Megabuck investment in Nicaragua’s tourism

The Nicaraguan Tourism Institute (INTUR) has reportedly earmarked $45 million for the country’s leisure industry this year, according to Desiderio Campos, head of the institute’s Investment Division, who added that the largest chunk of that money ($41 million in all) will be allotted by Marriot Hotels, a company that plans to build a 250-room resort in the country.

In Mr. Campos’ opinion, this is one of the booster rockets for the national economy. The sector has poured $144 million into 180 projects scattered in 13 departments (provinces) all across the nation.

Raul Calvet, head of Promotion and Marketing for INTUR, explained the opening of an office in Spain for the promotion of Central America in Europe creates new windows of opportunities for Nicaragua as a tourist destination within what they call the Central American Tourism Trademark.

For Mr. Calvet, the flow of European tourists to his country has scored a sea change in recent years, a situation that gives them the chance of trying their hand at other such sending markets as Switzerland and France as they attempt to strengthen the Central America and U.S. markets.

Central American nations stand for the number-one sending market to this country of lakes and volcanoes with 62.5 percent of all arrivals. This figure represented roughly half a million visitors in 2001, according to stats published here.