Forty-two years ago, the giant re-awoke. In 1968, Arenal Volcano became active again, displaying to visitors the beauty of its reddish, magical splendor. It is a constant nature show that has made it a mandatory stop for tourists from all over the world.

Throughout this week, La Fortuna de San Carlos is putting on a celebration called, “Nature, Tourism, and Culture: The Awakening of Arenal, 42 years of activity.” The week’s activities include: July 27th and 28th, Tuesday and Wednesday, there will be school field trips to the Arenal Volcano National Park with hikes, discussions, and snake exhibitions, starting at 9am. Also on July 28th, Wednesday, at 5pm, there will be a presentation for tour guides on how to handle snakes at the Arenal Volcano National Park Visitors Center.

On July 29th, Thursday, at 10am, there will be a ceremony in the national park to commemorate the eruption of the Arenal Volcano. This ceremony will include cultural performances and a snack for visitors. Finally, on July 30th, Friday, “The eruption of activities” will conclude in the El Castillo commons area with traditional costume dances (cimarrona), concessions, and a photo gallery. For more information, contact Diana Murillo from the Northern Plains Regional Office at 2461-9102 or by email at dmurillo@ict.go.cr.

• Almost 1,000 species of flora and fauna have been identified on the Island.

The 25 minute-long documentary, “The Guardian of the Island,” promotes the conservation of the flora and fauna in the Coco Island National Park and the experience of its protectors: the park rangers.

“The Guardian of the Island” starts in Paris where the international model, Leonora Jiménez began her adventure to discover what makes the island, which was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1997, so special.

The park rangers are in charge of guiding her through the island over a twelve day period. The program can be seen next Saturday, July 24th, at 12:30 p.m. on channel 7 (http://www.teletica.com/isla-coco). Coco Island is located 270 miles southeast of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Its land mass measures 15 sq. miles and its protected maritime area measures 1242 sq. miles.

• Rancho Margot is an example of sustainability where visitors can learn, create, and relax.

In La Fortuna de San Carlos stands an example of sustainability that has been successful for more than 7 years. “It is a destination, not a hotel. It is a model of how business owners can do things differently and work with the environment,” explained Juan Sostheim, owner of the Rancho Margot in the national newspaper, La Nación.

This development, as explained in the article “An island in the forest” is becoming an important source of employment in the nearby town. This 385 acre land is used to raise chickens, cows, and pigs without using artificial products and also to grow organic vegetables. The energy source used comes from the waste produced there.


This article can be viewed at http://www.nacion.com/2010-07-18/Proa/NotasSecundarias/Proa2445864.aspx.

The international coffee chain, Starbucks, choose the Costa Rican process of producing coffee to tell the story behind a cup of coffee, in a minute-long video.

The video titled, “From the bean to the cup¨, takes the viewer on a journey that begins with the coffee fields in the mountains of Costa Rica, harvesting the coffee, the bean´s maturation, the drying of the bean and additional preparation processes that results in a delicious cup of coffee.

Starbucks sells coffee from Latin America, Africa, and Asia in more than 16,000 locations in 44 countries around the world.

The video ¨From the bean to the cup¨ can be found on the Starbucks website http://www.starbucks.com/ and is also available on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LElYnANZcH4

Brazil to learn about Costa Rica in six documentaries

• Channel SBT, the second most important channel in the country, will air the programs

A month’s worth of filming throughout Costa Rica will become, at a minimum, a six series documentary, each an hour long, and will be watched by millions of Brazilians on one of the most-watched channels in this south American country, the Brazilian Television System (SBT, in Spanish).

The “Wild Adventure” program’s production team is headed by the famous biologist and series director, Richard Rasmussen, has traveled from the 24th of June until the 27th of July through natural wonders such as Tortuguero, Sarapiquí, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Guanacaste, Puntarenas, the mid-Pacific, and the southern Caribbean, as well as indigenous reservations. The program’s activities include scuba diving to film the rich marine life of Costa Rica, whale watching, and Shad fishing.

“Brazil should follow Costa Rica’s lead,” said Rasmussen. “This country has it all in such a confined space: the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Ocean, mangroves, volcanoes, and many conservation areas,” he added.

Five people make up the production team. Among them are: the photographer, two cameramen, the producer and the director, Rasmussen.

There is also a professional underwater cameraman for the underwater filming.

This is the second time that “Wild Adventure” has chosen Costa Rica as its destination. The first time was in 2006, when the program aired Sundays on a different channel and only lasted 15 minutes. In 2009, “Wild Adventure” aired on SBT with a 60 minute segment on Fridays at 9 p.m. The aim of the program was to uncover the beauty and attractions of the country that the production team visited.

This time, the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) is offering logistical support and coordinating with tourism businesses to provide transportation, lodging, and food to the Brazilians.

“The ICT encourages this kind of venture because it improves the country’s visibility in very important markets to attract tourism, like Brazil,” said assistant manager and ICT marketing director María Amalia Revelo. “Wild Adventure” is aimed at a segment of the population with high purchasing power that matches the tourist profile that we are interested in attracting.

The Brazilians that are here visiting Costa Rica are not only drawn in by the country’s ideal surf conditions, but also by the biodiversity that the country offers like volcanoes, which do not exist in this South American country.

