The Minister of Tourism, Morena Valdez, reported that 2.5 million visitors are received annually in the port area of La Libertad and that, with new projects and investment, it is expected to double the number of tourists this year.
Among the bets for 2022 and early 2023, the official highlighted the Surf City megaproject that includes the Surf City amusement park, Walter Thilo Deininger Surf City Adventure Park, new tourist pier, Gastronomic Laboratory, and other infrastructure interventions. In fact, the amusement park is more than 96% complete.
“Surf City has three major components: first-class basic tourism infrastructure; tourism education; and the social and productive fabric that involves working with the communities and businessmen that are in the tourist destinations,” she said.
More than 44 restaurants and hotels have already used the specialized services of the Surf City Gastronomic Laboratory and employed qualified personnel from the area, according to the official.
In addition, the tourism authority stated that, despite not being high season, accommodation in Puerto de La Libertad is 100% complete and that an estimated 1,000 people will be at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship event consuming local products and local gastronomy.
“Holding this type of event has shown us, according to our statistics, that people who belong to the tourism sector increase their income by 70%. No one had bet on the waves as a development strategy, not only economic but also human development of the people who live in the marine coastal zone”, she stated.