Tourism figures in Nicaragua reach record levels

Jan. 9, 2012 - According to a recent announcement of the Nicaraguan Tourism Board (INTUR, for its acronym in Spanish), tourism figures in Nicaragua increased four percent during 2011, with more than 1.05 million visitors, establishing a new historic record in tourism arrivals.

Tourism revenues reached US$374.6 million in 2011, a 17.6 percent increase compared to the US$308.5 reached in 2010.

Mario Salinas, Minister of INTUR, specified that tourists remained a longer period of time in the country and spent more money during their stay compared to last year. During 2011, the average daily money spent increased from US$40 to US$43, while tourists remained 8.2 days during their visit to the country, 0.8 days more than in 2010.

As part of its promotional efforts, INTUR has invested US$28 million in creating tourism routes in Nicaragua such as the Route of the Coffee, where tourists are able to visit coffee farms, participate in the collection and production of coffee and taste the country’s premium grain. Additionally, 5,800 new tourism companies were created and various national tourism centers were invested in.

Nicaragua was recently ranked as one of the top ten best value destinations for 2011 by Lonely Planet, one of the largest travel guide books and digital media publisher owned by BBC Worldwide. According to the website’s recent article, “Nicaragua is quickly becoming one of the most popular places to escape winter. Culture, adventure, sand and surf are all part of its cachet”.

Tourism has been one of the most vibrant sectors of the Nicaraguan economy, experiencing consistent and sustained growth. Between 2007 and 2010, tourist arrivals and tourism receipts both grew at an average rate of 8 percent per year.

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