About Richard Rasmussen

• Born February 15th, 1970.
• Studied economics and has an MBA from the University of Toronto.
• Worked for 10 years as an auditor for a multinational company and also headed a conservation nursery that treated animals rescued by the environmental police.
• At age 30, he decided to fulfill his life-long dream and study biology.
• He is the producer and director of the “Wild Adventure” series.

• The company succeeded in reforesting 24 acres on Costa Rican soil

Adobe Rent -a-Car will reduce neutral carbon by 115 tons a year thanks to the planting of 11,600 trees on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. This effort is part of a project that this company started in 2008, through the purchasing of the Environmental Services Certification with FONAFIFO.

This endeavor represents one of the most challenging environmental goals in the national auto rental industry. “At Adobe Rent-a-Car, we will continue to plant trees in different parts of the country and thereby help contribute to the goal of making this country carbon neutral by 2021,” stated Katia Enríquez, Marketing Manager of Adobe Rent-a-Car.

For Adobe Rent-a-Car, this is only the first step toward environmental conservation and sustainability. “With this endeavor, we will be able to reach a common goal for the good of all Costa Ricans,” added Enríquez.

For more information: http://www.adobecar.com/esp/index.htm

• The Clay-colored Thrush and the White-tailed deer are two species that will appear on local postage stamps.

The Costa Rican postal service released 30,000 postage stamps to the market, in honor of the country’s biodiversity.

The Clay-colored Thrush and the White-tailed deer are two national symbols that appear on the stamps. The former was declared the national bird on January 3, 1977, while the White-tailed deer has been the country’s symbol since May 2nd, 1995.

This collection will be released throughout the countries that belong to the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain, and Portugal (Upaep), that comprise the postal services in the region. Each country of the Upaep releases yearly a stamp called “America,” whose theme is chosen based on the cultural and social traits of the country. The release of these stamps with Costa Rican symbols serves this role.

• Tourism businesses to receive training on environmental protection

Costa Rican tourism businesses are being trained in ecological footprint indicator, which measures the environmental impact that people have on their environment from consumption habits.

The courses are being offered throughout the country from the end of June until October. Until now, 18 businesses within the sector, have participated in the first two out of nine free workshops.

At the workshops, hotel workers, tour operators, and others learn to use different tools to measure the impact that their operations have on the environment.

The initiative is put together by the Costa Rica Hotel Board (CCH in Spanish) and the Neotropic Foundation.

They avoid their predators with false eyes and faces of ferocious animals. Caterpillars and butterfly chrysalis reproduce the facial features of snakes, reptiles and other animals.

This was discovered during a 32 year study at the Guanacaste Preservation Area in Costa Rica, headed by a research team from the University of Pennsylvania and the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in the United States. In an area of 125 sq. miles, more than 450,000 chrysalises have been studied and more than 15,000 species have been identified.

The news was released in the prestigious newspaper The New York Times. According to the article, a study released this week by the North American National Academy of Science suggests that these natural disguises are an innate evolutionary instinct of birds to avoid being devoured by predators. The proposal introduces a new mimicking phenomenon among animals originally described by the English explorer Henry Walter Batea in 1860.

The full article in English can be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/15/science/15crea.html?emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

The DNA of tapirs that live in Corcovado National Park have a genetic makeup that helps them ward off sickness and challenges resulting from a loss of habitat. This is the finding of a study carried out by scientists from the Biology Department of the University of Costa Rica (UCR) from 2008 until the present, which was published in La Nación.

The tapirs in Corcovado are “healthier” than anticipated, which is a relief given that tapir populations have dropped significantly in number and distribution over the last few years.

The UCR biologists’ study coincides with scientific research by United States biologist Charles Forester conducted in this same park in the Osa Peninsula. Costa Rican scientists used the same methodology as their predecessor and traveled to Brazil to analyze samples along with the support of Alexandra Sanches, the country’s tapir specialist.

Experts hope to study other tapir populations in the future. The main groups of this species live in the Talamanca Mountain Range, La Amistad National Park, Tapantí, Tortuguero, and the Tenorio volcano.

The original article can be read at: http://www.nacion.com/2010-06-11/AldeaGlobal/NotaPrincipal/AldeaGlobal2403793.aspx

• Last year, 48,000 Mexicans visited Costa Rican soil.

San José, Costa Rica- The airline market between Mexico and Costa Rica has shown strong growth thanks to European connections via Latin America, as well as opportunities for less complicated trips to Asia.

“Aeroméxico, Mexicana, and TACA are heavily competing for the Mexican route (Mexico City),” pointed out the Costa Rican newspaper, La Nación. With this window of opportunity and globalization, competition between the three airlines is leading to more favorable rates, according to the newspaper.

Mexico is the primary market in Latin America. More airline connections to this area will lead to better opportunities. Likewise, the arrival of evening flights and early morning departures provides more opportunities for transfers and connections to the United States, Canada, and Europe.

The ICT’s goal is to diversify the geographical markets, and therefore develop new markets and increase visits from other regions like Latin America and Europe.

• Around 26 countries participated in the simultaneous planting.

San José, Costa Rica – On June 5th, in celebration of the World Environment Day, 26 countries around the world joined together to take a concrete and effective step towards dealing with climate change and reducing greenhouse effect gases, in the event known as EARTH Plant the Future.

