Nicaraguan tourism incremented 7.6 percent

MANAGUA, Nicaragua - March 24, 2014 - PRLog -- According to the Nicaraguan Tourism Board (INTUR, for its acronym in Spanish), 217,385 tourists arrived to the country during the first two months of the year, increasing the number of tourists by 7.6 percent, compared to the same period in 2013. The President of INTUR, Mayra Salinas, also stated that this figure must be added to the 8,796 foreigners who arrived through cruises and the 1,631 backpackers that entered the country, increasing the total to 227,812 tourists.

"These results confirm the growth and international positioning of Nicaragua as a tourist destination," said Salinas. Nicaragua’s tourism industry is gaining worldwide recognition due to the development of infrastructure projects and the law of incentives for the industry, along with the country’s natural beauty, high security levels, hospitality and quality of life.

According to the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN, for its acronym in Spanish), tourists remained between 9 to 11.5 days on average and in 2014, Nicaragua expects to capture a total of US$440 million in tourism revenue. "All these international tourists, who we visited in their countries to promote Nicaragua as an ideal destination, commit us to exceed their expectations, needs and demands," highlighted Salinas.

For the 2013-2014 cruise season, which began last October and will finalize in May, 28 ships are expected to dock at the port of San Juan del Sur, where 35,000 tourists will descend.

INTUR has approved US$46 million for the 2014 development of tourism projects, and is projecting to approve a total of US$100 million to be approved by the end of the year. These projects will generate around 1,580 jobs during the construction phase and more than 581 permanent jobs when fully established.

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