatemala, the level and quality of food establishments remain generally low. Lodging accommodations are not significantly better, nor are recreational facilities well developed. Yet, some progress is being made toward the resolution of these problems. Food Establishments Most restaurants or dining rooms catering to the tourists and the general pUblic are small, poorly equipped, and offer only a limited choice of food. Other establishments, popularly termed refresquerias, sell soft drinks and alcoholic beverages but serve little in the way of meals. In addition, sanitary conditions and food handling practices are unsatisfactory, especially in establishments depending on the local trade. Food inspection is lacking, and the paucity of refrig— eration is reSponsible for much food spoilage and a high incidence of sickness among local residents. While there are almost no restaurants along the immediate coast, some facilities have recently been constructed farther inland along both the Pacific Coast Highway and the highway connecting San José with Escuintla. A total of eight restaurants on these routes 7A 75 offer the tourist potable water, reasonable food choice and quality, and adequate sanitation. The restaurants along the Pacific Coast Highway are in or near the communities of Coatepeque, San Sebastian, Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa, Escuintla and Chiquimulilla. Those along the Southern Highway are at Masagua, south of Escuintla. Six of the eight establishments operate as restaurants in conjunction with motels, while those at Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa and Chiquimulilla operate only as first—class restaurants. With the Pacific Coast Highway now completed, the construction of such restaurants and motels reflect an increased demand for improved travel facilities. Prices are somewhat higher than those of non-tourist establishments, since the clientele is mostly North American and European tourists. However, increasing numbers of Central Americans with above—average incomes are also patronizing these facilities. Travelers are now able to take advantage of first-class restaurants and lodging accommodations near most of the region's larger communities. Escuintla, the gateway for tourists visiting beaches in the San José-Iztapa area, has recently become a center for good accommodations and food. San Sebastian, near Retalhuleu, serves a similar function for persons visiting the western piedmont and coastal area. Lodging Accommodations Lodging accommodations, like food establishments, are of limited number and quality in the Pacific lowland region. Few communi- ties along the immediate coast, with the exception of San José, offer 76 the tourist much in the way of hotels, motels, or hostelries. First- class facilities of this type are found almost exclusively in the inland piedmont communities. Even Champerico, despite its importance as a Pacific port, is lacking these essentials for tourism growth. Champer- ico's potential appears limited compared with that of San José, because of its poor accommodations. For purposes of tourism promotion, the Instituto Guatemalteco ge_TurismO has listed seventy-one lodging places in the Pacific coast region (Map 5). These have been classified "A," "B," "C" and "D," depending on the quality of accommodations and services offered. Of the seventy-one, only five are considered to be Class A, ten are Class B, Twenty-five are Class C, and thirty-one are Class D.1 Hotels At the time field work was conducted for the study, only one hotel in San José was rated Class A by the Guatemalan government. How- ever, a small luxury hotel under construction in San José was scheduled to Open sometime in 1968. The latter was planned to offer complete visitor services and recreational facilities. Among these were a golf course for use by hotel guests, tennis courts, restaurant, bar and improved beach area.2 No other hotels of this type were contemplated lDirectoriogghoteles y pensiones de la repfiblica, Centro Guatemalteco de Turismo, Guatemala, C. A., 1966: 62 pp. 2"Ingreso de divisas en concepto de turismo aument6 en 1967; se espera que en 1968 seré substanciosamente incrementada", Boletin no. 021, Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo, Guatemala, C. A., 1968, p. 2. 77 mg I: I. IIIII' _.II :. I 9.... . .I ._ 4 new WaquI .....d . 4 no «42339:. 86394236 34.2.84” . . a! ] >45 911% It”. 3 4,435.: 5400 Quad wm_._._§u l m 02_.p4m mo «$2.2 >tu=o4m 02.0001. 1 8.5.04... 208.. .3... so is. E 5400 9504a 78 anywhere else along the entire coast. Farther inland, some small secondrclass hotels are Operated in Retalhuleu, Mazatenango and Escuintla, but these generally attract few tourists, due to their poor condition and lack of promotional efforts. Pensiones The pensi6n is by far the most common type of lodging facility in the Pacific coast region. However, these are totally inadequate to meet the needs of present-day tourists. Of the forty-nine Pacific coast pensiones listed in the Directorio de hoteles y pensiones _d_e 13 repfiblica, only one has rooms with individual baths and many have no such facilities whatsoever. Sanitation is therefore a major problem. Most of the pensiones are strictly substandard in terms of building safety, cleanliness and utilities. Potable water is lacking in many, as is electricity. Consequently, they have little appeal to foreign tourists, unlike the first-class pensiones found in Guatemala City or Quezaltenango. None of the forty-nine pensiones or hostels is rated Class A, and only one is considered even of second-class quality. Of the remainder, nineteen are rated Class C and twenty-nine as Class D. Such facilities fail to meet minimum tourist standards of health, safety and comfort and thus can do little to stimulate tourism in the area. Most pensiones operate on the "American Plan," with meals included in the room price. Rates vary from $2.00 to $3.50 per day, with meals included, depending on the class of establishment. 79 Facilities of similar quality operating on the "European Plan" have rates of $0.75 to $1.00 per single unit.3 Motels A considerable number of motels have been built along the Pacific Coast Highway, and most offer first-class accommodations which include dining facilities. At present, there are four first-class motels along the highway, including two at the important junction of the Pacific Coast Highway and the Southern Highway in Escuintla. A third motel is located in San Sebastian, immediately west of the junction of the Pacific Coast Highway and the highway to Quezaltenango. Just west of Coatepeque, a fourth motel offers excellent facilities for persons visiting the westernmost part of Guatemala or who are en route to or from Mexico. The condition of all four establishments is excellent. Rooms are well appointed and clean, especially in comparison with other lodging facilities in the region. Restaurants are Operated in conjunc- tion with each of the motels, and sanitation standards and food choice meet the approval of most foreign tourists. Three of the four motels maintain private swimming pools for use by their guests. The motels are well maintained, including grounds which are well kept in all cases, while rates are comparable to those for similar accommodations in the United States. All of the facilities are locally owned and independently operated, with no motel or hotel chains being represented anywhere in the study area at the time of field research. Few tourists have yet patronized some of the motels, due mainly to the lack of 3Directorio ge_hoteles y_pensiones d3 