ABSTRACT THE IMPACTS OF TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT IN NICARAGUA A GRASSROOTS APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SEPTEMBER 2007 JENNIFER ATWOOD BURNEY, B.A., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS DARTMOUTH M.R.P., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Directed by: Ellen Pader This study examines the impacts of tourism and development in Nicaragua and how lessons learned from a case study review of tourism and development in Mexico and a Certificate for Sustainable Tourism in Costa Rica, as well as two ecotourism and sustainable development establishments in Nicaragua can be applied to Nicaragua policy. Nicaragua’s political history, land use and policy and the tourism industry are reviewed to determine how sustainable development could be guided by the adoption and implementation of a program based on Costa Rica’s certificate program.