Costa Rica has been named the US tourism industry's best Latin American destination for 2007, according to an industry magazine. Travel Weekly, a publication focusing on tourism trends, handed the prize out Wednesday to Minister of Tourism, Carlos Ricardo Benavides, at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Spain.
The selection was based on opinions of more than 180,000 readers in US tourism fields like travel agencies, hotels, and tour operators. Costa Rica, which also received the honor in 2004 and 2006, won out over other recognized destinations like Brazil, Peru, Belize, and Argentina.
Factors in the decision included the variety of tourist-based activities, the quality of the tourist product, the warmth of the people, and the natural landscape of the country.Minister Benavides announced also from Madrid that Spanish airline Air Comer - which currently flies twiceweekly to Costa Rica - would in July begin three flights a week, and the Association of Spanish Travel Agencies will hola an annual seminar in April.
Meanwhile, President Óscar Arias received a personal nod in a Cid Gallup opinion poll. In it, three of every five participant said they thought the Arias administration has so far been "positive," reporting increased pension benefits, 3.5 per cent poverty reduction and unemployment decreases among the greatest achievements.
