Entrepreneurs are trying to light the interest in some specific market segments to attract demand.
Health tourism, rural tourism, educational tourism and congresses are among the alternatives with a great potential to move the activity during difficult times.
To avoid all the unexpected times of the economical recession that affects the main income of the country, some businesspeople trust in segmentation as the key to go on. To head the business towards masses stopped being the alternative during difficult times. Because of this reason, different types of tourism such as rural, health, educational or congresses could be one part of the segments that help the industry continue working.
Private sectors and tourism authorities have found a high growing potential because of the international level that the country has and also because the costs for visitors are more competitive comparing with ones their countries.
For example, a law strengthening rural tourism was recently approved with a declaration of public interest.
In addition, several organizations have been organized to impulse the medical industry and educational centers have been developed special programs to urge the destination with an educational point of view.
One of the most important barriers regarding health tourism lays on the doubts a patient could have about the medical cares they will have post-surgery. On this way, there’s a great opportunity because the enterprise has presence in North America, Europe, and Latin America, which allows the client to have this service immediately, commented Luis Diego Osborne, President of Homewatch Caregivers Costa Rica.
Rural
Panoramic: Crisis is seeing as an opportunity because rural tourism has more accessible prices for tourists who decided to cut costs. Even the reservations have decreased via travel agencies, it has increased via internet. Actually, the most visited zones are Central Valley (80%) and the Northern Zone (44%).
Perspectives: In general, it is an opportunity to be creative, to develop and fortify the electronic market and the national tourism companies.
Strategy: Formalization of the touristic businesses to enter the touristic declaration regime. There is counseling about improving services and infrastructures. There are alliances with the INA (National Learning Institute) for instructing. There will be an annual fair.
There is a declaration of public interest of the activity and the recent approval of the reinforcement law for this area.
Tourist Profile: the average age of these kind of tourists is 40 years-old, 55% with a university degree; family income $76,000. A 35% makes rural tourism in family; average stay 15 days and the daily expense $85.
During last year, about 200,000 people did activities related to rural tourism.
Congresses
Panoramic: most of the congresses and events hold in Central America gather less than 800 people. It means that with all the Costa Rican limitations, the country can compete on this segment. Some of the places which held big events are chosen five or more years in advanced. It means that the country should be working to obtain these decisions to hold the congresses in the year 2012.
Perspectives: The World Tourism Organization expects that this segment will be less affected by the recession. The meeting tourism represents 20% of the international arrivals. It is estimated to experiment and annual growing of 10% for the next decade. In Costa Rica, 14% of the tourists come for business.
Strategy: In March, Costa Rica will hold the “Congreso Lationamericano de Organizadores de Congresos” (Latin American Congress of Congress Organizers). During the activity, issues from the sector will be analyzed and the advantage to impulse the country will be taken by destination seekers.
Tourist Profile: the participants of the international congresses spend an average of $350 by day. It means three times more than the average tourist. It’s been proved that 40% of the congress participants return to the country as conventional tourists together with the rest of the family or friends.
Medical
Panoramic: The annual increment of health tourism rounds 15% annually. About 200,000 Americans travel to Latin America looking for medical attention. In Costa Rica’s case, the treatment costs are 50% more competitive than in the United States. It’s estimated that 7,500 people came for medical reasons.
Perspectives: The health service providers in the United States will lose almost $16,000 million this year because of the health tourism runaway. It’s expected that 6 million people travel outside their countries to receive treatment in the coming 2 years.
Strategy: Costa Rica has a compound package of health service with physicians in all different areas of this sector, which are getting together to promote health tourism abroad such as participating in health fairs.
Some medical centers like CIMA are making investments in Guanacaste to attract the tourists in that part of the country. Meanwhile, Clinica Biblica Hospital has invested in medical equipment and infrastructure. In the case of Clinica Catolica Hospital, there was a creation of a hotel within the medical complex.
Tourist Profile: Middle-class people, over 22 and under 45 years old. A 95% is Americans, they manage between $4,000 to $12,000.
Education
Panoramic: It’s a really good nest that is starting to make merchandise and promotion efforts. The last statistics made by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) reveals that in 2007, 173 people arrived to the country for studying purposes. Most of them came from the United States, followed by Latin America, Central America and Europe. This sector includes diverse areas, students from formal educational centers, special interests groups, update courses, and so on.
Perspectives: In formal education there is a great potential. There are numerous programs directed towards this market inside the country. It includes non-governmental organizations such as the Tropical Studies Organization (OET) and state universities. The OET receives different groups of high school students, scouts and interested outsiders, who want to learn more about Costa Rican’s nature. It also promotes educational, natural tourism on a nationwide coverage through guided visits and special programs in our biological stations (La Selva, Las Cruces and Palo Verde), and other interested spots.
Strategy: Its development, promotion and operation have been in the hands of study entities and organizations like foundations and universities.
Tourist Profile: Students and professionals who require coming to the country to learn or get better knowledge on specific areas. The investment varies, if they come to get a master’s degree $44,000.