13 repfiblica, comparative figures listed on each page. 8O tourism promotion in this part of Guatemala. Nevertheless the number of tourists visiting the region is increasing, as is reflected by the construction of additional tourist units at one motel in Escuintla during 1967. Expansion of facilities in Escuintla has been especially favored by the proximity of that community to the national capital. The less frequented motels at San Sebastian and Coatepeque are 115 miles and 1A1 miles, respectively, from Guatemala City, while those of Escuintla are only thirty—five miles from the capital. Because of their location, the lodging and eating establishments in the western piedmont and coastal region are dependent to a greater extent on foreign tourists in transit from Mexico. The facilities near Coatepeque and San Sebas- tian are patronized mainly by foreign tourists, while the hotels and motels in Escuintla are patronized by a growing number of Central American tourists and businessmen as well. There are only two second-class motels in the coast region that cater primarily to tourists. One is located approximately one- half mile east of Escuintla along the Pacific highway, while a second is eight miles south of the city on the highway to San José at Masagua. Facilities at both locations are adequate, with prices comparable to those in the United States for similar accommodations. A small restaurant is Operated in conjunction with the motel near Masagua and caters to both foreign and domestic travelers. Service‘Stations Although much of the region is deficient in lodging facilities, food establishments and develOped recreational areas, numerous 81 service stations have been constructed in recent years. These serve the many vehicles engaged in transporting agricultural produce and also those of a small but growing number of tourists. The number of stations appears adequate to serve the needs of the area at the present time. ,During the period of field work, 110 service stations, or gasolineras, were in operation within the study area.h As elsewhere, most of the facilities were concentrated along the main transporta- tion routes, and particularly in the market communities traversed by the Pacific Coast Highway. In addition, some stations are located at important junctions of farm-to-market roads, so as to provide service for the many trucks in the area. Service stations also have been constructed along the highways connecting San José-Iztapa in the east, and Retalhuleu and Champerico in the west, with the Pacific Coast High- way. Major concentrations of service stations are located in Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa, San Antonio Suchitépequez, Mazatenango, Retalhuleu, Escuintla and San Sebastién. However, Chiquimulilla is the only signif- icant service center along the piedmont route between Escuintla and the Guatemala-E1 Salvador border. Lesser concentrations are located in the San José-Iztapa area, at Taxisco on the Pacific Coast Highway west of Chiquimulilla, and at Champerico. Also, a considerable share of the total number of stations is fOund in rural areas, especially near the large government-sponsored hFigures obtained through field research were cross-checked with data supplied by each of the petroleum companies operating in Guatemala. 82 agricultural cooperatives. Mechanized farm implements, in addition to highway vehicles, are commonly served by these stations, and extensive repair sheps are associated with.most. In addition to the sale of petroleum products in rural areas, some foreign-owned oil companies engage in the distribution of pesticides and insecticides for use in commercial cotton cultivation. One such concern, the Shell Oil Company, maintains a sizeable agricultural chemical products sales and storage operation near Rio Bravo, in an important cotton producing area. Guatemala, unlike Mexico with its government-controlled petroleum monOply (PEMEX), depends on foreign-owned enterprises to provide the necessary marketing and distribution facilities. Five major foreign oil companies now Operate within the country. These include ESSO Central America, Gulf Oil Corporation, Shell Oil Company, Standard Oil of California (Chevron) and the Texas Company (TEXACO). Of the 110 service stations in operation within the Pacific plain and piedmont region during the period of study thirty-two pertained to E880 and twenty-five to Chevron. Shell and Texaco each operated twenty-four stations, while Gulf had only five (Map 6). With the continued develOpment of new petroleum refineries and tank farms, particularly at San José and Puerto Barrios, the latter outSide of the study area, it appears that Guatemala will be dependent on foreign petroleum enterprises throughout the foreseeable future. Most of the service stations in Guatemala are modern structures of open-air tropical design. In many cases, they are individually named in honor of a nearby landmark, community, or prominent national 83 mg [I'll-II III'III II .II.III| mom. ..2 .o ._ ...4342uh48 mo 42.69%... 43 mo m4z_:I..mm.aI 36334236 43:... 84m on 2 o — u 555 I'll. 5'55!" 'Ill ou4xm... ..._. .ijm -m mzocvdhm I ll :50 no no mmmEDZ a 024mm Mmmwum zom>wto -U mzoFSb 855m 282 548 0.84.. 8A figure, which adds considerably to their touristic appeal. In addition to the sale of gasoline and oil, most stations are equipped to under— take minor automobile repairs. A considerable number are operated in conjunction with small restaurants, usually adjacent to the stations, an arrangement not unlike the familiar "truck stOp" in the United States. A detrimental factor for tourism is the lack of national road maps at the: service stations, such as are usually available to the motoring public of the United States at no charge. This is due in part to the government's discouragement of map distribution for reasons of national security during periods of political crises. Recreational Facilities Due to the lack of natural harbors, and the undeveloped status of tourism along much of the Pacific coast, pleasure craft marinas are confined mainly to the San José-Iztapa area. Even Champerico, despite its importance as a commercial port, has no facilities for pleasure craft at its open roadstead location. Coastal lagoons in the Champerico area are not connected directly with the Open sea. Consequently, the best anchorages for pleasure craft are found between Iztapa and San José along Chiquimulilla Canal. Of major interest to tourists in this area is the pleasure boat rental facility near El Carrizo. Approxi- mately thirty small craft, of which most are runabouts, can be rented by visitors. In addition, outboard motors, gasoline, motor oil and general boating accessories can be procured. The facility caters mainly to the public, and rental fees are reasonable. A short 85 distance to the east, at Iztapa, a small ESSO dock and marine service has been established on the north bank of the Chiquimulilla Canal. The private resort development of Likin, approximately midway between Iztapa and San José, possesses the only small boat marina on the Pacific side of Guatemala. The facility is of modest size by North American standards, but adequate for the present needs of tourists and resort tenants. The marina provides berthing space for approximately ten small pleasure craft. A boat ramp has also been built, and boating accessories can be purchased at the marina. Water transportation in the coastal lagoons is little developed, due to the remoteness, shallow depth, and small area of many such bodies. Subsistence brackishawater fishing is the chief economic activity, and a long hand-crafted canoe known as a cgyuco is the principal means of transportation (Figure 19). Outboard motors are few in most such areas because of their high cost and the hazards imposed by numerous muddy shallows and flats which impede motorized navigation, particularly at low tide. Although high-priced pleasure craft are unavailable in most sections of the Pacific littoral, canoes can be hired for a nominal sum at almost any coastal fishing settlement. Canoes equipped with outboard motors can be rented at Las Lisas, La Avellana, San José and Sipacate, and it is possible to traverse much of the canal region at a moderate price. However, there is only one excursion along the Pacific coast that is promoted elsewhere in Guatemala. The cruise is offered as the main feature of a one—day tour package offered by one of the large travel agencies in Guatemala 86 Figure 19 El Paredén, on the leeward bank of a barrier spit separating the Chiquimulilla Canal (left) from the open ocean. Note cgyucos in the foreground. Figure 20 Black, sandy beach at village of Hawaii. 