San Juan Del Sur receives a New Cruise Ship Port

San Juan Del Sur has built a new port for cruise ship passengers, tourists and locals alike. The project is now 90% complete and it will be delivered in May, 2016 by the National Port Authority.

The investment is said to be at $3 million which comes from the Inter-American Development Bank, IDB, with their headquarters located in Washington, D.C.  The newly renovated port features a variety of stores, an artisan market, restaurants, recreational areas, banks, bars, restrooms, a lobby, offices for tourism businesses, 20 parking spots for taxis, and 12 for tourist buses.

There are many applications for companies who want to get in first and set up shop in what will be similar to a small port mall. However almost all of the units have already been acquired before it even went public.  There has been talk of a variety of top name coffee shops and restaurants from Managua ready to set up shop. The future plans (Phase #2) of the port, also includes the addition of a new marina.

 

San Juan Del Sur is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Nicaragua, but between 2008 and 2012 the number of cruise ships arriving at the terminal had declined.

Figures from the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (INTUR), indicate that in 2008, 45 cruise ships arrived at the port, 42 cruises in 2009 and only 35 in 2010. In 2011, it got better with 37 ships, but the next year in 2012 only 27 cruise ships showed up, which has been the lowest figure to date.

The most important part of the project are the 2 new docks for the cruise ship tender boats, allowing for 6 boats to dock at the same time as opposed to only 1 at a time, allowing for more tourists to arrive quicker. Although most of the passengers get loaded up on buses and taken to other cities such as Granada and Masaya, there are still quite a few tourists who decide to spend the day in San Juan Del Sur, and most likely the new port will persuade more tourists to stay instead of busing it to another city.

The new port will allow for better tourist development in San Juan Del Sur by making it more feasible for the cruise ships to visit more frequently. San Juan Del Sur receives on average around 25 to 30 cruises per year, which equals to about 40,000 tourists. The new addition will most likely allow more cruise ship companies to add a new stop on their route, San Juan Del Sur. 

For locals and expats, the port is also great news as it will give everyone a new selection of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, clubs, and opportunities to grow their own companies. 

Which kind of stores would you like to see open up in the new port?