Record
2.100.000 Tourists
Expected This Year
The Cámara Nacional de
Turismo (Canatur) -
national chamber of
tourism - expects a 14%
growth in tourism this
year over the same
period last year. The
prediction comes from a
sustained growth of the
number of visitors to
Costa Rica during the
first five months of the
year.
In real numbers, Canatur
is predicting a record
total of 2.1 million
tourists, 200.000 more
than in 2007.
Gonzalo Vargas,
president of Canatur,
considers the country to
offer foreign visitors a
variety of tourist
attractions, a lot of
fun, natural wonders, a
diversity in types of
hotel accommodations,
all reinforcing the
country's image to
travellers worldwide.
Vargas said that the
majority of the visitors
are loosing for sun and
beaches, followed by
nature, adventure and
ecotourism.
The Canatur head did not
discard that there has
also been a growth in
medical tourism, a niche
market that Costa Rica
is carving out, as
foreigners see Costa
Rica's medical system
inexpensive compared to
home, while offering
quality care.
"Those who come for
surgery in the country,
more than likely will
spend a few extra days
to tour the country",
said Vargas.
Since 1995 the
Organización Mundial del
Comercio (OMC) - World
Trade Organization -
includes Costa Rica it
the top 20 countries
with better health
systems and third in
life expectancy.
Canatur figures show
that 95% of the medical
tourism comes from the
United States, saving
between 50% and 70% of
the cost of treatment at
home.
Vargas added that oral
treatments and
orthodontics are the
leader in medical
tourism, followed by
surgery and aesthetic
services.
According tot he
Ministro de Turismo
(Tourism Minister),
Carlos Ricardo
Benavides, the numbers
offered by Canatur are
reasonable, adding that
during the first five
months of the year the
country say an increase
of 133.332 more tourists
over the same period
last year.
The increase is 15.6%
according to the Tourism
minister, slightly
higher than the Canatur
figure. The Instituto
Costarricense de Turismo
(ICT) - national tourism
board - predicts a 5%
overall growth of
tourism for the year.
Benavides added that the
15.6% growth is unusual
and the overall growth
higher than the 3%
estimated by the World
Tourism Organization
(WTO).
The Tourism minister
says that the number of
flights to Costa Rica in
2008 over 2007 is one of
the reasons for the
growth, as well as the
type of visitor, who for
the most part are from
the United States and
are in a class not
affected by the economic
crisis in that country.
Mario Zamora, director
de Migración y
Extranjería, added that
Costa Rican has a good
environmental reputation
that attracts tourists.
The immigration director
said that following
visitors from the United
States are visitors from
Europe, mainly from
Holland, Germany and
Spain. |
