Nicaragua – Dangerous or Simply Thought of That Way?
Real risk and the perception of risk are two distinctly different things. And understanding the distinction can make the difference between being a day late and a dollar short – and reaping rewards that can last a lifetime. Let me explain.
Many people drive cars, yet are deathly afraid of flying. This is irrational, because we all know that statistically, flying is between 60 and 200 times safer than driving depending on how you measure it.
For many reasons, Nicaragua is generally not on most people’s short list as a place to visit. Believe me, I felt the same way as you may feel thirteen years ago before my first visit. But now I’ve lived here for 10 years and watched many folks become excited about the country after seeing it.
Nicaragua is truly a country you have to experience to believe. Even well travelled executives and professionals have a hard time getting their heads around this concept. Just recently David Kidd, world-renown golf architect famous for his Castle Course at St Andrews, said that,
He, too, didn’t know what to expect when he first crossed the border from Costa Rica into Nicaragua. He said he was naively worried about guys with AK-47s and civil war.
“But then I thought, ‘You dumbass, there is nothing like that here; the place is full of surf bums’.” The Nicaragua
Dispatch, February 28, 2012
Surf bums and billionaires and everything in between. You see. Old perceptions can be deceiving. When you look at the facts, Nicaragua is a fantastic place to invest, do business, vacation, own property, and retire. Check out this data.
What do all these people know that you don’t?
1. Nicaragua is safe
- The Economist Intelligence Unit 2010 (EIU), a global leader in business intelligence, positioned Nicaragua as the second safest country in Central America, only behind Costa Rica.
2. Nicaragua is an exciting place to vacation
- Whole lotta lava in Nicaragua. Ashboarding… - nypost.com – October 17, 2011
- Horseback riding in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua - washingtontimes.com – October 10, 2011
3. Nicaragua is a comfortable place to call home
- The 5 Best Places in the World to Retire - huffingtonPost.com – November 1, 2011
- Nicaragua, the Dollar Goes a Long Way - AARP – November 26, 2010
- Is Nicaragua the Next Retirement Paradise? - Forbes Retirement Guide 2009
4. Nicaragua is Open for Business
- The World Bank’s “Doing Business Report 2010” positioned Nicaragua as the country that best protects investors, measuring transparency of transactions (extent of disclosure index), liability for self-dealing (extent of director liability index), shareholders' ability to sue officers and directors for misconduct (ease of shareholder suits index) and strength of investor protection index.
- The World Bank’s “Doing Business Report 2010” has ranked Nicaragua as the fastest country in which to start a business in Central America by This category measures business regulations and the protection of property rights, as well as their effect on businesses. The study placed Nicaragua in the number one position within the Central American region, followed by El Salvador and Costa Rica.
5. Nicaragua is an awesome place to surf
- Southern Swell -
New York Times MAY 16, 2011 - Holly Beck: Tubes and Surfing with Amigas
Surfgirl on February 14, 2012
You see, Nicaragua is a changed country from the 1980’s. Independent analysis demonstrates this. You need to see this country for yourself and make your own judgments. A plane ticket and conference registration may be the best investment you’ve ever made. Remember, the real money is almost always made in the contrarian play or information arbitrage. Misperceptions about Nicaragua are a window of opportunity. Jump on it.
If you wish to register please fill out the form attached and look at the full agenda here.
I look forward to seeing you in Nicaragua this May for an exploration of the region and a country that you just have to see to believe. Register now. You’ll be glad you did.
Michael Cobb
Conference Co-Host
www.Central-America-Advantage.com
