Sustainability
Nicaragua’s 83 protected areas cover nearly 20 percent of the country. With enormous wild regions,
where jaguars ply waterways and huge trees overlook vast forests, Nicaragua’s protected areas are
facing major threat due to poverty and population growth which can drive uncontrolled agricultural
expansion.
Vapues Tours is committed to develop, implement and promote sustainable tourism practices throughout
Nicaragua. We are certified by the Rainforest Alliance, a non profit organization dedicated to the
conservation of tropical forests and implementation of Best Management Practices. Additionally are
members of TOPS, 'tour operators promoting sustainability'. In order to raise awareness towards
sustainability already at a young age we support the 'Salvemos Nicaragua' initiative, founded by American
College University.
where jaguars ply waterways and huge trees overlook vast forests, Nicaragua’s protected areas are
facing major threat due to poverty and population growth which can drive uncontrolled agricultural
expansion.
Vapues Tours is committed to develop, implement and promote sustainable tourism practices throughout
Nicaragua. We are certified by the Rainforest Alliance, a non profit organization dedicated to the
conservation of tropical forests and implementation of Best Management Practices. Additionally are
members of TOPS, 'tour operators promoting sustainability'. In order to raise awareness towards
sustainability already at a young age we support the 'Salvemos Nicaragua' initiative, founded by American
College University.
Sustainability Policy
As one of the leading sustainable tour operators in the country, we are aware of the importance of environmental-
, social-, and cultural conservation. For this reason, we are committed to put into practice the following policies:
Respect the cultural identity of local communities.
Implement Good Practices during tours and in our offices.
Promote environmental preservation and sustainable practices among providers, customers and staff.
In support of the above, we strive to:
Support local initiatives promoting cultural and social projects.
Prefer local businesses (hotels, guides, restaurants, transport) over foreign owned businesses.
Include staff and providers in initiatives for environmental protection, such as recycling projects.
Implement training for staff and maintain a good working environment.
Sustainability in Practice
June 2015 – Rainforest Alliance certifies Vapues Tours with a positive evaluation after a two-day audit, ensuring compliance
with recognized sustainable tourism sustainability criteria. Rainforest Alliance Certification scores for Vapues Tours: Economic: 93%;
Environmental: 84%; Socio-cultural: 94%; Total score: 91%.
April 2015 – Supporting the First Underwater Cleaning of the Apoyo Lagoon Vapues Tours has made a donation of
U$345.00 to help with logistical expenses during the First Underwater Cleaning of the Apoyo Lagoon, organized by Monkey Hut
Hotel and Dive Nicaragua (diving school). The activity was carried out to reduce water pollution and celebrate International Earth
Day.
November 2014 – International Bird Festival. Vapues Tours participated in the International Bird Festival. The main purpose
of this event is to adopt a bird (whether it is resident or migratory) so visitors, mostly children, have direct contact with the birds of
Nicaragua. Vapues Tours adopted the Painting Bunting bird.
March 2014 – Recognition as an Eco-Business 2014. Vapues Tours receives recognition as an Eco- Business for its
contribution to environmental education for children through the donation of 250 books.
December 2012 – Supporting the Genesis Theatre Ensemble from Costa Rica Vapues Tours sponsored the Genesis
Theatre Ensemble from Costa Rica, who gained recognition with their fabulous and very well received play;El Ogrito;. Their goal is
to introduce theatre to children and teenagers throughout Central America in areas where it is largely inaccessible. Vapues Tours
supported this theatre group with accommodation and transportation. http://genesis-teatroensamble.com
September 2012 – Cooperation with Chacocente to protect sea-turtles Vapues Tours worked with the Wildlife Refuge Rio
Escalante Chacocente in the Vida Silvestre region of Nicaragua to promote eco-tourism. Chacocente is one of the most important
remaining reserves of tropical dry forest in Central America. This is the place where the mass arrivals of Ridley sea turtle
(Lepidochelys Olivacea) take place, and it marks one of the main attractions of this area: up to 5,000 turtles crawl ashore at night
to lay their eggs on this beach, and a few weeks later one can observe thousands of little turtles hatching.
March 2012 –Strategic partners with the Association of Kayak Guides ‘Jacamar’, Boca de Sábalos Vapues Tours and
Agua Trails are strategic partners in Jacamar. This project, led by ProPemce, is a cooperative program in Nicaragua for the
development of women and excluded populations, is funded by the DFID / UKaid (Great Britain) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Finland. Despite the fact that the number of tourists visiting the Rio San Juan area has doubled in two years, the local community
does not benefit financially from tourism and the region remains a deprived area. ProPemce has formed an association of local
guides, aiming to train local people from Boca de Sábalos (a small village that lies along a tributary of the San Juan River) as tour
guides. Vapues Tours’ role as strategic partners in this project consists of giving English classes, which is done by one of our English
speaking employees and market their excursions through the travel trade.
November 2011 – Strategic partners with UPAS, Solentiname Islands Vapues Tours and Agua Trails are strategic partners
in the UPAS project. This project led by ProPemce, a cooperative program in Nicaragua for the development of women and
excluded populations, was funded by the DFID / UKaid (Great Britain) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. The
Solentiname Islands, located in the south-eastern part of Lake Nicaragua, are known for its population of artists who work with
balsawood, turning this prime timber into colorful souvenirs. Together with local painters, these artisans formed a cooperation
named UPAS (Union of Painters and Artisans of Solentiname) in order to preserve and promote the identity and authenticity of the
Solentiname artistic tradition. By encouraging artists to sell their work in the offices of Vapues Tours (Granada) and Agua Trails (La
Fortuna) we helped to empower local artists of Solentiname. With the exhibitions we promoted tourism to the area, by including the
services of UPAS in our excursion packages, allowing tourists to meet the artisans on the Islands and first handedly witness the
process of the different types of arts and crafts that are being produced. The package includes a workshop where tourists can
participate in the process.
