Besides
tourism, the region's economy relies heavily on agriculture. Products such as tobacco,
sugar cane and coffee are commonly grown in farms nearby]which are mainly commercialized in the
town's main market plaza. One of the region's most historically important
entrepreneurs was José María Rueda Gómez, known as "Conde de
Cuchicute", who, in spite of his eccentricity, pushed the development of
coffee production, and helped establish the first bank and a hydroelectric
power plant for the region
