Although Nicaragua has one of the lowest crime rates in Central America, in San Juan del Sur robberies of tourists are beginning to affect the sector.
Business owners and foreign residents have denounced the constant thefts, however, so far no actions or responses to the problem have been taken. Estimates by the National Chamber of the Micro, Small and Medium Tourism industry (CANTUR) reveal that there are 11 weekly assaults on tourists in this area.
In the North Pacific of Nicaragua a square meter of land on the beach has a maximum cost of $18.
"Nicaragua is the safest place in Central America and there is great potential to develop the segments of city, sun and sand. We have a lot of ability to grow in those areas which already posses developed infrastructure such as airports and roads", said Sergio Arguello, an official from the Nicaraguan Chamber of Tourism (Canatur).
With an investment of $48 million, three new hotels will be built in Nicaragua, adding 500 rooms.
Along with construction of the Whyndam Milagro del Mar, launched on Thursday, February 21, the 145-room Hyatt Place and a new 105 room Holiday Inn will also be built.
These investments are in addition to the Guacalito Island project, which was recently opened.
The country expects that by the end of 2012, 1.2 million visitors will have arrived and more than $400 million entered the country in foreign exchange earnings, which represents an increase of over 11% compared to 2011.
On meeting these projections by the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (Intur), the country will become the fastest growing in the region in terms of tourism indicators, surpassing even Panama.
Blue Panorama, which flew every Wednesday from Fiumicino to Managua, with a stopover in Havana, and a return direct flight will cancel the service from November.
Elnuevodiario.com.ni reports that Mario Salinas, president of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (INTUR) said "I don’t have a lot of information, but I understand that they are going to suspend the flights, but that is a normal occurrence.
A partnership has been formed between the Nicaraguan government and the Spanish group Barceló to build an international airport in the Montelimar resort, in San Rafael del Sur.
An article in Laprensa.com.ni reports that "The Government of Nicaragua and the Spanish hotel group Barceló have signed an agreement to build an international airport in the Montelimar resort, in the Pacific, officials said on Sunday.
Nicaragua's "Concertación Tributaria" (Tax Reform Discussion) includes a proposal to remove the latest taxes to registration of pleasure boats and aircraft.
An article Laprensa.com.ni reports that Mario Salinas, chief executive of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (Intur) noted the positive impact that a review and elimination of taxes collected on the registration of yachts and private aircraft, introduced in 2010, would have on the tourism sector.
The Ministries of Tourism in Central America have announced their intention to form a regional strategy to promote tourist destinations in the isthmus.
Reinforcing some intentions expressed in previous ministerial meetings, the government sector is proposing offering tourists the region "in one trip."
An article in Prensalibre.com reports that the chief executive of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (Intur), Mario Salinas, said: "We are going promote on the website, in European tourism fairs, two, three, four, five countries (as a destination), and not promote Panama or Nicaragua only, we will encourage (them to come and see) Central America. "
The project for a long road to the Nicaraguan Pacific is awaiting Italian investors, or others, to take up interest in the idea again.
The mega project for a main road linking the Pacific beaches of Nicaragua, aroused the interest of Italian and Spanish investors last year, under the banner of the Nicaragua - Europe Business Meeting 2011.
In this regard, Mario Salinas, chief executive of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (Intur), said that there is still interest from Italian who may come to the country in the coming months to formally submit an offer to the Government.
In the last five years the number of companies engaged in activities related to tourism has doubled, from 2,500 to over 5,800.
In five years, the number of micro, small and medium tourism enterprises has increased from 2,526 to 5,867, creating 37,000 direct and 140,000 indirect jobs, said the Institute of Tourism.
These 5,867 micro, small and medium tourism businesses represent 90% of companies registered with the Intur to date, which total 6,500, reported Laprensa.com.ni.
Tourism industry representatives are participating in the Annual Meeting of the United States Association of Tour Operators, known by the acronym USTOA.
A press release from the newspaper "El Pueblo Presidente" reads:
The CEO of INTUR, Architect Mario Salinas Pasos, is heading a delegation that is participating in North America in the Annual Meeting of the United States Association of Tour Operators known by the acronym USTOA.
The new law creates a regulatory framework for casinos, game houses and slot machines and will come into force in December.
Law 766 was passed last May and published in the official gazette in July, and the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute (Intur) will be responsible for its implementation.
Regarding the contents of the new legislation Laprensa.com.ni notes, "...
The government has signed agreement of understanding with an Italian consortium for the design and construction of the road with an investment of $200 million.
The Italian consortium composed of Unieco, CCC and Pizzarotti, will present in January next year designs for the 138 km road that begins in El Naranjo, on the border with Costa Rica and extend to Masachapa, in the capital.
In the last two years medical tourism has increased by 100% according to data from the country's tourism institute.
Relative to the total number of visitors to the country the number of medical tourists is not significant, but the head of the institute (Intur in Spanish), Mario Salinas, says that the change demonstrates that the sector has the potential to keep growing.
With an investment of about $20 million the Institute of Tourism has announced the construction of two marinas in the Caribbean and a hotel in Leon.
The investments are of Italian and Spanish origin, explained the head of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (Intur), Mario Salinas.
With an initial investment of about $15 million, one of the marinas will be built in Bluefields Bay and the other on Corn Island, in the south Caribbean, said Juan Manuel Muñoz, manager in charge of the proposed marinas. Construction work is scheduled to start in late December.