Costa Rica has brought its signature “Pura Vida” spirit straight to the heart of Madrid, Spain, using an innovative wave simulator designed to spark interest among Spanish travelers to experience surfing on its world-class beaches.
The initiative, promoted by the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) in partnership with the company Honna Surf, was developed under the strategic concept “Surfing the Pura Vida”. Through this unique experiential marketing activation, hundreds of participants were able to practice surfing on artificial waves right in the middle of the intense summer heatwave currently sweeping across Spain.
To immerse visitors completely, the event space was decorated with vivid images and detailed descriptions of renowned surfing destinations like Playa Hermosa, Cocles, and Playa Grande. The main goal of the campaign is to motivate Spanish travelers to explore these specific coastal spots during their next vacations.
Beyond Surfing: Wellness, Adventure, and Sustainability
The promotional campaign extended far beyond the simulator to showcase Costa Rica’s diverse tourism pillars:
- Wellness and Adventure: The ICT organized specialized yoga classes and wellness activities alongside tailored presentations of the country’s main attractions for clients of the Huakai travel agency, which specifically targets a young, adventurous audience.
- Commitment to Sustainability: Reinforcing Costa Rica’s global reputation for sustainable tourism, the ICT coordinated a massive beach cleanup and recycling day in Tarragona, Catalonia. The environmental initiative involved more than 500 students from 15 educational centers and featured educational activities focused on oceans and marine life conservation.
Massive Digital Impact and Growing Tourism Figures
The activation also achieved massive traction online. A strategic collaboration with Always Open, driven by popular Spanish content creator Sara Baceiredo, generated 1.6 million impressions on social media, significantly strengthening the destination’s visibility among the young Spanish public.
Spain firmly holds its position as the fourth-largest source market for European tourists traveling to Costa Rica. The numbers reflect a highly successful year for inbound tourism:
- Spanish Arrivals: More than 23,000 Spaniards visited the country during the first half of 2026.
- European Market: Approximately 220,000 European tourists chose Costa Rica as their vacation destination during the same six-month period, according to official ICT projections.
This proactive campaign demonstrates how Costa Rica is successfully blending digital influence, environmental action, and high-energy interactive experiences to keep the “Pura Vida” brand top-of-mind across Europe.
