Central America is strengthening its tourism connection with Canada as regional destinations expand trade engagement and improve access for Canadian travellers. The Central America Tourism Agency (CATA) held its Canada Road Show 2026 in Toronto and Montreal on September 9 and 10, bringing destination representatives and tourism businesses together with Canadian buyers and industry professionals. The initiative is taking place alongside expanding air connections linking Canadian cities with destinations across Central America and the wider Caribbean region. Tres60 Travel
Toronto and Montreal Put Central America in Focus
The CATA roadshow provided a platform for tourism representatives from the region to present destinations, travel products and experiences directly to Canadian travel professionals. The Toronto and Montreal events combined destination presentations with networking sessions, allowing regional suppliers to connect with buyers and discuss tourism products for the Canadian market. Tres60 Travel
The approach supports Central America’s wider positioning as a multidestination region. Travellers can combine several countries within one international holiday, moving between destinations that offer different combinations of beaches, heritage, nature, adventure, food and cultural experiences.
Canada Offers Access to Multiple Central American Destinations
Air connectivity is an important part of this tourism relationship. Current services provide Canadian travellers with access to destinations including Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic through airlines such as Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat. Tres60 Travel
For travellers planning longer holidays, this network creates opportunities to build itineraries around more than one destination. A journey can combine Caribbean beaches in Belize with Mayan heritage in Guatemala, volcanic landscapes in El Salvador or Honduras, and nature-based experiences elsewhere in the region.
Belize Expands Its Canadian Tourism Reach
Belize provides a clear example of how tourism promotion and air connectivity are developing together. The Belize Tourism Board participated in the CATA events in Toronto and Montreal before continuing its Canadian outreach in Calgary on September 11. The three-city program highlighted Belize’s accommodation options, cultural heritage, adventure experiences and tourism products. travelpulseCA
Additional air capacity is also scheduled. WestJet is set to launch seasonal nonstop service between Winnipeg and Belize in December 2026, adding to seasonal services from Toronto, Calgary and Montreal. Air Canada and WestJet operate Toronto-Belize services, while WestJet serves Calgary and Air Canada operates from Montreal. travelpulseCA
For Canadian travellers, these routes provide more direct options for winter trips centred on Belize’s Caribbean coastline, islands, marine activities, cultural sites and inland nature.
Honduras Gains New Seasonal Connections
Honduras is also set to receive additional Canadian connectivity. Air Canada has announced seasonal nonstop services from Montréal and Toronto to Roatán, beginning in December 2026 and continuing into April 2027. Air Canada
Roatán offers travellers a Caribbean island experience with beaches, marine environments and access to the wider Bay Islands. The new seasonal services give Canadian travellers a direct route to one of Honduras’ key leisure destinations during the winter travel period.
Multi-Destination Travel Across Central America
The region’s tourism proposition extends well beyond individual destinations. CATA promotes Central America and the Dominican Republic as a multidestination region comprising Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic. Centro America Travel Market
This creates several itinerary possibilities for travellers who want to experience different landscapes and cultures during one trip. Guatemala can add archaeological and cultural attractions, Costa Rica offers extensive nature and wildlife experiences, Panama combines urban travel with the Panama Canal and Caribbean destinations, while Nicaragua offers volcanic landscapes, colonial cities and Pacific coast experiences.
Madrid Strengthens European Access
Air connectivity is also developing between Central America and Europe. El Salvador is preparing for the reactivation of a Madrid-San Salvador service, with the route scheduled to operate four times weekly between June and September 2026. visitcentroamerica.com
The connection provides another European access point for travellers heading toward Central America, while also supporting international itineraries that combine European cities with Central American destinations.
Tourism Businesses Gain Wider Market Access
The roadshow model gives hotels, tour operators, destination organisations and other tourism businesses direct access to travel trade professionals. These connections can help Canadian travel advisors build new itineraries and introduce travellers to destinations beyond the region’s most established markets.
For travellers, the combination of trade engagement and expanding aviation access means more routes into Central America and more ways to combine destinations within a single holiday. From Toronto and Montreal to Calgary and Winnipeg, Canadian air links are increasingly connecting travellers with beaches, islands, heritage sites, forests and cities across the region.
Central America Builds a More Connected Travel Network
Central America’s tourism relationship with Canada is developing through two parallel channels: stronger market engagement and expanding flight connectivity. The September 2026 CATA roadshow in Toronto and Montreal has brought regional tourism businesses closer to Canadian travel professionals, while new and expanded routes are creating additional options for reaching destinations across the region. Tres60 Travel
For travellers, the result is a growing network that makes it easier to plan holidays around individual destinations or combine several Central American experiences in one journey.
