Venezuela´s Travel Industry Posts Good First-Third Numbers

Venezuelan tourism grew a whopping 66 percent in the first four months of the ongoing year compared to the same span of time in 2003, said Dalila Montserrat, tourism vice minister of the South American nation.

Mrs. Montserrat pointed out that tourists spent over $1.6 billion in the country between January and April this year, compared to nearly $1.2 billion in the first four months of 2003.

In the Minister´s opinion, the local leisure industry should make an additional 1.5 percent contribution to the country´s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) after peaking 5.5 percent of the total GDP last year.

As far as the most sought-after Venezuelan destinations are concerned -among nationals and foreigners alike- the northeastern states of Nueva Esparta, Falcon and Anzotegui were high on the list, followed by the southeastern state of Bolivar, the Andean state of Merida and the coastal state of Vargas.

Mrs. Montserrat highlighted the importance of boosting up tourism cooperatives as an effective tool to rekindle the national economy and reach out to those economic sectors that used to be excluded from any such activity in the past.