WHY IT RATES: Tourism to Nicaragua has been growing over the past year and these numbers indicate that growth is ongoing. —Janeen Christoff, TravelPulse Senior Writer

The Nicaragua Tourism Board (INTUR) expects an influx of at least 104,000 national and international tourists during the Easter vacation week, an increase of 7.5 percent from the same period last year.

Nicaragua, like most Latin American countries, will be celebrating Easter holidays (“Semana Santa” or Holy Week) from March 25 to April 1. Semana Santa is one of the most celebrated festivities in the country, occurring during the week before Easter Sunday.

Many Nicaraguans take the weeklong vacation to head to popular beaches and vacation spots, such as San Juan del Sur and the Caribbean coast, where beaches turn into party scenes.

Overall, INTUR foresees a total of 3.9 million domestic trips during the Easter vacation, a 5 percent increase from the previous year.

“We will be welcoming visitors with open arms and we will be carrying out more than 180 Easter-related activities during this period,” said INTUR’s co-director Anasha Campbell.

There are plenty of celebrations to choose from for travelers looking to participate in Easter activities. During Holy Week, different processions and authentic traditions take place throughout the country.

One of the most popular events is 'The Donkey Procession', which takes place on Palm Sunday. A statue of Jesus (or a real person dressed as Jesus) sits atop a donkey as parade participants walk around town singing and praying.

Semana Santa is also a time when red meat is not consumed so travelers will find vegetarian and fish specials aplenty at many restaurants. In Nicaragua, traditional Holy Week dishes include almibar, a sweet syrup-like drink made with mangoes, coconut and papaya; cheese soup made with corn and similar to a chowder; and Gaspar fish cooked with spices and served with rice.

According to INTUR’s projections, the tourism sector will generate more than $20 million in revenue during the Easter vacation period. Nicaragua welcomed 1,887,260 international tourists in 2017, an 18.8 percent increase from the previous year.

SOURCE: INTUR press release.