87 City. With tourism increasing in the stretch of coastline from Chulamar eastward through San José to Iztapa, and the likelihood of a deep—water port being built within the near future, it appears that pleasure boating will eventually assume considerable significance. Large sections of the Pacific coastline are unsuitable for swimming because of the heavy surf, but several stretches of beach offer considerable potential. Surf conditions are especially severe in the central and western coastal sections, due mainly to steep-sloping beaches, adjacent deep water areas, and the lack of inlets or promon- tories to provide sheltered coves. Dangerous undertow is common in areas of heavy surf, and many beaches are especially unsafe for swimming between April and October when sea and swell are heaviest. The San José, Sipacate, El Semillero, Tahuexco, Tulate and Champerico areas are characterized by especially rough seas, but conditions moderate farther westward. Oc6s has a wide, attractive beach that is much less subject to undertow than is so common in the central Pacific littoral. In general, the most favorable swimming areas are found between San José and the Guatemala—El Salvador boundary. From San José eastward, surf conditions gradually moderate to Monterrico. A section of coastline about midway between San José and the Guatemala-E1 Salvador border appears to have the most tourism development potential. Excellent beaches for swimming are found particularly at Hawaii and Las Lisas (Figure 20, page 86). These have wide, gently sloping surfaces and are essentially devoid of heavy surf and dangerous undertow. 88 However, suitable tourist facilities will have to be constructed, and access improved, if the area's potential is to be realized. At present, the beach areas near San José have the advantage of proximity to Guatemala City, greater infrastructure development, better access and a higher level of investment. They are also the most frequently visited by foreign tourists, even though natural conditions of the beach and sea are less attractive than elsewhere. CHAPTER IX UTILITIES AND TOURISM DEVELOPMENT In the more economically advanced portions of the world, the availability of electricity, potable water and sewage facilities are so near universal as to be commonly taken for granted. Yet, in the less- developed countries, such as Guatemala, the paucity or poor condition of these utilities present formidable obstacles to economic advancement. Significant improvements are now being made, particularly in the gener- ation and distribution of electricity, and should have a salubrious effect upon the growth of tourism within the study area. Electricity The availability of electricity in the Pacific coast region of Guatemala is limited mainly to the principal cities and towns, the large landholdings, and areas immediately adjacent to transmission lines for electricity produced in the piedmont and highlands. Power is thus supplied to areas isolated from each other, and there is no grid to connect inns important piedmont communities with the small coastal settlements or government agricultural cooperatives. San José and Champerico must rely upon electricity produced locally by their respective port authorities. Unfortunately, the Diesel electric generators at these ports are inadequate to meet the urgent requirements 89 90 for electric power in the outlying areas. As a result, most small villages along the coast and adjacent inland area are completely without electricity. There are only two power transmission lines at present on the coastal plain, and these serve a very small area. One line extends from Mazatenango to Retalhuleu, while the second links Retalhuleu with a small military installation about four miles to the southwest. Else- where, electric power in the rural areas is available only on large fincas, which produce electricity by Diesel generators. Private resort develOpment, such as Likin and Chulamar, also operate their own Diesel generators. Such power production is adequate for present needs, but future developments will require greater sources of electricity than are now available. Electric power in the Mazatenango-Retalhuleu area is supplied by a sixty-nine kilowatt transmission line connecting the two communi- ties with a Diesel generating station at San Felipe Retalhuleu, immediately to the north in the upper piedmont. Farther eastward, near Escuintla, large fincas provide much of the electrical power, but addi- tional electricity is supplied to the area by the Empresa Eléctrica ge_ Guatemala, S, A, via a sixty-nine kilowatt transmission line from its gas turbine plant at Amatitlén in the highlands.1 In the eastern lMap entitled Plan de inversiones publicas, 1965-1969, Instituto Nacional de ElectrificaciOn, Guatemala, C. A., September, 1965. 91 piedmont, power is supplied by a thirteen-kilowatt hydro-electric plant at Los Esclavos which began Operation in 1966.2 Several new power plants are projected or now under construc- tion in the Guatemalan highlands which, when completed, should serve as an impetus to further economic develOpment in the Pacific lowlands. The most significant project is the large hydro—electric plant "Jurfin Marinala" currently under construction between Escuintla and Palin, on the Pacific slopes of the Guatemalan highlands, which should be in Operation by 1970. A second large hydro-electric installation is under construction in the highland region south of Lake Atitlan and should be completed by 1972.3 Expansion of the hydro-electric plant at Los Esclavos in the eastern piedmont is also underway. When completed, this facility will supply most of the eastern highlands with electric power, via a sixty-nine kilowatt transmission line. In addition, ancillary lines are to be constructed from this plant to Jalpatagua, Chiquimulilla, Guazacapan and Taxisco in the adjacent piedmont to the south.h Coupled with the construction of new generating plants will be a large-scale program to expand the network of transmission lines. when completed, the lines will form part of an extensive power grid, 2Chart entitled Demanda maxima y capacidad instalada, programa ge_desarrollo hasta 197A, Instituto Nacional de Electrificacién, Guatemala, C. A., October, 1966. 3Ibid. "Plan de_inversiones pfiblicas, 1965-1969. 92 the southern margin of which will traverse the entire length of the Pacific piedmont. In the near future, large amounts of power will thus be available throughout the piedmont, while feeder lines will be extended to Ciudad Tecfin Umén, Champerico, the agricultural development zone of "La Maquina," Pueblo Nuevo Tiquisate, and Chiquimulilla. The increased availability of electricity will be of great benefit to the region's tourism develOpment. At present the lack of electricity is a major problem throughout the lowlands and has been especially detrimental to the construction of tourist facilities such as first-class hotels. With the completion of the electric grid, branch lines can be constructed to specific beach areas having tourism potential. A new fifty-kilowatt line is projected to connect Retalhuleu and Champerico.5 This is in response to the increasing need for electri- city at the port facility, but it could also serve as a stimulus to tourism in the area. An additional line could be extended the fifteen miles from La Maquina to Tulate, and another from Nueva Concepcién to E1 Semillero. Both Tulate and El Semillero are coastal locations with tourism potential, and the availability of electric power would do much to bring this section of the Pacific coast into the economic mainstream of the nation. Of particular significance along the middle segment of the coast would be the extension of power from Escuintla to Sipacate, San José and Iztapa, where there is already a relatively high SIbid. 93 level of infrastructural development. Hydro—electric power produced at Los Esclavos could stimulate tourism at Las Lisas and Hawaii, an area of scenic beauty which might eventually rival the San José area in tourism develOpment. In the future, electrical power could readily be supplied to this area by constructing a power transmission line from Chiquimulilla, a distance of approximately twenty miles. Potable Water Since few public facilities have been provided, safe drinking water can be obtained throughout most of the study area only from isolated wells. Champerico, however, has a municipal water system, a public swimming pool, and pUblic sanitation facilities. Resort develop- ments such as Likin, Laguna Quitasombrero and Chulamar also provide such conveniences, using private rather than municipal facilities (Figure 21 and 22). On the Pacific piedmont, springs, wells, and some rivers constitute the main sources of water supply, while coastal villages depend chiefly on adjacent lagoons. Contamination of drinking water is particularly widespread along the coastal margin, due to high water tables and the small but dense p0pu1ations which characterize most of the fishing villages. These villages have no municipal water supply or sewage disposal systems, as is reflected in the high incidence of disease among the residents. Two municipal water supply systems were to be constructed in the Retalhuleu area in 1967, while a third was planned for the agricultural 9A Figure 21 New residential construction at Likin. Figure 22 Large swimming pool adjacent to residential area in Likin. 95 I development zone of "La Maquina,' south of Cuyotenango.6 The construc- tion of such public works will not only substantially improve the health and standard of living of Guatemalans, but will also stimulate further tourism development. The capital outlays required for construction of new tourist facilities will be reduced with the increase in community development. Sanitation The lack of adequate plumbing and waste disposal facilities in both community and rural dwellings throughout the Pacific lowlands is a major problem confronting economic developnent within the region. More important is 'the health hazard imposed upon the area's residents due to the shortage of such facilities. Disease remains widespread, including outbreaks of typhoid fever and malaria associated with stagnant and contaminated water. Conditions are especially serious in villages on the shores of brackish lagoons and along the margins of the Chiquimulilla Canal in the San Jose-Iztapa area. In the latter communi- ties the lack of sanitary facilities in nearly all residences, and the absence of municipal sewage disposal systems, has resulted in untreated sewage being discharged into the canal and lagoon areas. At present, only poorly-built rustic structures perched on the canal bank serve Map entitled ConstrucciOn dg_edificios y_obras pfiblicas: programas de_inversi6n, Direcci6n General de Obras Pfiblicas, Guatemala, C. A., January, 1967. is D j“ 9 1' RT :5 ,. Q It i I: f: 13 3 :I .‘1 F a: :3 .II 6‘ .. 1 ,0. g S g t E 96 the needs of area residents. The effect has been detrimental to recre— ational use of the canal, to adjacent flora and fauna, and to public and private sources of drinking water. Inadequate sanitation is detrimental to tourism growth, since most tourists who encounter conditions hazardous to their health will simply vacation elsewhere. Furthermore, the lack of municipal waste disposal facilities forces potential investors to expend additional capital to provide safe drinking water systems, modern plumbing, and sewage disposal facilities. Throughout the coastal plain and along the Pacific beaches, the problem of sanitation is ubiquitous. Because of existing health hazards, the national government embarked upon a public works program to include the construction of twenty-two municipal water and sewage disposal systems on the Pacific side of Guatemala between 1967 and 1970.7 Development efforts in the past have been focused primarily on providing sewage systems for the larger agricultural trade centers of Escuintla, Mazatenango and Retalhuleu. Although much remains to be done in these communities, substantial improvements have been made in recent years. Sewage disposal facilities were also planned for Jalpatagua in the extreme eastern piedmont, and at La Gomera in the Pacific lowlands inland from Sipacate. 7Interview with Ing. Gonzalo Barillas Flores, Director-General Direccién General de Obras Pfiblicas, Guatemala, C. A., February, 1967. CHAPTER X FUTURE AREA DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM POTENTIAL One of the principal objectives of this study has been to evaluate and classify the Pacific coast beaches in terms of potential for tourism development. Another has been to analyze government plans and projects designed for general development of the study area. The latter takes note of the problem of access and the need for improved facilities. Tourism investment, plans for a deep-water Pacific port, and the tourism potential of the Chiquimulla Canal are also included. Classification 9£_Beaches The physical characteristics of various segments of the Pacific coastline, which largely determine their potential for development as recreation areas, fishing grounds, swimming areas and hotel sites, have been classified into the following categories: (1) favorable, (2) marginal, and (3) unfavorable. In general, the most favored area for tourism development is from Sipacate, located midway along the Pacific coastline, eastward to Barra del Jiote and the Guatemala-E1 Salvador border. This coastal segment is backed almost throughout its length by the Chiquimulilla Canal. The sub-section from Chulamar to San José and Iztapa is especially favored, due to proximity to Guatemala City, access, and existing development. The construction of a 97 In; - . —: In; Ira} Wan.tw,wm spawns!M'paswvhwthanwaura. ..III. a I .l 98 deep-water port at San José would be still another advantage. Yet, it is a more easterly sub-section that has the more attractive physical settings and beach areas. Of particular appeal are the beaches at Barra del Jiote, Las Lisas and Hawaii (Figures 23 and 2A). These are Tums most favorable in terms of sea conditions and scenery of any along the Guatemalan Pacific coast. The beach at Sipacate could also be developed to some extent for tourism. Although the San José area is presently the most developed tourist area along the Pacific littoral, the excellent beaches in the Las Lisas—Hawaii area would hold a greater appeal to tourists, if suitable facilities were provided (Map 7). Large sections of the Pacific coast must be termed marginal for tourism development. Many areas have attractive beaches but are isolated or lacking in facilities for tourists. And, most such beaches are not sufficiently favorable to warrant the necessary capital improvements. Other marginal areas may be fairly well developed in terms of tourist facilities, access and public utilities, but the beaches are unattractive and sea conditions unsafe. Beach areas that have been classified as "marginal" include the coastal segment from Iztapa to Monterrico. Farther westward, the Pacific littoral to the Guatemala—Mexico border is of a similar category. Heavy surf and undertow, plus an unattractive beach, have militated against tourism development at the port of Champerico. This is despite the fact that potable water and utilities are available, and access by allaweather road to other parts of Guatemala and nearby 99 Figure 23 Wide, attractive beach and light surf immediately west of Las Lisas. Figure 2A Palm grove on the leeward side of barrier spit at Las Lisas. NEE . iiilll‘ III III ‘ I nil-Ill" 32 ..z .o .. ..4442E48 Mo 4983mm 4.. no 5.233%... 86994236 4.4:... $5 100 E ..4fizwh0a kmomwm\2w.130.r hwy—hug ....0 m4mm4 4a4..=HIII hzwgwjmflrwu hmommm\2m§e. oz_._.m_xw ...zmzaogwo $0340... 20.0mm .5400 OEBE 101 Mexico are good. The village of El Semillero is likely to be connected by an all-weather road to the interior of the republic and has an attractive setting. However, heavy sea conditions, undertow, and an open roadstead location will limit significant development. Similar factors preclude development at Tecojate to the east, while Tulate to the west is likely to remain isolated because of its distance from the interior piedmont. OCOS, near the Guatemala-Mexico border, possesses excellent scenery but suffers from isolation and underdeveIOpment. The majority of locations along the Pacific shoreline appear to have little or no potential. Steep, unattractive beaches, often barren in appearance, plus isolation, poor swimming conditions and the lack of community development contribute to the retarded status of tourism in these areas. The least favorable coastal segment extends from Tecojate, in the central coastal section, westward nearly to the Guatemala-Mexico border, but excluding the Océs-Tilapa area. Much of this segment remains isolated from the remainder of Guatemala, and most settlements are completely unequipped for tourists. The lack of protected harbors, coupled with heavy surf and strong undertow, appears to have severely limited the tourism potential in most of the area. Other smaller segments of coastline of that were classified as "unfavorable" include the section from Sipacate to Tecojate, because of dangerous surf, undertow, and barren appearance. The coast from E1 Pared6n to Barrita Vieja lacks roads and is backed by an unnavigable segment of the Chiquimulilla Canal, and similar conditions exist from Iztapa to Monterrico and from.Barra del Jiote through Barra de la Gabina to the Guatemala-El Salvador border. ' g...“ y . I». - o u nun .u.. a... . a o g. .‘f n .. , ...-“I I... J; ‘0'. "I'b 0‘4' .‘;.’,1“. . ., 3;“ :‘I-l‘l ‘8‘... “0:," g?" . 102 The Problem gf_Access A number of all-weather highways to connect isolated coastal population centers with communities in the interior piedmont are projected by the Guatemalan government as part of a national roads penetration program. The projected roads are to be financed jointly by ‘ the Guatemalan government and the Inter-American Development Bank. 551 I However, the availability of foreign capital depends upon a report of economic justification prepared by the Planning Unit of the Direccién I] General de Caminos. If the projects are economically sound, and a a sufficient return on investment capital is assured, the Inter-American Bank will supplement Guatemalan capital allocated for such construction.l Broad construction expenditures between 1967 and 1972 are estimated at U. S. $6.2 million, which includes the construction of 10A miles of all-weather roads within the study area.2 Most significant is the prOposed construction of three highways that will interconnect important agriCultural areas and coastal locations with the Pacific Coast Highway and piedmont to the north. Included is a road thirty- four miles in length from Rio Bravo to Pueblo Nuevo Tiquisate and the and the coastal village of El Semillero. A parallel road to the east, thirty-six miles in length, will connect Cocales with the coastal settlement of Tecojate. A third road will extend six miles east-west, through the agricultural cooperative of "Nueva Concepcién," to serve lCorrespondence from Dr. James R. Snitzler, representative of the firm Consultora Latinoamericana Ltda., Guatemala, C. A., April, 1967. 21bid. 103 as an interconnecting link with the piedmont-coast roads.3 The total cost of this project is estimated at $3.1 million. However, considering the agricultural potential of the region, the roads are both economically feasible and essential for economic develOpment. Yet another all- weather road, twenty-eight miles in length, is planned from La Democracia to Sipacate, the cost of which is estimated at $1.1 million.h Other smaller road projects within the 1967-72 program.may cost 5 An all-weather farm-to-market highway an additional $2.2 million. is planned to connect Cuyotenango, on the Pacific Coast Highway, with the agricultural colony of "La Méquina." Another, to connect Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa with the small agricultural colony "El Caj6n" has been planned, while a third road has been projected between Pajapita and the agricultural colony of "La Blanca" to the east of Ciudad Tecfin Uman. A fourth road would link Aguacate and Los Cerritos with Chiquimulilla, the chief agricultural marketing center of the eastern Pacific coast. Although the primary objective is to connect important agri- cultural production zones in the coastal plain with the piedmont communities by a network of farmrto-market roads, additional economic 3ComposiciOn areas dg_producci6n d§_l§_zona de_influencia del proyecto, (Map), Direcci6n General de Caminos, Guatemala, C. A. November, 1966. Dr. James R. Snitzler. 5Ihid. 10A benefits would accrue if the projected roads were extended to the immediate coast. Thus, in addition to agriculture, such roads could foster the growth of fishing and tourism. With the completion of some farm-to-market roads, certain areas along the coast will become accessible for the first time from other parts of the republic. This should stimulate lagoonal fishing on a commercial basis, since the transportation of fish to inland piedmont markets will be facilitated. Furthermore, the problem of spoilage will be greatly reduced. Of considerable significance is the fact that fresh fish marketed in the inland piedmont would serve as a valuable source of protein in an area where protein deficiency constitutes a major health problem. Specifically, the construction of all-weather roads is likely to have a considerable effect on the fishing industry at Nueva VeneCia, E1 Semillero, and Tecojate. Additional fishing potential could be tapped if the respective roads to La Blanca in the west, Sipacate on the central coast, and Los Carritos in the east were extended directly to the Pacific shore. Tourism could be stimulated at several coastal locations by the construction of multi-purpose roads. Las Lisas is not far from a projected road to Aguacate, while primitiveroads already provide some access to Sipacate and El Semillero on the central coast. In the westernmost coastal section, develOpment could be stimulated at Tilapa or Océs if the farm-to-market road presently projected to La Blanca were extended to the Pacific shore. The evolution of these communities 105 as tourist centers, however, is likely to take place only on a long- term basis, and in conjunction with substantial increases of infra- structural develOpment. The Need for Improved Facilities If tourism is to be developed as an industry on the Pacific side of Guatemala, a concerted effort must be made to eliminate existing obstacles. Major problems include the lack of suitable motels, eating establishments, and public utilities. At present there are few first—class hotels and motels, but their number is growing. It thus appears that the problem of lodging is being resolved along routes presently frequented by tourists, and particularly so along the Pacific Coast Highway and in the San José- Iztapa area. Tourism near San José will be greatly enhanced by the opening of the new Hotel Chulamar, which will provide facilities and services unequaled in other parts of the Pacific coast region. In the future there will also be an increasing demand for better eating establishments catering to tourists. To meet this demand, existing facilities must be substantially improved and enlarged. The lack of sanitation remains a serious problem, evidenced by the high incidence of disease within the region. Municipal water plants and sewer lines are being constructed at a few locations, but where public works projects are accomplished largely by manual labor progress is necessarily slow. Meanwhile, water and sewage systems must be included in the overall planning of any new hotel or motel 106 since they are presently unavailable as public utilities anywhere except at Champerico. The development of additional power stations, the extension of transmission lines, and improved electrical service have been projected or are under construction within the study area. Of partic— ular significance to tourism development would be the availability of electricity in the Las Lisas-Hawaii area, at Sipacate in the central coastal section, and at Oc68 near the Guatemala-Mexico border. San José and Champerico are presently supplied with electricity by the respective port authority of each community from large Diesel generators. Drinking water from existing sources is nearly always contami- nated, necessitating the use of bottled water at all tourist hotels, motels, and first-class restaurants. This will be necessary until such time as potable water is available from.municipal sources, which is unlikely in the near future in many areas along the shore or on the inland coastal plain. Bottled water must meanwhile be transported to the eastern coastal region from Guatemala City, and to the western coast and piedmont from Quezaltenango. Communications, although limited in comparison with North American standards, are relatively adequate in some areas and do not greatly limit the potential for tourism development. Telephone service is available in the larger communities of the piedmont, such as Retalhuleu, Mazatenango and Escuintla, and at the Pacific ports of San José and Champerico. In addition, most tourist facilities are 107 equipped with radiotelephones for communication with other parts of the republic. The lack of telephones in certain areas may actually be an advantage in promoting tourism, since some tourists are seeking both relaxation and seclusion. However, an integrated nation-wide telephone system is an objective and will aid the general economic development of the country. Telegraph facilities are available in the larger communities of the study area, as are postal facilities. Although telecommuni- cations are not highly develOped outside of the national capital, the relative proximity of the Pacific coast to Guatemala City is an advantage. Much of the coast is less isolated than some highland portions of the country or the sparsely-populated lowlands of the Petén. Investment The government of Guatemala has discouraged the sale of property to foreign nationals generally and specifically prohibits such sales of ocean shoreline or prOperty located within twenty-five kilometers of an international boundary. However, this policy does not preclude the purchase of prOperty in such locations through joint partnerships, since the only requirement is that of a Guatemalan signatory. Foreigners may also purchase prOperty in "urbanized areas" or "developments" such as Likin, where restricted resort homesites are available complete with utilities, paved streets and club privileges. Although some national land must remain under government ownership for a period of at least fifty years before it can be sold to foreign 108 nationals, government policy has not been so strict as to prevent all foreign investment. In many cases the acquisition of land does not involve an actual purchase. Instead, a concession is granted to an investor on lease, usually expiring after a period of five or ten years. Since taxes are low and the possibility of government seizure or nationalization of such prOperties is remote, the investment is reasonably secure. Investment guarantee legislation has provided an added incentive for foreign investment in Guatemala, despite present conditions of political instability. However, it must be noted that in both the past and present, domestic political crises have caused the loss of much foreign exchange in business investment and tourist dollars. Tourism investment in the Pacific coastal region, although modest, is increasing in response to the national tourism development law of 1968, which was promulgated specifically to attract foreign visitors and investment. Private investment in general is centered on the tourist developments of Chulamar, Quitasombrero and Likin, the latter being the largest resort development on the Pacific side of Guatemala. The new Hotel Chulamar at San José, however, represents the most important facility in which public, rather than private, funds were expended to develOp a tourist resort. Continued investment along such lines should significantly stimulate tourism in the San José area. Future tourism investment is likely to be carried out in close association with the construction of a deep-water port. Without 109 a protected harbor, such investment and growth will probably not increase substantially. In fact, the study area's visitor industry may well languish if a new port is not constructed. DevelOpment efforts might then be concentrated at other locations on the Pacific side of Central America, such as Acajutla or La Libertad in El Salvador, Puntarenas in Costa Rica, or even in neighboring Mexico. A_Deep—Water Pacific Port The construction of a protected deep-water port on the Pacific coast of Guatemala would favor economic development generally, and especially tourism. The Guatemalan coastline is distinctly regular in configuration, and sheltered harbors and anchorages are lacking throughout. Lagoons and intracoastal waterways adjacent to beach areas, are, for the most part, shallow and unnavigable. Deposition of riverine sediment is especially prevalent near lagoonal inlets, and only