Costa Rica’s abundant tourist attractions and business opportunities will be on full display during the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 in the U.K., U.S., Germany and Spain.
The Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) and Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) will launch a publicity blitz for the tournament, with print ads and TV spots in those markets.
Tourism Minister Wilhelm von Breymann on Thursday said the plan was designed to reach key markets for Costa Rica, but also to maximize resources by advertising to audiences of millions of people.
PROCOMER General Manager Jorge Sequeira said the strategy is to send a unified message to tourists, potential buyers of local products and international investors.
“The 30-second spot shows the full attributes of Costa Rica: its natural beauty, warm and talented people and the quality of its export products. But also it shows a natural, innovative and competitive Costa Rica,” Sequeira said.
The campaign launches on Sunday, June 8, with a print ad in a World Cup special in The New York Times Magazine, which will reach four million readers.
TV spots will air on sports shows broadcast by the BBC in the U.S. and Canada, and during 55 World Cup matches on ESPN, beginning on June 12.
As the main source of tourism in Costa Rica, the U.S. is a key market. The U.S. also buys more than 37 percent of Tico exports and is responsible for 46 percent of foreign direct investment, according to PROCOMER.
Promotions in Spain, Germany and the U.K. – including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – will focus on local team matches, which are expected to be viewed by an average audience of over 10 million fans.
According to Costa Rica’s Immigration Administration, some 142,000 citizens of England, Spain and Germany entered the country in 2013.
In addition to tourism, Europe is the third biggest market for Costa Rican exports, and Germany, Spain, England, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland account for 20 percent of foreign direct investment in the country, according to PROCOMER.
Watch a TV spot of the country’s brand campaign, “Essential Costa Rica”:
