Nicaragua: up-market tourism

Being the subject of a front-page story in ‘T”, the New York Times’ upscale magazine, won’t by itself energize Nicaraguan tourism.

Still, it helps to have a slide show of supermodel Karlie Kloss, posing in front of Masaya Volcano and Lake Nicaragua, and to have the Times praise the beauty of the country, and its appeal not only to backpackers, but also for up-market visitors.

One of the novel concepts described in the story involves residences for North Americans who would work remotely, in a tropical paradise, with the added advantage of affordable help.

Then there is Guacalito de la Isla, a project of Nicaragua’s wealthy Pellas family, which is scheduled to open this month.

A full-service resort on the Pacific Coast, west of Managua, Guacalito has vacation condos starting at $425,000, along with the Mukul luxury hotel. Later phases would add an airport, a marina and a second hotel.

There may not yet be many up-market tourists in Nicaragua. Nevertheless, concludes the Times, they will soon be coming.