• In 2009, Costa Rica received 18,497 travelers from Italy, being the 5th important market in Europe.
Consolidating Costa Rica image as a sustainable tourism model through the actions that look affinity with the environment will be part of the strategy that some Costa Rican tourism enterprises will be merchandise in the Borsa Internazionale del Turismo (BIT) from March 18 to 21 in Milan, Italy.
Three Costa Rican tourism enterprises are going to be part of the BIT, where they are going to promote the country as a destination and its contributions to sustainable tourism.
Pachira Lodge and Punta Islita hotels, besides Costa Rica Top Tours (tour operator) are the companies that will represent the country in the BIT 2010.
The hotel has been executing a series of actions to protect natural resources, we are conscious that nowadays, the tourist is looking for destinations that not only fits their desires but those that are committed with the environment”, affirmed Marianela Villavicencio, Marketing Manager of Hotel Punta Islita.
The efforts that the hotel is been doing are done with the internal personnel, developing recycling ideas, classifying products, among other actions, to collaborate with the sustainable tourism culture that is implementing in the country. Without any doubt, it represents the business card to capture the European market. It is also a requirement that the wholesalers are requesting to promote the destinations”, indicated Wanda Taylor, Hotel Pachira Lodge representative, located in Tortuguero.
The sustainability is a determine factor at the moment of planning the travelers. A study done in 2009 to American travelers, by the Deloitte firm, reflected that 59% of the interviewed people are conscious about the environment and a 45% value the installation of lodgings that act responsibly about environment, data that reaffirm the importance of sustainable tourism practices in the country.
Knowing the current travelers profiles, it is necessary to reinforce the promotion of the country as a destination that practice a responsible tourism with nature. With this we get double the profits because we are generating tourist capitation that share our own vision of sustainability and act properly with natural resources”, explained Juan Carlos Ramos, president of CANATUR.
Looking for the Italian market
Participation of the Costa Rican tourist enterprises in the BIT 2010, will have another objective, explore, and make sure the country states the brand “Costa Rica” in the Italian market. “We want to reinforce our product in Europe, with 15 years of being in the market we have noticed that the Italian flow to the country is less than that of the last 10 years”, expressed Wanda Taylor, from Pachira Lodge.
Information from CANATUR indicates that in 2009, Costa Rica received 18,497 Italian travelers, being the 5th country in the market to capture tourist who come from Europe.
“Costa Rica can’t lose the position achieved until now and the goal will always be to look for new niches in the market and strengthen the relations with most of the wholesalers in the Italian market”, concluded Ramos.
The Borsa Internazionale del Turismo (BIT) 2010 will gather around 5,000 presenters and more than 140 countries and will count with the presence of 153,800 visitors, and 101,000 of them professional tour operators.
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