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In the first two months of 2014 the country had 227,812 visitors, 7.6% more than in the same period in 2013.
The executive president of the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute, Mayra Salinas, highlighted tourism growth of 7.2 %, exceeding by 3% the 4% expected in Central America in 2014.
"The vast majority of tourists came by land, mainly through Costa Rica, and through Managua International Airport, while 8,796 did so via cruises, she added. "
During the first five months of 2013, 526,443 tourists entered the country while during the same period in 2012 the figure was 483,105
Mayra Salinas, chief executive of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (Intur), said that of those 526,443 visitors, 503,077 were tourists and 23,366 were cruisers and day trippers. Figures from the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) reveal that between January and March the arrival of travelers contributed $107 million to the country.
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.
Information from the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute, INTUR reveals that 694,906 tourists came into the country up to July, representing an increase of 11.5% compared to the same period in 2011.
A press release from INTUR reads:
Data from the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute, INTUR reveals that up to July of this year 694,906 tourists came to Nicaragua, representing an increase of 11.5 percent compared to the same period last year, said the executive vice president of the governing institution of Tourism in Nicaragua, Mayra Salinas.
In the first five months of the year 456,000 people entered the country, an increase of 11.8% compared to the same period in 2011.
Mario Salinas, chief executive of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (Intur), indicated that foreign exchange earnings also reported growth of 19.4%, "these results are satisfactory and we think we will reach the goals we have set, which is about 6.5 percent or 7 percent. "
In the first six months of the year, a 22.3% increase in tourists’ daily spending was reported, as compared to the same period in 2010.
According to the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism, visitors who spend most are those entering by air, with a daily average of $82.5.
Tourists entering by land record an average daily expenditure of $26.4. This sector has the most increased presence in the country, going from 6.45 days in 2010 to an average of 7.3 days this year.
During 2010, tourism revenues were $7,341 million, of which $2552 were generated in Panama, $1961in Costa Rica, $1378 in Guatemala, $650 in Honduras , $518 in El Salvador, and $281 in Nicaragua, .
According to a preliminary report by the Central American Tourism Integration Secretariat (SITC in Spanish), tourism revenues in the region grew by 0.9% compared to 2009 and the number of visitors increased by 3.8%.
Honduras had the highest growth in tourist arrivals of all the countries in the region, with an increase of 80%.
Between 2006 and 2010 Honduras received 80% more visitors, making it the destination with the most growth in the region, followed by Panama and Costa Rica with 43% and 20% respectively.
In terms of the number of visitors, Costa Rica continues to lead the region with 2.4 million tourists in 2010, followed by Honduras with 2 million, Guatemala with 1.8 million, Panama with 1.7 million, and El Salvador with 1.6 million.
Revenues generated in the first three months of the year amounted to $93.6 million, 22.2% higher than in the same period in 2010.
Official reports, without giving precise figures indicate that "the greatest investment in tourism is led by the private sector through hotels, restaurants and tour operators".
Between January and May, the total number of tourists entering the country was 432,000.
Between January and August, tourism in the region increased 8.1% over the same period of 2009.
Carlos Voleger, regional director of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), stated tourism in the region is growing above the world average.
"In the region, Costa Rica is attracting the most foreigners (over 2 million in 2009) and along with Honduras, is where tourists stay longer with an average of 11 to 12 days," said in an article in Yahoo News.
As of July the country had received 604,000 visitors, 9.7% up on the same period in 2009.
The head of Nicaragua's Institute for Tourism (Intur), Mario Salinas, indicated that if the trend continues tourist numbers at the close of the current year could exceed one million, which would equate to foreign exchange income worth approximately $400 million.
626.170 tourists entered the country between January and August 2009.
According to data from the Nicaraguan Tourism Insitute, there were 50.533 more visitors than the same period of 2008, an increase of 8.8%.
Data from the Central Bank of Nicaragua shows that visitors spent $205.3 million in this time frame, 22% more than in 2008, when they spent $167.5 million.
Between January and May, tourism investment in Nicaragua was 5 times higher than the same period of 2008.
Attracted by the benefits obtained through Law 306, also known as Stimulus Law for the Tourism Industry, 10 new projects where approved so far in 2009, 6 of them are hotels.
Raúl Calvet is the president of Calvet and Associates, a company that assists and advices investors developing projects in Nicaragua.