near Iztapa can small ocean-going craft, mainly shrimp boats, negotiate an inlet to seek shelter in the protected Chiquimulilla Canal. Even at this inlet, boats negotiating the passage must wait for favorable tide and sea conditions, and the operation is sometimes hazardous to both life and property. Nearly all coastal settlements are on open roadsteads, and deep-draught cargo ships must consequently anchor at considerable distances offshore to avoid the heavy surf. San José and Champerico are presently the only active seaports along the coast. Facilities at both locations consist of timber decked piers supported by iron pilings, which extend a safe distance offshore beyond the heavy surf 110 so that lightering can be successfully effected. With the exception of a new freight warehouse at Champerico, the facilities and structures at both ports are outmoded and inadequate to handle the increasing volume of export and import goods. The Guatemalan government has been increasingly active in recent years in seeking ways to assure the continuing develOpment of the Pacific coast. One way would be through the construction of the prOposed deep-water port. A port feasibility study was conducted by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, in conjunction with the Guatemalan government in 1963. This study was to be used as a basis for obtaining funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as well as from other international lending agencies.6 The choice of port sites was quickly narrowed to Champerico and San José, because of their locations and relatively high infrastructural develop- ment. Champerico is an important gateway for the export of coffee produced on the slopes of the western highlands and cotton from the coastal plain. San José, however, has a more central location along the Pacific littoral and relative proximity to Guatemala City. A final port site had not been determined at the time of this research, since there was considerable controversy as to which location would be most suitable. The port feasibility study favored the construction of a port with facilities for shrimp fishing boats and medium-draft ocean—going 6Port Feasibility Study, Pacific Coast gf_Guatemala, g, A,, i p. 12. 111 cargo ships, while tankers would continue to discharge petroleum from anchorage in the open ocean via offshore pipelines. The projected port, regardless of location, will have a jettied entrance from the ocean, and berthing space for both ships and small fishing craft will be provided by dredging coastal marsh and lagoonal areas adjacent to the beach. The port will initially provide berthing space for two large cargo vessels and twelve shrimp fishing craft. During storms the port could serve as a haven for other small craft as well, since fishing boats could be double-moored and the turning basin used as additional anchorage space. Ancillary facilities such as dockside transit sheds, a shrimp freezing and packing plant, a small boatyard, and apprOpriate truck and rail facilities will also be built.7 The proposed Pacific port, particularly if it is constructed at San José, could be developed partially in the interest of promoting tourism. In future years the projected boatyard could be expanded to serve pleasure craft, especially deep-sea sport fishing boats. The additional cost would be offset by increased tourism expenditures, particularly when the sport fishing potential in the adjacent ocean is considered. Most important is the fact that any deep-water port built in the San José area is likely to be adjacent to the Chiquimulilla Canal. A suitable entrance channel within the protected port basin would provide safe access to the open ocean from such already develOped resorts as Likin, Colonia Waikiki, Laguna Quitasombrero and Chulamar. Furthermore, since the resort areas are located some distance away 7Ibid,p.A. 112 from the proposed port site, small craft would use the entrance channel only for access to ther Chiquimulilla Canal and would not interfere with the normal commercial function of the port. The jettied harbor entrance could be utilized as a fishing pier, while providing a more sheltered swimming area on its leeward side. The development of shrimp fishing, port commerce and tourism would seem to be the best assurance of continued economic growth. Although tourism has lagged behind both fishing and port commerce, the planned development of tourism in conjunction with a new deep-water port would put the Guatemalan Pacific coast in position to compete successfully with other developing resort areas on the Pacific side of Central America. The Chiquimulilla Canal The Chiquimulilla Canal area possesses considerable potential for tourism develOpment, Offering brackish water fishing, boating, a wide variety of tropical flora, and some of the most picturesque scenery south of the highland mountain axis. Good brackish water fishing is available in numerous areas along the canal. The two most favored sites are at Sipacate, the western terminus of the waterway, and in a section of the canal approximately fifteen miles long from Monterrico through Hawaii and Las Lisas to Barra del Jiote. Small fishing boats can be rented at Sipacate, and guides can also be hired. In addition, boating accesories, fuel and outboard motors can be rented. The canal area between Sipacate and E1 ParedOn, six miles to the east, is used extensively 113 for sport fishing. There are also attractive beaches in this area, since the canal section from Sipacate to El Pared6n is actually an elongated coastal lagoon which parallels the shoreline and is enclosed by a barrier beach. The landward side of the canal is covered with an extensive growth of mangrove which adds further to the area's appeal. Moreover, much of the canal region serves as a refuge for a variety of tropical marine birdlife that includes spoonbills, cormorants and pelicans. In the second locale, between Monterrico and Barra del Jiote, sport fishing is concentrated near the villages of Hawaii, Casas Viejas and Las Lisas. Boats, motors and accessories are available in Casas Viejas and Las Lisas, and guides can be hired. Sport fishermen. can travel for extensive distances along the canal, and trolling often results in large catches. Subsistence fishing, on the other hand, is conducted mostly from anchored canoes by net casting. Pleasure boating is concentrated mainly at Chulamar, San Jose, Likin and Iztapa. Dock space, marine fuel and minor repair facilities are available at each of these locations, although facilities at Likin are the most complete. A small marina, which includes a boat repair facility, has been constructed at Likin in conjunction with the rest of the project. Motors and accessories are available, and a boat ramp has also been constructed. Although nearly the entire length of the Chiquimulilla Canal is navigable at high tide for shallow-draught pleasure craft, the advent of low tide poses serious problems in some areas. This is particularly true near Iztapa and Monterrico, where mud and sand bars 11A are a hazard. Dredging has been done on a small scale near Iztapa but has met with little success. Additional dredging and the installation of buoys to mark treacherous channels should be included in any plan for tourism development. The Chiquimulilla Canal possesses great scenic beauty in many areas and provides refuge for a wide range of tropical flora and fauna representative of the Pacific lowlands of Central America (Figures 25 and 26). Pollution of the canal in populated areas, par- ticularly near San José, is becoming a major problem. Therefore, future tourism projects should be planned in conjunction with an overall plan for preservation of certain parts of the canal in its natural condition and encouraging rational development in the remaining area. There are several sites along the course of the canal that would be suitable for natural preserves, and it seems essential that at least one such area be set aside by the national government for this purpose. Two favorable sites for such preserves were noted during the course of field work. One extends from Sipacate eastward to El Pared6n. The other is an extensive marsh and mangrove area between La Avellana and Monterrico, including adjacent mangrove-lined waterways extending eastward to the village of Hawaii. 