Tourists have high perception of Costa Rica during Covid, survey says

A survey of tourism professionals in Spain has recognized Costa Rica among the best-perceived international destinations during the pandemic.

The “Perception Study on Safe Destinations” placed Costa Rica fourth. The poll of 150 tourism professionals asked them to consider “Covid-19 security, prices and offers, nature and open spaces, connectivity/accessibility, reputational image and sustainability.”

The global top five, in order, are: Maldives, UAE, Seychelles, Costa Rica and Japan. The top-three ranking in the Americas are Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.

“One of the main results of the report highlights that those destinations that have declared themselves open to tourism and at the same time have combined it with a coherent management in the context of the pandemic are those that are most likely to receive tourist flows this summer,” the Tourism Board (ICT) said.

Costa Rica in March received its highest number of visitors since the pandemic began having a significant impact on international travel last year. The country welcomed 89,263 arrivals in March 2021, compared to 62,200 in January and 55,252 in February.

“We have maintained strategies to show the country as a sanctuary of sustainability, a destination that allows us to live the essential values of life,” said Tourism Minister Gustavo Segura.

Through the first three months of 2021, 206,715 people have entered Costa Rica from abroad. This represents a 76% decrease compared to the same period last year.

Of the nearly 90,000 arrivals in March, more than two-thirds (70%) came from the United States. Mexico is in a distant second place (2,706 people), followed by Germany (2,448).