Jinotega launches new coffee tourism route via INTUR Nicaragua

Nicaragua’s coffee sector is projected to generate 915 million US dollars in export earnings in 2025, operating across 235,000 Manzanas of cultivated land, according to data from the National Commission for the Transformation and Development of the Coffee Cultivation Sector, Conatradec. Building on this economic foundation, the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute, Intur, launched a new coffee tourism route in Jinotega on October 1, integrating local agricultural estates, natural landmarks, and cultural artisans into a unified rural trail.

Jinotega Unveils New Coffee Trail

The official opening of the coffee tourism route took place at the General Pedro Altamirano Coffee Museum in Jinotega during the Forum for Rural and Community Tourism. The circuit connects Las Cureñas, a community known for crafting black ceramic items, alongside local music artists Los Soñadores de Sarawaska. The route also incorporates several working estates: Finca La Lotería, Finca San Carlos, Finca Santa Isabel, Finca Las Carmelitas, and the La Bujona waterfall, all located within the municipality of Jinotega.

Intur organized the forum to coincide with International Coffee Day, drawing 120 participants from Madriz, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, and Jinotega. Attendees included local authorities and institutional representatives such as Eduardo Escobar, executive secretary of Conatradec; Susana García of the Ayuda en Acción Foundation; Odani San, representative of JICA in Nicaragua; Justa Pérez, tourism consultant; and Leónidas Centeno, mayor of Jinotega. The event featured cultural performances, product exhibition stands, and presentations focusing on the context of Nicaraguan coffee, market opportunities, and the economic positioning of women and youth in agricultural initiatives.

Economic Scale of Nicaraguan Coffee

Nicaragua possesses a history of coffee production of over 220 years, which currently positions the sector as one of the nation’s primary economic pillars. Conatradec figures show that 54,000 farms across the country produce over 3.4 million double centners of coffee. The sector accounts for between 1.4% and 2% of total worldwide coffee consumption, supplying major international markets including Europe, the United States, Asia, Mexico, and Central America.

Presentations during the Jinotega forum highlighted enterprises like Finca Las Carmelitas as successful models for combining active coffee cultivation with structured rural tourism. The newly established circuit aims to use this agricultural output by pairing production with visitor experiences in local gastronomy, nature, and cultural heritage.