Costa Rica promotes tourism at ITB Berlin Now

ITB Berlin, which bills itself as the world’s leading travel trade show, has a bit of a Costa Rican flair.

The Tourism Board (ICT) and 20 Costa Rican tourism companies are promoting the country as “the ideal destination to recharge energies, as well as a natural sanctuary to reconnect with the true essentials of life.”

Due to the pandemic, ITB Berlin is being conducted virtually from March 9-12. It features 3,300 exhibitors from 120 countries.

“Participating in the international fair ITB Berlin Now in its first virtual edition — product of the new normal — undoubtedly contributes to Costa Rica remaining present in the minds of potential German tourists,” said Ireth Rodríguez, ICT’s head of promotion.

On Tuesday, Tourism Minister Gustavo Segura participated in a roundtable in which he discussed Costa Rica’s health protocols and how “it is a destination that puts into practice the concept of integral and sustainable well-being of ‘Pura Vida.’ ”

Germany is the country from which the most European tourists visit Costa Rica. In 2019, 80,580 Germans arrived in Costa Rica, ahead of the United Kingdom (78,562), France (77,013) and Spain (69,745).

The German airline Lufthansa offers non-stop routes to Costa Rica from its Frankfurt hub. The flight is operated by a A340-300 aircraft with 279 seats.