Granada is a popular destination for visitors to Nicaragua

Nicaragua’s recent investment in new tourism facilities and promotion is paying off as the latest statistics show an increase of 8.4 per cent in the number of foreign visitors to the country between January and May 2014, compared to the same period last year.

In total some 545,174 guests visited the country.

The same report published by the Nicaragua Tourist Board shows that, while the majority of visitors come from the Americas, the country is becoming an increasingly popular choice for European visitors.

Visitors from Europe were up by 9.3 per cent – to a total of 39,502 in total.

At the same time British visitor numbers in particular increased, up by 10.9 per cent to 5,019 during the period.

The beautiful colonial city of Granada is the most popular destination in Nicaragua, chosen by 44.5 per cent of all visitors as a base for their holiday. 

Besides admiring the city’s colonial architecture, visitors can explore the cloud forest in the nearby Mombacho volcano, or the different archipelagos on Lake Nicaragua, including the Granada Islets and Ometepe.

The island of Ometepe, immediately recognised by its twin volcanoes, Madera and Concepcion, has been a focus of recent investment with the opening of a new airport in May, suitable for small aircraft carrying up to 40 passengers.

The Nicaragua Tourist Board has also been promoting new products in different areas of the country such as the Coffee Trail which explores picturesque villages, mountains and coffee plantations in the north of the country, or the Water Trail that follows San Juan River, the natural border with Costa Rica, from Lake Nicaragua to the Caribbean coast.

Nicaragua offers a combination of unspoilt natural landscapes, abundant wildlife, historic cities, pristine coastline and deep traditions, which make it a great destination for those looking for an authentic holiday experience away from the crowds.