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Meeting between INTUR and International Cooperation Agencies.

Róger Solórzano Canales | May 10, 2013

Scene of the fourth meeting of tourism programmatic dialogue. | Photographer: Róger Solórzano Canales

Social actors discuss improvements, challenges and plans within programs in the Tourism Sector of Nicaragua.

The fourth meeting among Nicaraguan Tourism Board representatives and International cooperation agencies working in the national tourism sector , known as “Space for Programmatic Tourism Dialogue“ , was held this week in Managua. The participants shared opinions about the current state of alliances, efforts, challenges and future plans in the field.

World Tourism Organization representatives as well as international organizations and agencies from Luxembourg, Switzerland, United States, Spain and other nations embassies took part in the meeting assembled by INTUR's executive president, Mayra Salinas. On 2011, a similar gathering was held to feature inclusive strategies in those sectors where efforts converge.

Mayra Salinas during the assemble.
Last year, the tourism board used US$6.5 million dollars supplied by international collaborators. Therefore, according to Salinas, these gatherings have an important meaning. During the current government administration, a total of 15 programs have been developed, of which 10 are already complete and 5 are being implemented. The program's total amount is around US$47,859,772 million dollars, financed by different diplomatic and international entities.

Current State
Official purpose for 2013 is to reach 1.3 million tourists visit and produce US$465 million dollars currencies, assured Salinas. The tourism sector is experiencing an important and sustained annual growth. Comparing 2007 with 2012, the results are:

  • Tourist arrivals: 799,996 to 1,179,581.
  • Incomes produced by tourism: 255,1 million to 421,5 million (dollars).
  • Business registered on INTUR: 2,526 to 5,920.
  • Employments produced by those business: 20,628 to 37,461.
  • Rooms: 6,233 to 11,129

Challenges: The tourism board explained 3 main challenges. The first one is to develop, improve and diverse the offer. The second is to know the tourist demand in order to increase. The third is strength public and private spaces to optimize organization in the tourism sector.

To confront these challenges, the Sustainable Tourism Development Plan has raised 5 strategies:

1. Offer promotion and market investigation.
2. Management and coordination to strength the Nicaraguan tourist system.
3. Improve tourist infrastructure.
4. Differentiate and diversify tourist products and destinations.
5. Support marketing and identify new markets.

After the official exhibition, entity's representatives remarked their efforts and pose proposals as well as queries to the formal institution. Even though was not possible to get to know the specific linings result by this encounter, the calm and debate environment between officials was notable. The meeting took place on May 6.

“For us, tourism is an important sector for its encouragement against poverty and purpose to create quality employments for young people. Also, allows synergy along other sectors. We confirmed our permanence and continuous effort in tourism”, assured Thierry Lippert, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg representative and main speaker of the tourism international cooperation in Nicaragua.

Translated by Olga Ortiz Kurashvili