The summit will bring together high level representatives of the world’s most important brands in the footwear industry and Nicaragua’s participation in the summit aims at promoting the competitive advantages the country offers for the development of footwear manufacturing projects.

Nicaragua’s footwear industry is mainly composed of medium and small enterprises (SME’s). Currently, there are roughly 1 650 businesses producing 10 million pairs of shoes a year, which generate revenue in the area of 50 million US dollars every year.

Among the most valuable assets offered by Nicaragua are: a competitive labor costs framework, particularly favorable for the footwear industry, which requires labor-intensive processes, and a Free Zone System. Likewise, the country’s proximity to the world’s largest markets, and access to over 1.5 billion people through Nicaragua’s Free Trade Agreements.

Nicaragua’s footwear industry is mainly focused on: footwear with outer soles of rubber, plastic, leather or composition leather and uppers of leather, and sport shoes with textile uppers (which are within the 6403 category).

According to a study conducted by the FDRA in 2012, which recognized Nicaragua as a “rising star” in the world’s footwear industry, "the country is especially competitive for the production of women leather heels.”