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Date: 12 June 2009, Submitted by: Jerry Bauer, Team LeaderProject Name: Conservation and Sustainable Tourism in Critical Watersheds (CSTCW)Project Agreement: USAID-PASA No. 524-P-00-07-00007-00 (07-IA-11132762-128)Implementing Institution: US Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry

SUCCESS STORY

USAID Workshop on Sustainable Tourism Plants the Seed forEntrepreneurial Opportunities

Nuria Dixon, a 28 year-old native of Pearl Lagoon, in the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, and an economistby training, is a true entrepreneur. She began pursuing her passion for tourism after attending a 2006USAID-financed workshop on sustainable tourism.Three years later Nuria has opened her own restaurant in Pearl Lagoon, received seed money to build anEco-Lodge, is in the process of forming the Pearl Lagoon chapter of the National Chamber of Tourism(CANATUR), and was invited to join the newly-formed Nicaraguan chapter of Vital Voices GlobalPartnership, the preeminent non-governmental organization (NGO) that identifies, trains, and empowersemerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs around the world. In Nurias own words this trainingon sustainable tourism was the key to everything that is happening to me and the success that I amexperiencing. I always had a passion for tourism and this type of businesses, but the truth is that I did not

understand much about it. This training helped me interpret a lot of things. I now understand theimportance of peoples direct involvement in promoting tourism; the economic and ecologic benefits ofsustainable tourism; and how the integration of all these elements can improve the quality of life for ourcommunities.

Nearly 40 participants from villages and communities in the Pearl Lagoon Basin of Nicaragua attended the2006 three daylong workshop. With funding from USAID, local and international technical experts fromthe United States Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry (USFS/IITF), IndianaUniversity, Connecticut Coastal Kayaking, and the Wildlife Conservation Society held breakout sessionsto present an overview of sustainable tourism and ecotourism tools and techniques, and how they couldbe used as a means towards local sustainable development.

Furthermore, in the years following that first workshop in Pearl Lagoon, and with the support of USAIDsProject Conservation and Sustainable Tourism in Critical Watersheds (CSTCW), Nuria has attended local andinternational conferences and workshops that have strengthened her abilities and knowledge aboutsustainable tourism, ecotourism, microenterprise formation, and heritage interpretation. Attending thesetraining sessions have also allowed her to develop partnerships and link to networks of community-basedtourism and small-business enterprises.

In December of 2007, Nuria attended her first international Conference organized by the MesoamericanAlliance for Ecotourism (MEA), in Guatemala. She commented that attending the conference allowed herto learn from other countries experiences in advancing towards the promotion of fair sustainabletourism.

In pursuing her dream, Nuria also responded to a call for business plan proposals from the organizationTechnoServe. She submitted her business plan for the construction of an Eco-Lodge, which she namedCaribbean Roots Lodge. After defending her business plan in front of a panel of judges, Nurias plan was

chosen to receive a US$10,000 grant to help her start her new project. The projected cabanas and arestaurant would cater mainly to international and local tourists looking to experience the traditionalcuisine, local culture and way of life in the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast.

Nurias successes were crowned with the opportunity to travel to the United States in July 2008 toattend a three-week program on Grassroots Democracy for Young Leaders offered by the USDepartment of State. I am very happy with this opportunity because it is about leadership among youth.The fact that I am developing a project in an indigenous community with so many limitations and almostno knowledge on how to promote local development, as well as the fact that I am a woman, and that I am

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