EARTH University, along the support of ICT, CNN, and Cummis, initiated the effort to plant 1,195,371 trees.
The goal was to plant more than 200,000 trees simultaneously in countries where there are graduates from the university, thereby engendering 6,800 tons of carbon dioxide per year. However, the goal was well-exceeded.

Countries like France and Lebanon took part in the 20th anniversary of the EARTH University. In Costa Rica, President Laura Chinchilla planted one of the trees: “We are setting an example to the world, and I share this experience with thousands of citizens from around the world to celebrate this day,” she commented.

• It is the second hotel in the world to receive the award and the first in Latin America

San José, Costa Rica- Hotel Tabacón in La Fortuna, San Carlos received the international ecological certification Luxury Eco-Certification Standard (LECS), the only worldwide volunteer ecological certification program by a non-governmental organization.

LECS looks at areas like the environment, social responsibility, and requirements for Environmental Sustainability Global Criteria.

Hotel Tabacón had to comply with 100 environmental and social requirements in five main categories, such as water and energy conservation, recycling, and local community relations. This award is an acknowledgement for “ecological and social” commitments to sustainable tourism development.

If you’re looking to snorkel among a throng of hammerhead sharks, Cocos Island is the place to be. The renowned newspaper El País, ranked this part of Costa Rica in its list of the top 10 “mystical” places for snorkeling among the infamous shark.

“Snorkelers will also have the opportunity to see manta rays and tuna while diving. The natural beauty of this island has been declared a World Heritage site,” according to the Travel section of this Spanish newspaper. The list is based on information provided by the Spanish photographer and shark expert Manú San Felix. Cocos Island ranks eighth on the list, while the Bahamas holds the top spot. The Red Sea, French Polynesia, Maldives, Mexico, Scotland, South Africa, California, and Madrid are other outstanding places to snorkel among sharks.

Cocos Island has a surface area of some 15 square miles and in 1978 was converted into a National Park. The list can be viewed at the following link.

http://elviajero.elpais.com/articulo/viajero/sitios/bucear/tiburones/elppor/20100414elpepuvia_1/Tes.

The industry opens its doors and offers great specials to those affected by the recent travel crisis

In response to the latest airline crisis caused by the volcano eruption in Iceland, Costa Rica’s travel industry is offering travelers a variety of enticing promotional travel packages that will allow them to spend their hard earned vacation days in an exciting destination. Costa Rica’s proximity to North America, convenient flight connections, and diversity of tourism products, will surely please any traveler seeking an alternative vacation spot that delivers a memorable experience.

This small nation, almost the size of West Virginia, is known as much for its leadership in sustainable tourism as it is for its incredible offering of activities and experiences for all types of travelers. Whether someone is looking to be adventurous, relax with the family, explore nature, take in a second honeymoon with someone special, or all of the above, Costa Rica has a special offer in hand. There are over 75 special travel promotions running in the country ranging from additional free nights, great upgrades, up to 50 per cent discount on spa treatments and much more. For a complete list of the hotel properties, tour operators and car rental companies that are offering special vacation deals, visit http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/news/com-vpromomay2010.html. Travelers wanting to take advantage of these promotions should mention VPROMO when requesting the special rates.

Spa and well-being vacations are becoming the industry’s newest travel trend and Costa Rica has been recognized by TripAdvisor users as one of the best places in Central and South America to enjoy spa getaways. Costa Rica gives travelers a variety of ways to rejuvenate and cleanse including the hot springs near the Arenal Volcano, the tranquil, yoga-infused beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula or the nature-filled setting of its Central Valley.
Another major attraction of Costa Rica is its beaches. The country boasts over 1000 miles of coast line which vary between three types of climates. For surfing enthusiasts, the choices are endless as well due to the 250 breaking points that can be found on its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Of course, it caters to those who just wish to take in some sun and relax as well.

For the type of traveler who loves to pump their adrenaline, Costa Rica offers some of the top rated rivers in the world for white-water rafting as well as activities like hiking, wind surfing, kite surfing, horseback riding and much more. Of course, no Costa Rica vacation is complete without an exhilarating zipline tour through the canopies of the forest.
An added appeal for Costa Rica and its position as a Central American tourist destination has been its commitment to giving back to the planet and to its people. Due to these efforts, the country has become an ecological haven which is hosted by warm people who are proud and eager to show visitors their wonderful land. Their pride is translated into the vast amount of knowledge that they individually possess, turning any vacation to the country into an educational experience, in addition to being adventurous and relaxing. This attention to detail is what keeps visitors coming back to enjoy its natural wonders.

