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� Canadians who travel internationally for pleasure, who are extremely or very interested in visiting Costa Rica, and who are likely to travel to Central or South America for pleasure at some time in the future constitute a promising target market for Costa Rica. These best prospects account for 6.9% of all Canadian adults and comprise a market of approximately 1.8 million persons.
� Three provinces Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia account for the vast majority of Costa Rica�s best prospects. Residents of Quebec have a particularly strong affinity for Costa Rica.
� Costa Rica�s best prospects tend to be well educated, affluent, and somewhat younger than Canadian international pleasure travelers as a whole. They also tend to be frequent visitors to nearby warm-weather destinations, such as Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
� Travelers profess to have a good understanding of what Costa Rica has to offer as a tourist destination. However, perceptions of the country are not as strong as they could be on a number of important dimensions. Fewer than half of Costa Rica�s best prospects perceive Costa Rica to be an affordable place to visit, a safe country in which to travel, or easy to get to.
� Costa Rica�s best prospects are most likely to equate a vacation in Costa Rica with one in Panama. They also tend to see similarities with Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.
� About one in four best prospects say they would be likely to take an ecotour that is, a vacation devoted entirely or almost entirely to ecology-oriented activities, such as exploring rainforests. Many more would want to participate in such activities on a more limited basis.
� Costa Rica�s best prospects also show a strong interest in experiencing Costa Rica�s culture for example, by visiting open-air markets, eating at restaurants that feature local specialties, shopping for handicrafts, and attending local festivals.
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Travel to Costa Rica 
