INVERTUR 2026 explores hotel franchising in Guatemala

International hotel franchises featured on the agenda at INVERTUR 2026, the first International Tourism Investment and Innovation Forum organised by BAC in Guatemala. Executives from Marriott International and OxoHotel discussed how this model could attract capital, expand hotel capacity and make the destination more competitive.

Franchising enters the tourism discussion

The event brought together more than 300 representatives, including business leaders, investors, public officials and international organisations, under the theme ‘Co-creating the future of sustainable tourism in Guatemala’. The agenda covered financing opportunities, connectivity, hotel development and sustainability, according to information published by Con Criterio on 4 November.

The programme included a dedicated discussion of hotel development and the opportunities offered by international franchises. The participation of executives from Marriott International and OxoHotel placed this business model within a broader conversation about investment and growth in the country’s accommodation supply.

For Guatemala’s franchising community, the significance lies in that discussion of development opportunities. The session described focused on the role of franchising in attracting capital and strengthening tourism competitiveness, rather than announcing the opening of a specific property.

Connectivity and infrastructure: conditions for investment

International specialists taking part in the forum identified three conditions needed to realise Guatemala’s tourism potential: better air connectivity, expanded tourism infrastructure and greater investor confidence. These issues formed part of the analysis of opportunities for hotel growth.

The discussion therefore went beyond bringing hotel brands into the market. It also addressed the conditions participants considered necessary to encourage new investment in the destination. Financing and business partnerships were other elements of the event’s agenda.

Attendees included representatives from UN Tourism, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Expedia Group. The Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT), airlines and airport authorities also took part, alongside companies involved in hotel development and operations.

This mix brought representatives from accommodation, travel, aviation and tourism promotion together in one forum. Contributions linked the hotel investment discussion to the infrastructure and access challenges raised during the event.

Building on an earlier meeting with chains and developers

INVERTUR followed an event organised by BAC in September alongside INGUAT and URBOP. That meeting brought together more than 50 representatives from hotel chains and Guatemalan developers to explore expansion projects and new investment.

The two events differed in scope: the September meeting focused on bringing chains and developers together, while INVERTUR adopted an international tourism investment and innovation agenda. The earlier event places the franchising discussion within a series of business conversations about hotel development in Guatemala.

During INVERTUR, representatives from TAG Airlines, Porta Hotels and Ciudad Cayalá shared their experiences of investment and tourism development in the country. Their contributions complemented participants’ analysis of financing opportunities and business partnerships.

The next step is to assess the projects

Following the forum, BAC will follow up on the projects identified to assess their financing and investment needs. This is the announced next step for the initiatives discussed at the event, with the focus remaining on assessment rather than implementation results.

For the franchising community, the key point is the inclusion of hotel franchising on an agenda that brought together international brands, developers, banking representatives and tourism authorities. The discussion covered both its potential to attract capital and the conditions needed to realise the destination’s potential.

Practical takeaway: anyone considering a hotel franchise in Guatemala can use the forum’s main themes as an initial guide: assess connectivity, infrastructure and financing needs before taking a project forward.