Costa Rica will be present at the International Tourism Fair (Fitur 2020) that takes place in Madrid, Spain to strengthen ties in this area with Europe and other parts of the world. The Costa Rican tourism minister María Revelo will be at the head of the Costa Rican delegation whose goal is to highlight the potential of ecological tourism that takes place in the country.
Revelo said: “we will remain firm in the permanent challenge of tourism is well maintained, always sustainable, and as one of the main engines of the Costa Rican economy and for the generation of more than 211,000 direct and indirect jobs. In fact, according to data from the Central Bank, tourism accounted for 9% of the country’s GDP in 2018, a figure that makes us happy and pushes us to continue working in this sector that generates wealth and hope and proposes to grow by 6% in a near future in terms of foreign visitors”.
More than 40 Costa Rican companies from the private sector will be present at the fair, and our official stand at the fair will make a striking appearance that highlights the natural beauty of the country with unique elements of the ethical culture such as artistic manifestations, gastronomy, and typical dances. As a novelty, the stand will have an experiential room in which visitors can experience first-hand the feeling of being in the middle of a rainforest in a new space that tested the senses. The activities that the public can enjoy are: demonstrations of cartwheel painting, typical Costa Rican dances, tasting of Costa Rican coffee and taking pictures in Costa Rican settings.
Tourism Strategy for 2020.
One of the main tourist strategies that the country will implement is the support of small and medium-sized tourism businesses. In addition to strengthening alliances with the public and private sector to improve the quality of the tourism product and for air connectivity. What will stand out most of Costa Rica in the Fitur is the promotion of the country as a ‘sustainable’ destination for the whole year, with multiple alternatives such as Adventure sports, culture, paradisiacal beaches, mountains, forests. Also, the presentation of territorial zones with high potential for the development of hotels and tourism services through a joint integration of marketing, public relations and together with the professional human resources.
Here we present two examples of what makes Costa Rican tourism unique:
Bird watching.
It is one of the tourist practices that has taken the greatest boom in Costa Rica in recent years and is that our nation has 900 species of birds and a National Bird Route dedicated to the observation and preservation of these species. Among them are: hummingbirds, cocoons, goldfinches, quetzales, eagles, trogons, toucans, woodpeckers, hawks, parakeets, swallows, among other species that are found in the high and lowland forests, as well as in swamps, rivers, and lakes. In addition to 220 migratory species that arrive year-round in the country.
The National Bird Watching Route of Costa Rica has been developed for birdwatchers (both domestic and foreign, specialists and beginners). This route has a circuit that integrates almost the entire Costa Rican territory, with points and locations selected precisely to allow tourists an unforgettable experience. Similarly, in this route, people can experience the culture of the local communities that are integrated into this route.
Rural tourism.
Another tourism strategy that has been positioning itself in Costa Rica is that of rural tourism because it offers a close experience with communities, nature, culture and the social environment. This option, in turn, drives the local economy of each zone. Rural tourism is characterized by preserving the ethnic identity and the valuation and transmission of the cultural heritage of communities. In addition to being sustainable and eco-friendly, it gives tourists the unique experience of learning new ways of admiring the country.
One of the biggest attractions of rural tourism is that people can explore hidden, less visited places in the country, by the hand of those who know them best (their inhabitants). Also, this choice offers an indigenous cuisine with typical food products of the area. Tourists can also buy handicrafts from the places visited.
