The World Economic Forum ranked Costa Rica the fourth most tourism-ready economy in Latin America. Still, tourism sector leaders believe the country “can and should rank better.”
The carrier plans to fly four times a week each to Juan Santamaría International Airport, outside San José, and to Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia.
Once on the ground, tourists filled out fake immigration forms, and passed through simulated customs, complete with ersatz entry stamps. Banners advertising Imperial beer and Costa Rica’s national brand, “Esencial Costa Rica” were also posted around the Ecuadorian airport.
In an effort to make tourists feel more secure in downtown San José, the Tourist Police headquarters recently moved to new facilities and added 49 police officers, two police cars, six motorcycles and ten bicycles for patrolling downtown.
Tourism Ministry officials on Thursday reported that revenues from Costa Rica's travel sector last year totaled $2.6 billion, an 8.3 percent increase over the $2.4 billion registered in 2013, according to figures from the Central Bank.
Despite what some see as a threat to Costa Rica’s preferred status with U.S. tourists between new offerings in Cuba and Nicaragua, Tourism Minister Wilhelm von Breymann said the land of "pura vida” does’t have anything to worry about.
Some 200 representatives of tourism chambers and associations, entrepreneurs and professionals are meeting this week at the 18th National Tourism Congress to discuss key issues to improve Costa Rica's status as a popular tourist destination.
A total of 180 Central American tourism businesses are offering products and services to 108 wholesalers from Europe at the XI edition of the Central America Travel Market (CATM), held Thursday and Friday in Costa Rica.