A Vacation that Gives Back

Travelers can enjoy these great Costa Rica promotions and give back while on vacation. When it comes to sustainable tourism offerings, few can compare to Costa Rica. The Costa Rica Tourist Board has implemented a program called Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) designed to promote the implementation of sustainable practices throughout the entire tourism sector, including hotels, tour operators, transportation providers, and best of all, the community. A large portion of the industry participates to some degree and some of the services they offer include recycling, solar heated water, reforestation initiatives and creating jobs for the people in the surrounding area, among others..
The CST program gives a zero through five “leaf” rating to those operations that meet strict guidelines for sustainable practices—the higher the score, the most green, efficient and sustainable the operation is. The CST program has become one of the most widely respected sustainable certificate programs and it has been adopted by the United Nations and the World Tourism Organization as a model, and many countries around the world are employing similar standards. When visiting Costa Rica, travelers can select from the 153 tourist companies that have been certified since the creation of the program. For more information, visit http://www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr/en

Sustainability and conservation in the country also extends out into the community through its Blue Flag Ecology (BAE) program. Communities in Costa Rica are given the BAE certification through an evaluation of the quality of the ocean water, quality of drinking water, waste disposal and availability of sanitary facilities. This distinction is given to those communities who safeguard the environment and maintain necessary sanitary conditions of the water and the areas around it.

• Lodging establishment scores the highest rating for Sustainable Tourism Certification granted by the ICT

The owners of the Finca Rosa Blanca Hotel received an international award for their commitment to protecting the environment and developing the communities in Northern Heredia, where the hotel exists in the middle of a coffee plantation.

During the 2010 award ceremony, the Rainforest Alliance organization, based in New York, US, awarded hotel owners Glenn Jampol and Teresa Osman for their efforts in sustainability.

Finca Rosa Blanca, is one of seven hotels that scored the highest in the Sustainable Tourism Certification category, five leaves, which is given by the Costa Rican Tourism Board after an extensive and rigorous evaluation.

“During the last two decades, the owners of this establishment have contributed 5% of their annual earnings from the bar and restaurant to community projects, such as the construction of a new bookstore, a cafeteria and computer room for a local school, as well as a recycling center for the community,” said the award presenter.

Jampol is the president of the National Eco-Tourism Chamber (CANAECO in Spanish), a non-profit organization made up of individuals and eco-tourism entrepreneurs in Costa Rica. This chamber works to promote and market this sector as a tool for economic development as well as the preservation of natural and cultural landmarks in the country.

• Jaguars are a nocturnal feline in danger of extinction

The influential North American newspaper, The New York Times, reported this week in the environmental section on efforts being made in Costa Rica to protect jaguars, nocturnal felines in danger of extinction.

The article makes reference to the “Jaguar Corridor” initiative, developed on the Atlantic coast, to facilitate the co-existence between felines and human populations in the area.

These “corridors,” which are being implemented in other areas in the world, allow animals to travel from one area to another to find food and reproduce, repopulating even new zones.

“Costa Rica has traditionally tried to protect species like the jaguar, by building sanctuaries, buying land and offering animals a non-threatening environment,” explain The New York Times.

Twelve hotels in the Central Valley, the Pacific, and the Northern part of the country were among a select list of world-class hotels in 2010. The list was created by Expedia, a well-known reservation website, after evaluating and ranking more than 114,000 hotels and 570,000 user opinions online.

The select list covers 2,525 hotels and includes five hotels located in the Central Valley, five on the Pacific coast, and two in the northern part of the country. In the Expedia ranking, these lodging establishments rank from 303 to 1744.

The twelve Costa Rican hotels included in the list have tourist declarations.

Additionally, four of these establishments have Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST), a program designed by the Costa Rica Tourism Board to categorize and differentiate tourism businesses according to the level in which their operations adhere to a model of social, cultural, and environmental sustainability.

Those mentioned from the Central Valley are the Hotel Grano de Oro; Hotel Bougainvillea; Rodeo Country Inn; Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San José and Hampton Inn and Suites San José Airport. Those selected from the Pacific are: Arenas Del Mar Beach & Nature Resort; Bahía Pez Vela Resort; Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort; Hotel Casa Conde del Mar Papagayo and Paradisus Playa Conchal All Inclusive. The two chosen from the Northern region are: Arenal Manoa and Lomas del Volcán.

After world concern mounted over the eruption of the
Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland, attention regarding active volcanoes around the world has been growing considerably. On April 23rd, the newspaper USA Today, one of the most important written publications in the country, published an article about how volcano tourism is “heating up.”
According to the article, tourists in search of adventure feel a calling from nature to discover active volcanoes; the article made reference to the majestic Arenal volcano, one of the most famous stops on the itinerary of those who visit Costa Rica.

The article described “the simple pleasure of waking up in the morning, and from the comfort of your own bed, the sight and sound of lava spewing red cinder from the cone.” Attached is the link for the complete article.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-04-22-volcano-tourism_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

• The Trip Advisor web site lists favorites based on opinions of international tourists

San José, Costa Rica – The 2010 edition of the Travelers Choice Awards recognized six favorite Costa Rican vacation destination sites in three different categories: relaxation and spas, sun and beach, and nature and adventure sports. The awards were announced on the Trip Advisor web site, the largest site in the world dedicated to travel guides and reviews.

The Arenal volcano headed the list of “the ten best relaxation and spa destinations in the world.”The review site says that “this national park has not only two incredible volcanoes, but you can also find stunning and spectacular waterfalls and a hot springs area that will leave you speechless.” In the same category, but within the Latin American region, Manuel Antonio ranked fourth, Santa Teresa beach, located in the southern Nicoya peninsula, ranked sixth, and Conchal beach, eighth.

