Increasing Costa Rica Tourism

Costa Rica is a beautiful travel destination that has caught the attention of the world. Recent statistics indicate that tourism has growing rapidly over the recent years and is expect to continue expand. Literally called the "Rich Coast" by the Spanish explorers Costa Rica has access to both the Pacific and Caribbean seas.

Costa Rica Tourism is considered a USD 1.9 billion a year industry. It stands out as the most visited nation in the Central American region and records to date show that 1.9 million visitors enjoy the country's beauty and hospitality. More than half of the tourists come from the United States and a fifth of the total number come from Europe.

Costa Rica now prides itself in having two major international airports (SJO and LIR) and several domestic airports. The first major airport is Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) and it is accessible to major cities of the country which are Alajuela, Heredia and the capital city of San José. The second international airport is Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) and it is located in Liberia, near the Guacanaste province and closest to the Pacific Northwest coast.

Increases in Costa Rica tourism are tied to the Liberia international airport. Plans are underway to expand this facility to continue to accommodate the surge of visitors. New developments in the northern region of Costa Rica is one of the major reasons for the increased visitor traffic. Nowadays, luxury hotels, enchanting villas and mesmerizing rentals are constantly on the rise in this part of the country.

Costa Rica is the pioneer in strategic ecotourism. Thus, there are many exciting destinations in the country where nature can best be appreciated. Tourists can visit any one of the country's national parks: Chirripo National Park, Manuel Antonio National Park, Cahuita National Park, Corcovado National Park and Tapanti National Park. Other environmental tourist spots are the Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves and the Pacuare River and Protected Zone.

Going on a holiday in Costa Rica is far from boring. Due to the fact that prostitution is legal in the country, sex tourism has become one of the country's tourist attractions. The industry is slowly gaining popularity, making it one of the national destinations of 'sex tourists' and the commerce already accounts for approximately 1/10 or 10% of the billion dollar industry. However there are many people who have decided to avoid Costa Rica as a result of the sex tourism industry.

According to the first Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index published by the World Economic Forum, Costa Rica tourism astonishingly ranks 41st place, making themselves the first among other Latin American countries. It is definitely a feat, since if the forum only takes into consideration major factors such as human, cultural and natural resources, Costa Rica places 20th at a worldwide level.

Costa Rica tourism will continue to grow as the world discovers the beauty of this tropical paradise. This will provide an increase economic growth and the growth of the infrastructure that is associated with the tourism industry. The future is bright for Costa Rica and its tourism industry.

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