This presentation was presented at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2011 (ESTC 2011), held in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA, from September 19th-21st. Organized by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), the

ESTC is a unique annual conference providing practical solutions to advance sustainability goals for the tourism industry.

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Surf Tourism and Rural Communities in Nicaragua

Lindsay Usher & Deb KerstetterPenn State University

BackgroundWho am I?

Why Nicaragua?

Surf Tourism

Viable option for sustainable tourism.

Popular in Central America.

Nicaragua is growing as a surf tourism destination.

In many places it is dominated by foreign interests.

Residents must receive benefits that will improve their quality of life.

What is surf tourism doing for residents in Las Salinas and what role, if any, do they have in it?

http://www.nicaraguasurfmaps.com/index.htm

Las Salinas

2.5 hours from Managua

Indigenous community

Home to 260 families

Nearest community to Playa Guasacate

Previous economy was salt fields and agriculture.

Tourism, specifically surf tourism, has grown in the last 10-15 years.

Data Collection3 weeks in Las Salinas with a host family

27 interviews with 13 men & 14 women

Asked about:

health, jobs, social relations, nature and religion; positive and negative aspects of tourism development;

and, who had more power and influence in tourism

development?

Findings

Four major findings…

Tourism contributes to jobs and prosperity!

“With tourism, has come employment for us, as I saidpreviously, before…here in the community, the work that was the most here…was agriculture and the salt

cultivation” - Eduardo

“I think it has given much work and the community has prospered much with this” - Wilfredo

“The gringos, the investors began to come and buy and buy, the money was moving, more movement of money was seen, they started building” – Pablo

Foreigners contribute to well-being!

“…There are American gringos that come here to thisplace and give help, for example, to the school” – Ana

“…Right now there is a help of the Americans, I think they are…yes, they are doctors that have come to help” – Eloisa

“…Now, Las Salinas has a water pump, that was assistance of other countries…it was not of the community” – Maria

Tourism produces negative outcomes.

“…Because with their lands, they were working, they wereplanting, they were cultivating, but since tourism came,many Americans bought lands, and now all the lands where they used to plant, now are houses” – Julio

“They have come to make conflict with the

community” - Pablo

“Some yes, they prohibit you…that you enter there. For me, for me, for me, this is not right. We all have the right to the sea for me.” – Eloisa

“…I saw [drugs] when the tourists started coming, I saw the young people also make friends with them, that was when it started, these things. And it affected the health of the youth!” – Antonio

Local Nicaraguan business owners recognize foreign dominance.

“They have more knowledge of the area of tourism…Theyknow the customs of the tourists that visit us better” – Jorge

“The foreigner, then, what they do is put their business on the internet, they put it there” - Tomasa “They do packages” - Pedro

So did residents! 15 out of 20 people said that foreigners had more influence

than the community did in tourism development

“Because they have more money” - Alejandro

Discussion: The positives…

Tourism benefits the community and diversifies the economy.

Many residents feel connected to tourism and express positive feelings about it.

Residents recognize that foreigners bring aid and projects to the community that positively impact well-being.

Discussion: The negatives…

Beach access, land rights, drugs and theft…

Many residents do not feel they have much of a voice in tourism development.

Foreigners have the majority of businesses due to…

money technical expertise

Suggestions for developing a sustainable tourism product!

Management

Have foreign owners attend community meetings and get to know the community before building.

Educate guests about projects with local community.

Train foreign staff in sustainable practices.

Social/economic benefits

Give residents a voice in tourism development. Pay fair prices for land. Provide residents with access to the beach. Promote residents to management positions. Offer technical assistance and training to

residents and business owners.

Culture

Teach residents about surfing, not drugs.

Environmental

Partner with the community board on trash management initiatives.

Do not allow dumping from boats.

Partner with community on tree projects.

Thank You!

Questions?