Four Costa Rican beaches ranked in the top 10 best sun and beach destinations in Central and South America. Santa Teresa beach took first place and qualified as ‘a flourishing tourist destination spot in Costa Rica that specifically draws surfers.” The tree-lined beaches, white sand, and flora and fauna of Manuel Antonio ranked third on the list. Meanwhile, Puerto Viejo and Samara took fourth and sixth place, respectively.

With respect to nature and adventure sports, Trip Advisor put Puerto Viejo in third place, and Arenal volcano, eighth, among the top 10 destination spots in this category.

Travelers Choice is the only award given by the Trip Advisor web site. Selections were made based on the opinions of millions of international travelers.

• There were five nominees from Europe and the Americas in the same category.

The readers of the web site Luxist.com awarded Tabacón Grand Spa & Thermal Resort as the “Best International Spa.”
Tabacón, located in La Fortuna de San Carlos, was competing with similar resorts on the Capri islands, and in Toscana, both in Italy, in Polynesia, and in Los Cabos, Mexico.
The review from Luxist.com offered many details of the well-known resort, and it also highlighted its commitment to sustainability: “Its mission, which is built around preservation and improving the environment, shows its commitment to sustainable tourism.”

Luxist.com is a web site dedicated to the various trends in traveling, art, fashion, shopping, food, and even real estate. Its objective, according to its web page, is to entertain and educate by combining knowledge and appreciation with the analysis of current trends.

The Luxist awards are from an annual program that seeks out the best of the best in various categories. Every month a category is chosen from which the readers nominate a businesses or product and vote for their favorite. In April, the “Best International Spa” category was announced.

• The report focuses on sustainability.

The renowned North American magazine, Newsweek, selected Monteverde as one of the top 100 most beautiful places in the world, a site that you should see before climate changes affect the tropical rainforest.

“For most of the year, the humidity level reaches 100% in this tropical rainforest. Majestic trees covered with orchids, bromeliads, ferns, and climbing plants are refuge for a large variety of animals and plant species,” writes the editor of Newsweek International, Fareed Zakaria, referring to Monteverde in his article, “100 places to see before they disappear.”

Zakaria’s report is a call to sustainability, sighting different areas throughout the world, which according to the author, could disappear or be adversely affected by climate changes.

“To read this article is to remember that just like tea bushes, human beings also occupy a limited ecological area” explained the journalist.

Monteverde is listed at number 14 in the Americas. You can read the complete article at http://www.newsweek.com/id/236064

The renowned Spanish newspaper El País encouraged adventure lovers this month to visit the 5 most active craters on the planet, among them being Arenal volcano in La Fortuna, San Carlos. “Arenal, a paradise in the jungles of Costa Rica,” reads an article in the Travelers section of the newspaper.

The enormous formation ranks among other volcanoes in Hawaii, the United States, Italy, Guatemala, and Tanna Island.

“Years of Strombolian eruptions have tinted the water of the two lakes that sit at its feet, which now have an emerald tone and make the whole experience even more magical,” added the article.

You can read the complete article at the following link:
http://elviajero.elpais.com/articulo/viajero/Volcanes/pueden/visitar/elppor/20100428elpepuvia_1/Tes

San José, Costa Rica – The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) awarded journalist Diana Lambdin Meyer and photographer Bruce Meyer for pieces they created during the sustainability tour in Costa Rica in April of last year.

During their stay, put together by the ICT, the journalist wrote about social sustainability in Punta Islita and its surrounding communities, while Bruce Meyer photographed various areas of Costa Rica.

“The Pure Life” – is the name of the article that Lamdin wrote for the AAA Midwest Living magazine. The article came in third for “Best Magazine Article on International Tourism” as well as “Best Article on Ecology/Conservation/Preservation.” Bruce Meyer took first place in “Best Action Photography.”

• More than 450 health service operators will meet in San José

• Eleven Latin American countries will be there to represent their private and public sectors


Costa Rica will be the first country to bring together some 450 health service operators from more than 15 American countries. The first Global Medicine and Well-being Congress in the region will be held on the 26th, 27th, and 28th of April at the Hotel Ramada Herradura Convention Center in San José.

This event will bring together companies from the medical and tourism sectors, in addition to key decision makers, like insurance companies, self-insured businesses, and potential industry investors.

The public as well as the private sector will have representatives at the conference, coming from Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, United States, Canada, Cuba, Panama, El Salvador and Guatemala.

The convention’s goals include bringing attention to the various medical tourism services that are offered throughout the region, pointing out especially the high-quality customer service that Latin American health service centers provide. Likewise, the conference will provide time to share experiences as well as proposals to increase the competitiveness of the Latin American region in this field.

Some of the event’s activities will include conferences, business meetings, and hospital and medical center visits. The event will also host business networking where providers from the region will have the opportunity to negotiate directly with buyers, mainly from the US and Canada. The organization has already signed up more than 100 buyers including Aflac Insurance, Coloniel Insurance, EMEX Benefit Systems, Colonial Medical, n Health, Pacific General Underwriters, and others.

Confirmed panelists include: Roy Ramthun, ex-health advisor to George W. Bush; David Boucher, president of Companion Global Insurance, part of Blue cross Blue Shield South Carolina; Ann Jacobson, director of Joint Commission International. Mrs. Maria Luisa Avila, the health minister, will be in charge of the event’s inaugural speech where foreign visitors will be shown Costa Rica’s achievements with respect to public and private health services.

