Nicaraguan Tour Operators Committed To Sostainable Tourism

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Rainforest Alliance signed on June 5, agreements with 11 Nicaraguan tour operators (Careli Tours, Gray Line Tours Nicaragua, SchuVar Tours, Solentiname Tours, Gutiérrez Tours, Va Pues Tours, Ecotours, NTUR, Nicarao Lake Tours, Servitours Travel & Tips, Tours Nicaragua y Detour Viajes y Cultura) to promote sustainable tourism. USAID Nicaragua Director, Alex Dickie, and the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Tourism Director, Ronald Sanabria, participated in the event.

Through these agreements, Nicaraguan tourism businesses will receive training in better management practices and the requirements for certification in sustainable tourism. The agreement also establishes that tour operators will give priority to those businesses working under the good practices framework for the tourism packages they present to their wholesalers outside the country.

This activity is part of a partnership between USAID and the Rainforest Alliance to increase investment in the tourism sector and incomes for small and medium scale Nicaraguan producers through agricultural and forestry certification.