Costa Rica showcases its "Pura Vida energy" to attract Canadian tourists

July 28, 2025.  With the goal of amplifying Costa Rica's exposure as a tourist destination in key Canadian markets, specifically in the cities of Toronto and Montreal, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) launched a strategy to increase the arrival of Canadian tourists to our country using high-quality and precise digital out-of-home (OOH) media.

The tactic, called “Pure Life Energy,” represents an innovative approach that integrates mobile targeting technology with digital out-of-home media—something previously unheard of for Costa Rica—in Canada. It featured billboards at bus stops, in high-traffic pedestrian areas, and along popular interstate highways to ensure maximum visibility and repeat exposure, as well as in the metro system of both cities.

“This type of action is a priority for the ICT. Currently, there is intense competition among tourist destinations to attract international travelers, and for Costa Rica, Canada represents a strategic market due to its high purchasing power and affinity for natural and sustainable experiences,” said Marcela Bonilla, ICT executive for the Canadian market.

The promotional campaign will target Canadian travelers between the ages of 25 and 55, mobile device users with digital consumption habits, interested in trips that include contact with nature, wellness, sustainability, and authentic experiences.

According to the ICT, this effort aims to strengthen Costa Rica's positioning as an essential, natural and transformative destination, pure life, and at the same time, invites Canadians to connect with the essential, find clarity and well-being.

Reconnection with Costa Rican nature

The strategy uses powerful visual messages with phrases like “Plug into nature”  and “Inhale beauty. Exhale  clarity,” combined with a promotional video and large-format digital formats.

The ICT relied on  Bell Media, which accesses more than 10 million mobile devices, to ensure that the OOH (Out of Home) tactic reaches the most qualified audience through precise targeting.

Between January and July of this year, 168,115 Canadians visited the country by air. Visitation from Canadian tourists is expected to increase during the peak season with the opening of Porter Airlines flights and direct operations by other Canadian airlines such as Air Canada , Air Transat , and Westjet  to Juan Santamaría and Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airports (Guanacaste Airport), specifically from the cities of Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Winnipeg.