Rural community tourism and sustainable advantages in Nicaragua

Resumen

The capacity of tourism to improve living conditions has attracted the interest of developing countries. Rural Community Tourism (RCT) represents an experience of community based tourism where local population retains control over the process, with benefits remaining within the community. The central role of the community confers a sustainable dimension to the process. In this context, the current investigation focuses on the study of successful RCT experiences in Nicaragua, proposing and testing a structural model that ensures the reproduction and extension of community life, limiting the undesired negative impacts oftourism, and providing a sustainable dimension in a wider sense.