The Power of the Mighty Brand Costa Rica

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Brand Costa Rica centers on the country's lush landscape and biodiversity

Dear Reader,

Last week, Prince and Princess Akishino of Japan visited Costa Rica. The trip was to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In common with many tourists who travel to Costa Rica, they visited some of its famous sights, starting with the National Museum in San Jose and finishing with Monteverde Cloud Forest. The exposure generated by the royal couple's trip should bring Costa Rica to the attention of Japanese travelers, flagging it up as a potential destination. That might help achieve Costa Rica's latest tourism target--to bring in 2.5 million tourists by 2014.

That's not too much of a stretch when you consider that the country achieved a record-breaking figure for tourist numbers in 2010, with 2.099 million visitors. That surpasses the previous record, set in 2008, by 10,000 tourists. Almost half of the 2.099 million tourists who visited last year came from the US and Canada, with 830,000 from the US and 119,000 from Canada.

Advertising campaigns in major US and Canadian cities aim to draw more North Americans to this country. Ads with the slogan "No Artificial Ingredients" featured on buses, billboards, and in metro stations in cities like Toronto and San Francisco. The most prominent one, in New York's Times Square in December, broadcast a short video to passersby every two hours. The ICT, Costa Rica's tourism board, estimates that 1.5 million people saw that video.

The power of brand Costa Rica is unique in Latin America. Neighboring countries (Nicaragua, or Panama, for example) also have an abundance of rainforest, volcanoes, lakes, beautiful beaches, and opportunities for eco-tourism and adventure sports. They simply don't promote themselves as skillfully as Costa Rica. The Huffington Post analyzed how this tiny country with four million inhabitants became a tourism juggernaut, hosting more than two million visitors annually. It makes for interesting reading, and highlights the country's main attraction--its biodiversity.

One of the most biodiverse regions in Costa Rica is the country's Southern Zone, along the south Pacific coast. It beats the country's national average of 25% of land in national parks and reserves. A whopping two-thirds of land in the Southern Zone falls into this category. You'll find some amazing parks here. A large coral reef in Ballena Marine Park forms a necklace with three small islands, and offers good snorkeling and dive sites. Humpback whales breed offshore from December to April, and the beaches fill with nesting turtles from May to November.

Corcovado Park takes the crown, though. National Geographic named it the most biologically intense place on earth...it covers 41,000 hectares, and is home to 140 mammals (including sloths, tapirs, anteaters, and jaguars) and 400 birds. It's an ecologist's dream...and a hot spot for adventurous tourists.

Thanks to a new coastal highway that celebrates its one-year anniversary this month, the Southern Zone is now easy to get to, and more mainstream tourists are checking it out. And it might surprise you to know that you can own property here--from as little as $40,000. You can enjoy the stunning scenery...the deserted beaches...the wildlife...and you won't forgo little luxuries. This place doesn't have mammoth hotels, or urban sprawl. But small restaurants and cafes serve Indonesian, Italian and organic food...and a deli stocks imported cheese, wine, chocolate and cigars.

To find out what kind of lifestyle the Southern Zone offers...and to see the area's most established development, with lots from $40,000, join an upcoming Southern Zone chill weekend. This four-day trip includes transport, accommodation and meals, for $250. The next one runs March 10th-13th. To get your itinerary, or reserve your spot, click here.

Margaret Summerfield

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Posted Under:

costa rica

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