SOLENTINAME TOURS - Discover Nicaragua bearer of “Premio Excelencias” 2012 among the honored
As part of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development of the United Nations, the Rainforest Alliance organization delivered on November 16, 2017, a special recognition of Sustainable Tourism Leader to four touristic companies in Nicaragua whose leadership and actions have been decisive in promoting the development of sustainable tourism in the community, country and organizations.
Currently, there are more than one hundred companies or tourism initiatives certified by Rainforest Alliance in Latin America, of which fifteen exemplary leaders have been selected, among companies and individuals, to give them the recognition of 'Sustainable Tourism Leaders.' The awards were presented to SOLENTINAME TOURS – Discover Nicaragua and three other Nicaraguan Tourism Companies at the Hilton Hotel in Managua by Saul Blanco Sosa, global responsible of the Certification Program for Sustainable Tourism of the Rainforest Alliance.
Each of these tourism companies has extensive sustainable experience in Nicaragua, since they have developed and implemented initiatives that include good practices such as recycling, school education programs, direct work with rural cooperatives, artisans and local families and environmental protection. The four businesses are active members of TOPS (Tour Operators Promoting Sustainability) in Nicaragua.
Immanuel Zerger, CEO and Founder of SOLENTINAME TOURS - Discover Nicaragua created in 2012 the "Tourist Map Nicaragua - Sustainable Traveling," which was awarded at the time with the "Premio Excelencias" and includes protected areas, private nature reserves, sustainable managed Hotels and Lodges, as well as 29 "Live Points." Each "Punto de Vida" offers participation in tourism to cooperatives, artisans and local families, often socially excluded, with low incomes and single mothers. "This is our way of involving the local community directly in the tourism value chain," Zerger added.
In 2017 SOLENTINAME TOURS suggested staff become "Guardians of Biodiversity." Each one will take personal responsibility for caring and protecting an endangered species from the exceptional biodiversity of Nicaragua. In addition, the company intends to plant 1,000 trees in a year to contribute to the production of oxygen and to mitigate climate change.
Due to the efforts made by tourism companies and government institutions in collaboration with programs and projects dedicated to sustainability, Nicaragua has stood out internationally, achieving the award of ‘Sustainable and Responsible Tourism Destination’ in the year 2017 by LATA (Latin America Travel Association).
The country is the 2nd fastest growing destination in the entire American continent, 8th in the world. In total there were 1.5 million visitors in 2016, (with 16,923 coming from Germany and 17,907 coming from the UK) and a current 28.4% growth rate in 2017. It has also been classified as the safest country for visitors in Central America and the second safest in Latin America.
From the 1st October 2018, Iberia will start thrice-weekly flights to Managua from Madrid.