HOW TO SELL NICARAGUA
NICARAGUA Action-packed
BY ADAM COULTER Nicaragua is an amazingly diverse
country, with a lot to see and do packed into a relatively small area. There's the hustle and bustle of its capital, Managua; the perfectly preserved colonial towns of Grenada and Leon; the unspoiled Caribbean beaches, and the surfers’ paradise of San Juan del Sur on the Pacific coast; the lush jungle and coffee- growing region of the north; and the extraordinary natural wonder of Lake Nicaragua with its twin volcanoes on the island of Ometepe. Sandwiched between Honduras to the
north and Costa Rica to the south, Nicaragua, like most Central American countries, was riven with civil war and unrest for many years. A peace accord in the 1990s led to stability and a steady stream of tourists, which reached 899,498 from January to October last year, 3% more than in 2010. The biggest increase was from the UK market, up by an impressive 10%. Nicaragua’s main problem is one of image: some people think either that the civil strife is still going on or that it is dangerous to visit. In fact, Nica (as it is affectionately known), is the safest and friendliest of Central American countries. It’s also the poorest – which makes it
very cheap – and up until quite recently tourism was confined to adventurers and backpackers mainly due to the poor infrastructure, airlift and the quality of hotels. This has changed in the past few years, and it’s now a good time to be thinking of selling the destination due to improved air connections from the UK and Europe as well as a growing number
General Information
TIME ZONE: GMT -6 hours. VISA: None required for UK visitors. LANGUAGE: Spanish. CURRENCY: Cordoba. CLIMATE: Hot and wet year-round, with rainy season over our winter. GETTING THERE: There are no direct flights. Take either Iberia to Panama or Costa Rica via Madrid; or BA to Miami and a Taca flight direct to Managua. CONTACT: Central America Tourism Agency:
www.visitcentroamerica.com;
www.ba.com;
www.taca.com;
www.iberia.com.
50 June 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
of quality boutique hotels and eco-lodges. Nicaragua also makes a perfect twin-
or even triple-centre destination with Costa Rica, which has the greatest airlift, and Honduras or Panama.
What’s New A luxury resort complex on the pristine Corn Island, in the Caribbean, Casa Canada, recently opened (
www.casa-
canada.com). The four-star 20-room cabana-style complex is strung along a white-sand beach. A new airport is being built on the
island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua, expected to open this summer to cater for small aircraft. Previously, the only way to access the island was by boat. The second stage of the ‘Coffee Route’
in the north of the country opened earlier this year in a bid to boost tourism to the area. The ‘Ruta del Café’ includes the villages of Jinotega, Matagalpa, Estelí, Madriz and Nueva Segovia. The first stage saw the completion of 31 tourism projects such as museums, parks and other cultural establishments. Iberia added a fifth weekly flight
between Madrid and Panama in January, with numerous connections to Nicaragua. A new $43million terminal opened in Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, last
January near Nicaragua's border. Nicaragua hosts the World Surfing
Championship in July with more than 250 surfers from over 20 countries.
Where To Book It RAINBOW TOURS - 020 7666 1260
www.rainbowtours.co.uk A 12-day Highlights of Nicaragua & Panama itinerary is from £2,185pp. Highlights include Panama City and the Panama Canal; Panama’s Caribbean coast at Bocas del Toro; Granada, a colonial gem; a stay on the volcanic island of Ometepe; and the Pacific Coast at San Juan del Sur. The price includes return international flights, domestic flights, transfers and B&B accommodation.
EXPLORE - 0844 499 090116
www.explore.co.uk The 16-day Beneath the Volcanoes tour visits sleepy colonial towns, lively artisan markets and volcanic landscapes. It also offers a boat trip along the San Juan River from Bartola in search of caiman, monkeys and toucans in the jungle. With departures October-December 2012, and January 2013, the tour is from £1,874pp and includes return flights, 14 nights’ hotel accommodation,13 meals, transport; tour leader, driver and guides.
NICARAGUA Top Selling Tips...
• Second time around... “Nicaragua is an ideal destination for second time visitors to Central America, particularly those who are looking to explore areas that are off the regular tourist trail, that are relatively undeveloped and retain much of their traditional charm”
• Check out the neighbours... “A trip to Nicaragua can easily be combined with a visit to neighbouring Costa Rica which is perfect for wildlife lovers, or Panama, which is also still relatively unknown”
AMANDA SWEENEY Latin America sales specialist, Rainbow Tours
The friendly smile that says 'welcome to Nicaragua'; a taste of the country's scenic splendours with, below, Playa de San de Sur
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