Museums, beaches, coffee plantations and volcanoes are among attractions a group of seven representatives from the German government’s Tourism Commission visited during a whirlwind tour of Costa Rica this week.
The delegation was invited here by Legislative Assembly president Francisco Antonio Pacheco and Tourism Minister Carlos Benavides in order for the two countries to share information about their tourism industries and “further extend the ties of friendship.”
The tour included a meeting Monday with Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno, Pacheco and representatives from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and Science and Technology Ministry (MICIT).
Wednesday, they met with President Oscar Arias, and yesterday with Benavides and William Rodríguez, vice-president of the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR), completing a tour of the country’s most important officials and destinations.
According to a statement from Casa Presidencial, the tour was a resounding success, ending with a commitment from the delegation to seek an increase in the number of flights arriving in Costa Rica from Germany.
Annette Frasse of the delegation affirmed there are now only two flights per week from Germany – even during their bitter cold winter months – a number she feels is far too low to really encourage tourism.
“About 40,000 Germans visit Costa Rica annually on vacation, but the potential is there for many more, if better opportunities existed,” she said.
