Popular travel site TripAdvisor chose La Fortuna de San Carlos, located north of the Alajuela province, as one of the “Top Ten Emerging Destinations of 2013.”
La Fortuna placed second, trailing only Havana. The site praised La Fortuna’s proximity to landmark destinations such as Volcano Arenal, waterfalls and various hot springs.
Economic activity in La Fortuna de San Carlos, which revolves around the now quieted Volcano Arenal, had been affected in previous years by low tourism numbers due in part to the worldwide economic crisis.
Pablo Rodríguez, executive director of the Northern Zone Tourism Chamber, said the designation “came as a direct result of both local and international promotion efforts of regional businesses.”
The current high season began Nov. 15 and the Costa Rican Tourism Board expects hotel occupancy to reach 75 percent for the Northern Zone.
The rest of TripAdvisor’s Top Ten featured Kathmandu (Nepal), Jerusalem (Israel), Cuzco (Perú), Ambergris Caye (Belize), Sapporo (Japan), Hanoi (Vietnam), Corralejo (Spain) and Fortaleza (Brazil).
