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Travel Arrangement Preference
The vast majority of Costa Rica’s best prospects would be likely to travel independently if they were to visit Central or South America; only 17.0% would opt for an escorted group tour. The largest number (44.9%) would be inclined to purchase a vacation package. In fact, Costa Rica’s best prospects are strongly of the opinion that a vacation package offers the best value. More than three-quarters (77.0%) of them agree in some measure with the statement “I think that it is cheaper to buy a vacation package than to buy the air, hotel, and car on your own”; 56.6% agree strongly or mostly.
Favorite Kinds of Trips
Costa Rica’s best prospects show a strong preference for sun and sand trips and for general sightseeing trips; 75.4% and 66.3%, respectively, say they would be extremely or very likely to take such trips.
Fewer best prospects (44.3%) say they would be likely to take a cruise. Cruising has been slow to penetrate the Canadian market; in fact, only 32.1% of Costa Rica’s best prospects have ever taken a cruise. Nevertheless, even at 44.3%, cruising holds significant potential for Costa Rica. Moreover, cruising can be a powerful stimulus for repeat travel. Of those who have taken a cruise, 36.8% say that on at least one occasion they have visited a place on a cruise, found that they liked it, and returned later for a land-based vacation.
About one in four best prospects (25.7%) say they are likely to take an ecotour (that is, a vacation devoted entirely or almost entirely to ecology-oriented activities, such as exploring rainforests). Costa Rica’s best prospects are more than three times as likely as other Canadian international travelers to express interest in an ecotour.
Travel Activities
Costa Rica’s best prospects show a strong interest in experiencing the country’s culture. For example, more than 8 in 10 would be likely to visit open-air markets, visit villages and small towns, eat at restaurants featuring local specialties, shop for handicrafts and local specialties, or attend a local festival. In fact, 87.7% of Costa Rica’s best prospects agree strongly or mostly with the statement “For me, an international vacation is a time to experience other cultures.”
Likelihood of participating in selected sightseeing activities (Best Prospects for Costa Rica)
Visit open-air markets - 92.7%
Visit villages and small towns - 90.7%
Eat at restaurants featuring local specialties - 90.5%
Shop for handicrafts and local specialties - 84.3%
Attend a local festival - 83.1%
Visit national parks and wilderness areas - 80.4%
Take a treetop canopy tour - 50.5%
Stay at an ecolodge - 41.2%
Go bird watching - 33.1%
Even though only one in four best prospects would want to devote their entire vacation to ecology-oriented activities, many would want to participate in such activities on a more limited basis. For instance, 80.4% say they would be likely to visit national parks and wilderness areas. Half say they would be likely to take a treetop canopy tour, 4 in 10 say they would be likely to stay at an ecolodge, and a third say they would be likely to go bird watching. Best prospects would also be likely to participate in a wide variety of sports and outdoor activities. For example, 8 in 10 would be likely to go swimming, three-quarters would be likely to go day hiking, and nearly two-thirds would be likely to go snorkeling.
The sports activities that best prospects are likely to pursue vary with their age. Younger travelers are far more likely to engage in physically demanding activities, such as horseback riding, river rafting, kayaking, mountain biking, and scuba diving, whereas activities such as swimming and golfing have broader appeal
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Travel to Costa Rica 