The conference will also include an official presentation from Proretire, an association dedicated to positioning Costa Rica internationally as a destination spot for retirees and center for specialized attention communities for elders, taking into account the quality of health services along with traditional Costa Rican hospitality.

The first Global Medicine and Well-being conference in Latin America came about as a product of the medical tourism cluster, which gave rise to the National Competition and Regulatory Improvement program (PRONACOMER). The sponsoring committee is made up of the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT), PRONACOMER, Costa Rica Promoter of Foreign Trade (PROCOMER), the Costa Rica Exporters Chamber (CADEXCO), and the Advisory Board for the International Promotion of Medicine in Costa Rica (PROMED).

For more information, you can go to our website at www.globalmedicinecongress.com.

International tourist visits for the first quarter in 2010 showed growth. The first three months of the year saw 65,800 more tourists than in the same period for 2009. Official data from the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) revealed an increase of 11.5% in the first quarter of the year. From January to March 2010, 636,434 visitors came by air, land and sea.

The month to month breakdown is as follows: 232,314 in January, 195,919 in February, and 208, 201 in March.

The first quarter of 2009 saw 570,600 international tourists, while in 2008, there were 648,046 visitors.

“These are strong signs that the tourism industry is recovering,” said the Minister of Tourism, Allan Flores. “We are reaching the levels that we had in 2008, in the months prior to the world economic downturn; however, we are cautious since the low season is just underway,” he stated.

Visits from the most important market for Costa Rica, North America, grew in the first quarter of this year at 16.7%, for a total of 319,043 visitors; this was 45,766 more than in the first three months of 2009. The Juan Santamaría International Airport is the gateway into the country.

January, February, and March of 2010 saw a total of 352,962 international visitors, 9.8% more than the previous year when 321,532 visitors passed through the airport.

Some 79,482 tourists landed at the Daniel Oduber International Airport in the first quarter of this year; this represents an increase of 27.4% with respect to 2009 when 62,365 visitors passed through its gates. This data was put together and analyzed by the ICT based on data received from the Department of Immigration and Foreign Services.

On Saturday, April 24th, the Osa Tourism Chamber (CATUOSA) will celebrate 18 years with the official signing of the Sustainability Agreement, whose goal is to be the first sustainable tourism chamber in the country, along with its 100 associates, before 2012.

To achieve this, the chamber will develop environmental management strategies and practices to generate less impact on the environment and help protect future generations.

Creating “green offices,” conserving water and energy, and handling solid waste are just a few of the environmental practices that the associates will develop.

This initiative to strengthen the Osa image as a “Green Destination” is sustained by many environmental factors in the area. For example, the majority of the natural resources are being turned into national parks, which represent 36.5% of the land in the area. Some examples are the Corcovado National Park, considered one of the richest biological places on the planet, not to mention Drake bay and Caño Island, or the archeological phenomenon of the mysterious stone spheres in the Díquis Valley.

For more information and details, contact Luis Centeno, the president of the Osa Tourism Chamber, at 27867825 or by email at lcenteno@osacostarica.net. You may also contact Juis Jara, the ICT Public relations Executive by phone at 22995800 extention 323, ljara@ict.go.cr or Alejandra Fernández at 2296-2722, afernandez@comunicacioncorporativa.net

New SJO-NY route to increase number of flights between these cities by 24%

• New York is the third most important market in the United States for Costa Rica

The new American Airline route, to debut Wednesday, April 7th, will increase the number of direct flights by 24% between San José, Costa Rica, and New York, the biggest financial and business center of the United States, with more than 19 million inhabitants.
The American Airline Boeing 757, which holds 231 passengers, will make the trip five days a week between the cities, except Mondays and Saturdays, from Juan Santamaría Airport to New York, and on Fridays and Sundays from the John F. Kennedy Airport to Costa Rica. The new route will create 1,155 more available seats a week for a total of 60,060 seats in its first year of operations.

“Airline services are vital to developing our tourism industry and the new American Airline route is ideal for potential tourists coming from the financial capital of the United States; it directly influences the number of available airline seats and likely the price offers,” said Allan Flores, Tourism Minister.

New York is the third most important market in the United States for Costa Rica. According to surveys taken by ICT in the Juan Santamaría Airport of non-residents, around 8% of tourists from the States live in New York, exceeded only by Florida and California.
“American Airlines’ contribution of 60,000 new seats is great news for the tourism sector, particularly during this recovery, and an important boost for the national economy, which is generated in large part by tourism,” stated Minister Flores.

Industry studies estimate that the best tourist prospects for the country reside in the United States, some 15 million people. Of them, 6% or 900,000 people live in New York, are highly educated with high incomes, and are experienced travelers.

The minister reiterated this morning that “thanks to efforts such as these, between private business and the government of the Republic, the work and joint efforts have helped us more adequately face difficult moments in the tourism as well as the financial sector.”

AA will fly five days a week between the two cities. the Juan Santamaria and John F. Kennedy airports, except Mondays and Saturdays, departing at 8:30 a.m. and arriving in New York at 3:30 p.m. Flights from New York depart Saturdays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 3:35 p.m. and land in Costa Rica at 7:15 p.m.

