The Wall Street Journal has a new piece on the challenge of transforming Nicaragua from "a country from tourism pariah to hot destination for wealthy travelers," showcasing Nicaragua's first luxury hotel, opening next month.
We have long recognized the natural of beauty of the Paso del Istmo and as we have watched the tourism sector grow in Nicaragua, we have educated people about nature tourism's potential to provide economic benefit to local communities while also supporting conservation efforts.
Our Coastal Entrepreneur Network involves many local businesses, partner organizations, and dedicated individuals, and provides guide training and micro-loans, supporting business development in tourism and related sectors. Beneficiary groups have included hostels, restaurants, small farmers, and small fishing enterprises, all owned by members of the rural community. Additionally, young adults from rural villages have received extensive nature and kayak guide training, and have harnessed these new skills to create their own eco-tour guiding company, Explore La Flor.
We welcome new visitors to the beautiful part of the world where we work, and hope they will join us in our efforts to protect the region's wildlife, habitat, and incredibly rich biodiversity.
