Cayuga Collection

experience and breathtaking Pacific Ocean views. Finally, Jicaro Island Ecolodge is Nicaragua´s most high-end eco-resort located on a private island in Lake Nicaragua.Winner of the exclusive National Geographic’s Lodges of the World award, its nine private luxury casitas are located just a short boat ride from the colonial town of Granada. It offers spectacu- lar views of the Mombacho Volcano across the lake. Pfister reveals that his company doesn’t advertise its services.“People find us,”he says.“It’s either word- of-mouth, or they find one of our properties and find out that it’s managed. Right now,we’re consolidating our presence in Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica. We want to cover those three countries and expand, especially in Nicaragua and in Panama. But we’re also looking at the Caribbean and the northern part of South America.We do have demand from other parts of the world, but in terms of logistics,we have decided not to pursue that at this point in time unless it’s some kind of consulting arrangement. Since we’re all about sustainability,we’re also about sustainable growth, as well.We don’t want this to get too crazy too fast. So, for the next ten years, you’ll see us verymuch in the region.” The Cayuga Collection’s newest property is cur- rently under construction in Panama, and will open in June 2018, adding 14 more rooms to the current 145 rooms among the other eight locations.“We’ve been involved in the project in Panama for over a year now,” says Pfister,“because the decisions you make when you build something have a huge impact on operations and marketing and the guest experience.” Due to its proximity to North America, Pfister reports that about 70 percent of the Collection’s guests come from the U.S. and Canada; 25 percent come from Europe, and five percent from other places.“However, this year, there’s been a significant increase in direct flights from Europe to Costa Rica, so we expect the portion of European travelers to increase. It won’t replace the U.S.market, but it cer- THE CAYUGA COLLECTION