New York City has three main airports: La Guardia (LGA), Newark (EWR), and John F. Kennedy (JFK). American Airlines will be the second company to provide direct service between JFK and Juan Santamaría (SJO). Continental provides two daily flights on the SJO-EWR-SJO route and TACA has one daily on the SJO-JFK-SJO route.

The Mapache Rent-a-car company stands out in the rental car service sector for its part in the “Volunteer Agreements Promotion for Cleaner Production” project (AVP+L in Spanish). This project seeks to create a closer bond between the public and private sector in promoting sustainable development and improving the environment by solving internal production problems generated that lead to pollution.

The signing of the agreement has international reach since it has the support of other entities such as: The United States Agency for International Development, the Central American Commission on Environment and Development (CCAD), and the CAFTA DR agreement, as well as governmental agencies like the Environment and Telecommunications Ministry, and the Agriculture Ministry, among others.

Finally, the very same company received acknowledgement in two categories of the Blue Flag Ecological program this past March 26th. They also received 100% with 3 stars in the category. ICT thanks and applauds the company’s efforts in sustainable practices that help preserve the planet.

• ICT in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C.

The rise in public attendance to the last three tourism fairs in the United States is a positive sign of improved consumer confidence in the most important market for Costa Rica, North America.

The Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) and the business sector participated in international fairs in Los Angeles (February 13-14), New York (February 26-28), and Washington D.C. (March 6-7), in order to promote Costa Rica as a tourist destination for thousands of consumers, travel agencies, and media outlets.

Unicomm, the event’s organizer, estimates that 20,000 visitors and more than 100 journalists came to check out The Los Angeles Adventure & Travel Show 2010, The New York Times Travel Show, and The Washington DC Adventure & Travel Expo.

The winter tourism fairs are extremely important since they offer the public an opportunity to decide on destination spots for their summer vacations.

Costa Rica in the media

The public relations agency Burson-Marsteller, hired by ICT to campaign in the North American market and manage relations with the media and other distribution chains, contacted journalists from 30 different media outlets that showed interest in traveling to the country and writing articles about it.

In addition, two websites and a prominent daily publication conducted interviews about Costa Rica during the Los Angeles Adventure and Travel Show 2010. TravelMole.com and Travelpluswine.com, see an average hit rate of 19,000 and 60,000 unique visits a month, respectively, and the Los Angeles Times has a circulation of about 657,000 issues per day. The interview from Travelpluswine.com by Sarah Garrido, an executive from Burson-Marsteller, can be seen at the link: http://travelpluswine.com/index.php?s=costa+rica
Furthermore, at this fair, the Burson-Marstellar agency contacted journalists from 30 different media outlets that showed an interest in traveling to Costa Rica and writing articles about the country.

The media coverage was also successful on the east coast for the New York Times Travel Show. The presence of the tourism minister, Allan Flores, and the vice-president of the Board of Directors of ICT, Harry Zurcher, generated huge interest among the media outlets and during interviews with the Condé Nast Traveler magazine, which has a circulation of about 820,660 subscribers, the New York Resident magazine, which has a circulation of up to 250,000 readers with attractive purchasing power, and with the Endless Vacation magazine, which has a circulation of 1,834,277 subscribers, as well as with the renowned independent writer, Mark Chestnut.

At the international fair Washington D.C. Adventure & Travel, held on March 6th and7th, Costa Rica was a huge attraction for its simulated canopy zip line adventure by Mauricio Aymerich from Proimagen. It even managed to get some exposure on a local FOX affiliate news channel. The project generated great interest in Costa Rica and attracted many visitors to the ICT stand.

Just like the others, the Boston Globe Travel Show and Adventure Expo Chicago, saw a large number of visitors and great interest in destination spots, mainly among baby boomers, families, and honeymooners.

In response to a survey done by CMI Green regarding which destination spot has done the most with respect to the environment, Costa Rica came in first place. Questions were based on the green experience of visitors to the country and relied on their own methods of assessing the environmental practices publicized worldwide.

“This acknowledgement of our country is extremely important because it shows that we are working in accordance with environmental practices, which is the foundation of our campaign abroad, and helps other people recognize us as a green and environmentally friendly destination spot” said Allan Flores, the tourism minister.

The surveys revealed our country as the only destination spot with market awareness at 6.8%. This comes as no surprise since 26% of our country is made up of national parks and reserves; likewise, the country stands out for preserving its national heritage over the last 50 years with the government’s investment of 1.92 million dollars in the tourism industry.

Among the most noteworthy policies, according to those who filled out the survey, is that Costa Rica offers visitors the opportunity to participate in the carbon reduction program during their travels in order to assume some responsibility for the tourism industry’s CO2 emission. This program was developed by the National Eco-tourism Chamber (CANAECO) with the goal of making Costa Rica carbon-neutral by 2021.

For more complete information: http://www.greenlodgingnews.com/downloads/cmigreentraveler2010v1.pdf

In 2010, Costa Rica will stage one of the races of the Adventure Race World Series, a world circuit adventure sport event.

From August 20th to the 28th, the country will be at the center of one of the most important extreme sport events.

Since 2001, there have been events in Australia, Sweden, Brazil, Switzerland, and France, among others.