115 Figure 25 The Chiquimulilla Canal at Las Lisas. Figure 26 Pelican in mangrove at El Pared6n. CHAPTER XI RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION During the course of this study it became apparent that the prospects for long-term tourism growth could be improved if major problems were identified and vigorous efforts made toward their solu- tion. Four topics appear particularly worthy of attention within the study area: (1) a deep-water Pacific port, (2) secondary roads, (3) international border crossings, and (A) conservation. Recommendations The most serious problem confronting the study area from the standpoint of tourism development is the lack of a protected harbor and marina facilities for pleasure craft anywhere on Guatemala's Pacific coast. However, this problem could be eliminated if the projected deep-water port were to be built in San José. If tourism is to become an important factor in Guatemala's economic develOpment, it should be placed on an equal priority with agriculture or manufacturing. Therefore, the prOposed Pacific port should be a multi-purpose facility serving the needs of tourism, in addition to being a commercial and fishing port. The port should serve as a refuge for transient pleasure craft and as a means of access to and from the Open ocean for craft harbored at existing resorts such as Likin. 116 117 Farm-to-market roads should be constructed or improved so as to stimulate tourism in the Pacific coast region. Of particular significance would be the Opening up of new tourist areas at Sipacate, Tecojate, El Semillero and Tilapa, if existing farm—to-market roads were extended to these beach areas. In addition, it is recommended that an all-weather coastal highway paralleling the Pacific shoreline and extending the length of the coast be constructed, so as to bring presently isolated fishing villages into contact with each other and with other parts of the nation. Such a highway would Open up many of the region's most attractive beaches, now inaccessible to the motoring public. The road would serve as a transportation corridor for coastal produce and would offer the tourist a third route by which to traverse Guatemala, in addition to the Inter-American Highway and the Pacific Coast Highway farther inland. The lack of a "tourism consciousness" on the part of the national government, and failure by the general public to recognize tourism as an industry in its own right, has greatly retarded tourism development. Excessive and often unnecessary customs procedures at Guatemala's main ports of entry have frequently been demoralizing to arriving and departing visitors. Moreover, many customs check points are in operation no more than eight hours daily, with the result that the international borders of Guatemala are closed to tourists at least two—thirds of the time. Visitors arriving at the border after closing hours are delayed until the following day and caused much inconvenience. Such conditions discourage tourism, create an unfavorable image of Guatemala, and result in the loss of much foreign 118 exchange. It is clearly advisable that the customs facilities at border checkpoints on both the Inter-American Highway and the Pacific Coast Highway be kept open on a full-time basis and that the quality of service rendered be substantially upgraded. The creation of a national preserve along the Chiquimulilla Canal is essential for the conservation of wildlife in the Pacific coast region. One such preserve should be established between Hawaii and La Avellana. However, the decisions as to the specific boundaries of such an areas would necessarily have to be negotiated by government leaders, landowners and conservationists. Conclusion The long-term outlook for tourism growth on the Pacific side of Guatemala is reasonably promising at some sites, such as San José, Iztapa, Sipacate, Hawaii and Las Lisas. These locations possess considerable scenic beauty, offer the possibility of a future deep-water port, or have excellent beaches. Although good tourist accommodations and services are not available at Hawaii or Las Lisas, the quality of the beaches would seem to warrant the construction of first-class facilities as soon as these communities become more accessible. Elsewhere along the coast, tourism potential appears limited, due mainly to the open roadstead location of nearly all villages, heavy surf and undertow, or a flat scrubby shoreline with poor beaches. Whether tourism as an industry of national importance becomes firmly established in Guatemala depends largely upon the stance taken 119 by various units of the national government. Clearly, much of the task of tourism promotion rests with the national tourism office, but ultimate success depends also upon those government agencies responsible for funding and for assigning priorities within the national budget. Although the government has been slow to recognize tourism as a means of economic development, its importance as a foreign exchange earner is now firmly established. The government has recently taken a much closer look at the visitor industry, in part as a result of depressed prices for Guatemala's principal export commodities and particularly for coffee. Political unrest has had a particularly detrimental effect on Guatemala's tourism industry. Despite national legislation designed to protect and guarantee foreign investments from expropriation, many developers are reluctant to invest in a nation that has a history of political instability. In recent years, rival political factions have been in armed conflict with one another, culminating in widespread terrorism. Potential tourists regard such events with grave misgivings and will vacation elsewhere rather than risk involvement. Potential investors, foreign and domestic, likewise become disenchanted. Funds normally available for investment are now commonly deposited in banks outside Guatemala for security purposes, and tourism is but one of the economic activities adversely affected. How well Guatemala develOps its tourism potential depends largely upon whether or not the national plans for tourism development meet with general acceptance and are expediently implemented. 120 Likewise, the future of tourism on the Pacific coast is largely dependent upon governmental approval for the construction of roads, utilities, and a deep-water port. BIBLIOGRAPHY Anélisis urbano de Colomba, Secci6n de Estudios Geograficos, Direcci6n General de Obras Publicas, Guatemala, C. A. Second Edition, January, 1965. "A New Look at Belize," Latin American Report, Vol. VI, No. 8, September-October, 1967, pp. 20-25. A_Study‘2£_the Tourist Industpy ip_the S, S, Virgin Islands, Division of Trade and Industry, Department of Commerce, Small Business Administration, Washington, D. C. 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