Speaking at WTM London, the minister of tourism Maria Amalia Revelo said sustainable tourism and fighting climate change remained a key focus for the country.
The UN recently named Costa Rica “UN Champion of the Earth” for its policies on tackling climate change. It is the first time a country has won the award.
Visitor numbers in 2019 were up by 4.7% from the US, the country’s number one international source market, and by 3.3% from the UK. The country hopes to hit its overall target of 6% up year-on-year in 2019 by the end of the year.
In February 2019, Costa Rica revealed plans to be totally carbon neutral by 2050. In line with its responsible tourism goals is the country’s plan to work with lesser-known regions to strengthen its tourism offering. Its new Integral Management of Tourism Destinations programme has identified 32 “tourism development centres” across the country that it will work to promote in 2020.
“We are developing new areas in the country to take care of the experience tourists have when travelling,” said Revelo, who added that by strengthening the offering in local destinations, it could also help diffuse tourists around the country to counteract overtourism.
Revelo added a new flight route launched last month to Guanacaste will encourage more European visitors to the region. The flight, which departs from Amsterdam to San Jose and then continues on Guanacaste, launched on 29 October.
“Guanacaste has a little bit of everything – traditions, folklore, music, beautiful beaches and farmland,” said Revelo, adding the region has a mixture of large all-inclusive properties as well as smaller eco-lodges.
The country also ran a recent European fam trip to the region, and has worked with operators including DialAFlight to add new product in the region.
Three new tour operators have added Costa Rica to their portfolio in 2019: Hayes and Jarvis, Funway and THG Holidays.
New hotels are also in the pipeline. These include Nayara Tented Camp, comprising 12 luxury tents opening in Arenal on 20 December, and the Six Senses Papagayo, which is slated to open in mid-2021.
Revelo said strategic efforts were being made to develop niche markets such as birdwatching, wellness and MICE to help drive tourism numbers in the country’s low seasons of September and October.