The race on Tico soil will be one of the nine championship dates, which will result in the grand finale playoffs (Adventure Race World Championships) that will take place in November in Castilla, Spain.

Each one of these classifying events will consist of a 310 mile journey in which the relay (made up of three members from the same sport and a fourth person from another) will cover mountain biking, trekking (mountain climbing), rappel (cords), rafting, and kayaking.

The entire trip must be uninterrupted. From the starting line to the finish line, each team can decide if they want to rest or not. If they decide to do so, it will have to be done in the open air.

Likewise, no type of satellite navigation will be permitted. Only a map, compass, and survival instinct will be allowed.

For more information, send an email to info@arcostarica.com

The political stability and excellent reputation of Costa Rica have made the country a key country for US investment.

“It is a multi-dimensional, beautiful, and people-friendly country that is easy to visit and safe to invest in,” said Laura D’Andrea Tyson, a member of Barak Obama´s economic advisory cabinet.

“My perception of Costa Rica is that of a socially stable, democratic, and well-positioned country to attract foreign investment, which has been an important mechanism for economic growth.”

ICT created a sustainability exposition explaining the benefits for tourists and wholesale businesses when negotiating with CST establishments

The Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) will participate in the FITUR fair in Madrid, Spain, from the 20th to the 24th of January, along with 34 businesses from the private sector: 16 tour operators, 12 hotels, 4 rental car agencies, and an airline.

To add something new this year, FITUR has become involved in sustainable development with the tourism sector by creating FITUR GREEN, in coordination with the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the Madrid Tourism Board. This forum, comprised of an exposition area and conference, seeks to familiarize the sector’s professionals with tools that favor energy efficiency in tourism and lodging, as well as possible advantages.

“Costa Rica is well-known in the international realm for its commitment to sustainability; it will therefore have a special place in this first green forum of the FITUR fair,” said Allan Flores, Tourism Minister.

Our country will participate in this event with an area of 820 sq. feet, where the country’s attractions will be on display with an exhilarating rain forest experience. The Costa Rica area will also include a sustainability exposition, designed by the ICT International Fair department, where the benefits to tourists, businesses, and related ideas will be presented. This area will also include on display a list of businesses that hold the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST).

Along with business appointments scheduled by ICT for this event, companies such as Iberia Airlines and wholesalers such as Mundicolor, el Corte Inglés, and Viva Tours, among others, will be in attendance, commented Marketing Director María Amalia Revelo.

ICT marketing executives have set up interviews with media outlets such as Televisión Española TVE, Europa Press and Spanish radio stations.

FITUR is the largest professional tourism fair in Spain. This year, 12,312 exhibitors from 170 countries along with some 136,177 tourism professionals, are expected in attendance.

On Tuesday, January 6, 2010, Costa Rica’s National Emergency Commission (CNE) declared a “yellow” alert due to ash fall at the Turrialba Volcano. The “yellow” alert is preventative and advises people nearby to be vigilant and stay tuned to further instructions from authorities.

The Turrialba Volcano, located east of the Central Valley in the province of Cartago, has erupted ash from its peak, slightly affecting some small nearby communities.

As a preventive measure, authorities have evacuated 21 people from a community near the slopes of the Turrialba Volcano. The Turrialba Volcano National Park will be closed to visitors until further notice. Tourism in the rest of the country, including in the town of Turrialba, as well as all air and ground transportation, continue normal business operations.

Inquiries should be directed to 1-888-600-6806 within the United States and Canada. Within Costa Rica, dial 800-868-7676 or 800-887-4766.

In order to celebrate the ten years of the Chunches de Mar ART-CAMP Festival (Ocean Stuff ART-CAMP Festival), where the Nefertiti Ingalls photography exhibit will be on display in Montezuma, Puntarenas, there will be a celebration on January 30th, at 11:00 a.m.

The public will be able to enjoy the art, dance, and live music exhibition. There will also be food and drinks available. The event will take place along Playa Grande, Montezuma, and the Romelia Mixed Wildlife Refuge, located 1.8 miles from the Montezuma School.

In turn, on Saturday, January 23, 2010, there will be a live concert by Cuban percussionist, Luis Conte, and his group, Native Vibe.

In addition, on the weekends of the 9-10, 16-17, and 23-24 of January, workshops will be offered for children and teenagers during the Chunches de Mar ART-CAMP Festival.

Likewise, in order to raise awareness about the importance of conserving and promoting nature through art, a group of international and national artists will be at the Romelia Mixed Wildlife Refuge to create works of art that will be on display in February 2010 at the National Children´s Museum Gallery.

Some of the invited artists will include Joaquín Rodríguez del Paso, Luis Chacón, Eve Ingalls, Fabio Herrera, Tilman Rothermel, Natalia Morales, Roberto Lizano, Joanna Platt, Susan Hockaday, Margreet Wielemaker-Postma, Nefertiti Ingalls, Christine Rieck-Sonntag, Cecil Gaspar, Julia Soto, Anna Harmsen Corcuera, Marco Lora Read and Tony Capellán.

For more information on how to participate or contribute to this event, contact Luis Soto by telephone at (506) 88-47-91-08. Web page: www.chunchesdemar.com or by email: talleres@chunchesdemar.com and sotoluisa@gmail.com