Nicaragua: Dive into the waterfall
At the beginning of my time in Nicaragua (approximately two years ago already) I visited the city of Leon to shadow another volunteer for a week. A hot city near volcanoes and Pacific beaches, Leon is a hopping place with a number of established restaurants, bars, hotels, and other amenities. For those reasons, it is a place which is frequented by many a foreigner. After spending a week there I told my bosses that I did not want to be placed in a site where lots of tourists visited. I wanted to be one of the few foreigners in my future site and not confused as just someone passing through for a week or two. I wanted to live in the "real" Nicaragua, free of touristy comforts and fickle 20-somethings seeking to collect stamps in their passports and continue on to the next adventure.
So I was sent to a place where the highway ends, where there's no running water, and where there's no identified "tourist attraction." At this point in time, my city brings in the off-the-beaten-path traveler whose ultimate goal is to reach the Caribbean Sea. Not many people stay for more than a day, or for even more than a few hours, simply for the fact that there is not a real motive to stick around. We have a half-page mention in travel guides like the Lonely Planet, and Trip Advisor does not even recognize that our region exists.
In an attempt to increase tourism in our region, the local government has been making noticeable moves recently, including painting murals around town and putting up a big "welcome" sign at the entrance to the city. New restaurants have gone up in the past year, and hotels have expanded and renovated. On the surface, things look optimistic. I do not expect my city to suddenly transform into an all-inclusive five star resort, but the efforts to make the place look a little prettier are appreciated.
Tourism is certainly on the rise in Nicaragua, and it seems that more cities are trying to jump on the bandwagon each day. While it is good to recognize the potential within the tourism industry, parts of the country (including where I live) still have a ways to go before they reach the development standards of the Pacific side, and even more so to reach the level of neighboring Costa Rica.
It will be interesting to see how the tourism industry continues to develop here, and what impact that will have on the locals. A demand for tourist amenities is certainly a motivator for development, and could result in the construction of a city water system, implementation of an improved bus system, and the creation of jobs as tour guides, hotel clerks, and waiters/waitresses. The place has potential and the people have ambition, but there is no telling just how long it may take for this tourism initiative to really get going.
So I was sent to a place where the highway ends, where there's no running water, and where there's no identified "tourist attraction." At this point in time, my city brings in the off-the-beaten-path traveler whose ultimate goal is to reach the Caribbean Sea. Not many people stay for more than a day, or for even more than a few hours, simply for the fact that there is not a real motive to stick around. We have a half-page mention in travel guides like the Lonely Planet, and Trip Advisor does not even recognize that our region exists.
In an attempt to increase tourism in our region, the local government has been making noticeable moves recently, including painting murals around town and putting up a big "welcome" sign at the entrance to the city. New restaurants have gone up in the past year, and hotels have expanded and renovated. On the surface, things look optimistic. I do not expect my city to suddenly transform into an all-inclusive five star resort, but the efforts to make the place look a little prettier are appreciated.
Tourism is certainly on the rise in Nicaragua, and it seems that more cities are trying to jump on the bandwagon each day. While it is good to recognize the potential within the tourism industry, parts of the country (including where I live) still have a ways to go before they reach the development standards of the Pacific side, and even more so to reach the level of neighboring Costa Rica.
It will be interesting to see how the tourism industry continues to develop here, and what impact that will have on the locals. A demand for tourist amenities is certainly a motivator for development, and could result in the construction of a city water system, implementation of an improved bus system, and the creation of jobs as tour guides, hotel clerks, and waiters/waitresses. The place has potential and the people have ambition, but there is no telling just how long it may take for this tourism initiative to really get going.
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