Q & A with Regina Hurtado, Chief of Marketing and Promotion for Nicaragua’s Tourism Ministry

Amid promotional and advertisement efforts to be conducted across Europe by means of CATA, Nicaragua’s travel industry is determined to reinforce its presence and stance in the Old World by showcasing its own natural and cultural assets. This Central American nation is also trying to get a nonstop flight from Europe and is interested in bringing in the continent’s big-time hoteliers.

Q.- How long have you been in this post?
A.- For the past six years in a row. I served a stint in the past for three years.

Q.- This means you’ve seen quite a number of Tourism Ministers come and go, doesn’t it?
A.- Ten different Ministers.

Q.- What kind of tourism policy is Nicaragua going to stick to in this administration?
A.- First of all, we want to continue buttressing those outbound markets we’ve been working on for a number of years now. We’re here in Europe getting a tighter grip of such markets as Spain, Germany and UK, but without making a short shrift of Netherlands, France and Italy. These are markets we’ve worked on in the past with the help of the private sector. Now the Nicaraguan government is drawing a bead on these markets as well, and therefore we’re laying out different strategies for each and every one of them.

Q.- Will you continue relying on CATA for promotion and advertisement in Europe?
A.- We’re going to continue working with CATA, but we’re also determined to give Nicaragua a leg up as a travel destination. This means we’ll be working for CATA for the promotion of the entire Central American region and yet we’re going to pull off some stuff of our own for the sake of Nicaragua as a country.

Q.- Are there any plans to open a representation office of your own in Europe?
A.- I don’t think so. We’re weighing a number of possibilities aimed at strengthening our position. But the most important effort of all will be focused on trying to get a Nicaragua-bound nonstop flight out of Europe. This has been one of the largest snags our country has hit in getting tourists from Europe.

Q.- What kind of investment are you sketching out for the Spanish market?
A.- Right now we’re just assessing the possibility of increasing the number of Spanish tourists that even though the numbers are still quite low, that particular market climbed a robust 15 percent last year.

Q.- What is Nicaragua’s number-one outbound market right now?
A.- The U.S. with somewhere around 130,000 visitors every year. In the case of Europe, the UK is out major market, followed by Germany and Spain.

Q.- Do you have any nonstop flight from any country in particular?
A.- We have lots of nonstop flights from the U.S. and Central America. Nonetheless, we have failed to get a flight from Europe, a direct connection, and that’s one goal we ought to work on.

Q.- What of the country’s tourist regions is getting more promotional hype right now?
A.- As we speak, we’re promoting the Pacific region for tourism and the Caribbean-bathed regions for investment. I believe it’s important for the country to put the Nicaraguan Caribbean on the map because this region has tremendous potentials. It boasts beaches of crystal-clear waters and sugar-white sands, coupled with amazing cultural values worth stealing a long look at.

Q.- What hotel companies are making investments in Nicaragua?
A.- Spain’s Barcelo is investing in Nicaragua. We also have investments from Holiday Inn, InterContinental, Grand Plaza, Best Western and other major hoteliers.