October 2011 – Vapues Tours joins TOPS (Tour Operators Promoting Sustainability) is a network, set up under the
umbrella of the Rainforest Alliance, to promote the relationships and cooperation between tour operators and other sustainability-
oriented providers. See for the full list of its members http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/es/tourism/tops- members
July 2011 – Cocoa Farmers Cooperative CUSEMUCRIM, Boca de Sábalos The ‘Sustainable Bufferzone Management Project’
in the Indio-Maíz Biological Reserve is a joint development and conservation project implemented by the Danish Embassy, the
German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the local Cocoa Farmers’ Cooperative COSEMUCRIM. Its aim is to fight
poverty and deforestation by promoting diversified cocoa- agro forestry systems. Since 2008, the project offers technical assistance
and capacity building for poverty stricken local farmers in order to produce organically certified first quality cocoa beans. The cocoa
tree is a native and shade-tolerant tree that can perfectly co-exist with the remaining rainforest fragments on the farms. Cocoa agro
forestry managed to revert the traditional unsustainable land use practices (slash and burn) and created a protection belt around
the core area of one of the last great rainforest areas of Central America. Local cocoa farmers learn through their own organization,
the COSEMUCRIM cooperation, how to produce ecologically, how to safeguard a high quality product and how to sell collectively to
attractive and fair markets. In 2009 the cooperation introduced an innovative community-based tourism program: ‘Cocoa tourism’
Vapues Tours now offer a unique and authentic experience for visitors: guided tours along the product circle of organic cocoa, from
the seedlings to fresh artisan chocolates. As strategic partners we contribute by marketing the initiative through the travel trade,
and by coordinating visits of international groups, subsequently providing clients’ feedback to the cooperative through on-site
training sessions.
December 2010 – Merry Christmas in Leon On Christmas Eve, Vapues Tours and other local organizations made a monetary
donation to families in the communities of San Carlos, El Pilar, and Los Mangos located in the city of León. The objective was to
provide a pleasant evening with entertainment and cultural presentations for rural families, especially women and children from
these areas. [image]
June 2010 – Participation in a campaign to preserve the Environment and prevent littering at the beach of
Poneloya An initiative for responsible management of natural resources in the León. People from the Poneloya community,
including school children, effectively campaigned to recollect litter at the beach. The recollected garbage was consequently selected
for recycling. For Vapues Tours a volunteer of the German Weltwärtz program participated in the activity. An educational sign
[image] was donated to the community of Poneloya, sponsored by DED (German Development Service) and Vapues Tours.
January 2010 - Dutch foundation "Do You Care" and Vapues Tours collaborate in order to give 14 young Dutch students the
opportunity of getting to know Nicaraguan culture and supporting the local community with their volunteer work at institutions such
as Asociación Las Tias (street kids shelter), Los Pipitos (disabled children shelter), Orphanage/ Home of the Elderly San Vicente de
Paúl and Hospitals AMOCSA and HEODRA. Vapues organizes Spanish classes and works closely together with cooperative "León sin
fronteras", allowing the students to stay with local families, encouraging a vivid exchange of culture and ideas.
November 2009 – Participation in campaign " United to preserve the Environment", an initiative for responsible
management of natural resources in the San Juan del Sur area. About 600 people from different communities, including school
children, effectively campaigned to recollect litter in their respective communities. The recollected garbage was consequently
selected for recycling.
September 2008 - Reforestation of selected area near Cerro Negro Volcano. In cooperation with Cooperativa de turismo
Rural Comunitario Pilas El Hoyo 1500 trees are planted (Cedro Real, Guanacaste, Genisaro, Laurel , Malinche y Cortez). Clients of
Vapues Tours taking a tour to Cerro Negro visit the reforestation area and are invited to "adopt a tree", which is included in the
touring fees.
September 2007 - Rainforest Alliance and Vapues Tours organize a two-day workshop for the suppliers of the hotel
sector. Implementation of Best Management Practices (BMP) and technical cooperation in implementation of Sustainable Tourism
in Nicaragua are some of the main themes addressed.
July 2007 - A seminar is organized by Rainforest Alliance and Vapues Tours. Fourty selected suppliers of Vapues Tours
are invited to develop and implement Best Management Practices (a ‘BMO Plan’). Suppliers of Vapues Tours, like hotels, drivers,
guides and community leaders of existing Community based tourism (CBT) projects participated at the seminar.
May 2006 - Green Travel Market accredits Vapues Tours (Incoming Tour operator Nicaragua - id 19278). Green Travel
Market offers comprehensive, reliable and up-to- date information on sustainable tourism products that are currently available on
the global marketplace. To ensure quality and sustainability, all of the products in the marketplace have been screened based on
quality and sustainability criteria.
January 2006 - Vapues Tours wins award. The product ‘Oasis Verdes de Matagalpa’Is selected as best Active Tourism
Product (Category International) at the International Tourism Fair of Spain: FITUR. http://www-ni.laprensa.com.ni/cgi-
bin/print.pl?id=economia-20060204- 04.
September 2004 - Dutch NGO Agriterra and Outbound Touroperator Agroreizen jointly promote an Agricultural Tour
through Nicaragua in cooperation with Inbound Touroperator Vapues Tours. A key focus of Agriterra is the cooperation
from farmer to farmer. Agriterra mobilizes the knowledge that Dutch agricultural organizations have, for the benefit of organizations
in developing countries, acting as a mediator. With the assistance of local offices of La Union Nacional de Agricultores y Ganaderos
(UNAG) participants of the grassroots farmer to farmer program are involved in the process of designing a agricultural tour through
Nicaragua for the Dutch travel trade.
