The almost total absence of foreign tourists was noticed again for the fourth consecutive year in the different centers and spas in some places in the cities of Estelí, Somoto and Ocotal, thus frustrating the great expectations that merchants and tourism entrepreneurs had in this region of Las Segovias with the arrival of Holy Week and the summer season.
One of the places with the greatest tourist attraction in the region has been the famous Somoto Canyon, where about five or six years ago, in summer and Easter, more than a thousand people visited that site daily, including some 600 tourists. foreigners, but this year, according to a source from the Somoteño mayor’s office, only about 900 people from various parts of the country arrived at the place during the entire summer vacation period.
Of those 900 visitors, the vast majority were national tourists from Managua, Masaya, Granada, León, Chinandega, Rivas and Estelí and very few foreign tourists from Canada, Spain, San Marcos de Colón, in Honduras, and some transit Cubans. for the country who, at the end of their tour of the Somoto Canyon, chose, along with other foreign tourists, to return to Estelí or to the city of Ocotal, in Nueva Segovia, to stay and visit nightlife centers in these northern towns.
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Gonzalo Cáceres Hernández, who was president of the National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur) in the department of Madriz, and is now in exile, said that he handles information that the arrival of foreign tourists to the famous Somoto Canyon was almost nil. . “About five years ago, at least a thousand domestic and foreign tourists arrived per day,” he said.
“Worst Easter”
For their part, several hotel and restaurant owners in the city of Somoto, head of the department of Madriz, said under anonymity that this year was the same or worse than three years ago, where the great absentees continue to be foreign tourists. “Those who came the most were visitors from Ocotal, Estelí, Managua and some from Masaya, Granada, León and Chinandega, since they have relatives here or are from Somoteño,” added another of those consulted.
As in Somoto, in the cities of Ocotal and Estelí there were few foreign tourists visiting spas such as El Salto de La Estanzuela, public or private pools and pools, or other tourist entertainment centers in these northern towns. The restaurants, soup kitchens and inns in these three areas of the northern region of the country were also visited mostly by locals or tourists from other locations.
“People came from the departments of Ocotal, Somoto and Estelí and a few from Managua who have relatives who come to visit Telpaneca,” said Maritza Martínez, owner of a fried food stand, which this summer was located at banks of the huge bridge that crosses the town of Telpaneca, and pointed out that sales were good for her.
In the only public spa that exists between the city of Ocotal and the urban area of the municipality of Mozonte, in Nueva Segovia, Arely López Hernández, owner of a fast food business, said that the influx of visitors, all nationals, was acceptable.
“Compared to four years ago, it was not good, but the way things have been, we did not stop selling, despite the fact that this year the processions that generated good sales due to the arrival of people to these religious activities were prohibited,” López highlighted. Hernández, who ended by saying that he misses the good sales times.
By United Voices
