Costa Rica prioritizes high-value, low-environmental-impact tourism

How important are European travelers to Costa Rica?

The European market represents approximately 20% of tourism arriving by air to the country. We focus on six key markets: Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. These destinations have direct flights to Costa Rica, which facilitates the arrival of tourists who, in addition, stay an average of 17 days and spend more than North American or Canadian visitors.

Beyond participating in international trade shows, what other actions do you take to attract European tourists?

In all these markets, we develop communication campaigns that go beyond traditional advertising. We seek to convey the value of the Costa Rican tourism product and the reasons to choose us as a destination. In addition, we carry out activations with wholesalers and airlines, which consist of specific promotional actions to boost sales during certain seasons.

And in the case of Latin America, which are the priority markets?

We currently work actively in four markets: Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil. In Mexico, we carry out comprehensive campaigns in media and gastronomic and cultural activities. In the other three countries, we concentrate our efforts on communication and public relations. The results have been very positive, with sustained growth in the flow of travelers from these destinations.

Costa Rica is recognized for its nature and adventure tourism. What other segments are you promoting?

We work with two types of segmentation: demographic and niche, the latter being the most relevant. Within this segment, three priority segments stand out

The first is MICE tourism (meetings, incentives, conferences, and events), where Costa Rica has an excellent position.

The second is wellness tourism, focused on holistic well-being and non-invasive experiences, which takes advantage of the country's tranquility and natural environment

And the third is nautical tourism, especially on the Pacific coast, where we have marinas that attract a high-spending clientele. We also complement the offering with gastronomic and cultural experiences.

What is the country's vision for the next five years?

Our strategy is not to increase the number of tourists, but the quality of visits. We want to attract travelers who stay longer and generate higher average spending. Currently, the average stay is 12 to 13 days, and the goal is to increase it to strengthen the economy without compromising natural resources, which are our main raw material.

What projects are you developing to boost new regions of the country?

The northern half of Costa Rica—including the North and Central Pacific—has a mature and consolidated tourism product, but the south still has great potential. We want to balance development by boosting the Caribbean coast and the South Pacific.

To this end, we are building two international airports: one in Limón and the other in Sierpe, in the South Pacific. Both will receive Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 aircraft, with a range to cover all of the Americas, from Canada to Argentina.

These projects, along with the master plan we are implementing, will allow us to expand tourism infrastructure and generate sustainable and balanced growth among all regions of the country.