Expo Ometepe tourism festival

The 17th annual Expo Ometepe was held in the municipality of Altagracia on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua, from September 25 to 27, 2026. Organized by the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (INTUR) in collaboration with government ministries, local authorities, and international organizations, the event was designed to promote the island’s culture, natural beauty, and local tourism to support economic development.

The festival attracted more than 16,000 visitors and featured a diverse program including hiking at Maderas Volcano, environmental workshops, sports competitions, and art contests such as ‘Colores de Ometepe’. The event also commemorated World Tourism Day and the anniversary of the island’s designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

In addition to cultural parades and musical performances, the expo included a national congress titled ‘Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism’. For the first time, international organizations including the IDB, WFP, and UNICEF participated in the event. Local officials, such as INTUR Co-director Anasha Campbell and Altagracia Mayor Aurora Elena Álvarez, emphasized the importance of these activities to strengthen the local economy and protect the island’s biodiversity, which includes over 500 fauna species and 300 bird species.