Tourism institute hopes to boost weak domestic tourism

(ICR Archive)

October 2^nd, 2015 (ICR News) The Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) launched on Friday this season’s “Vamos a Turistear!” campaign for the fourth consecutive year in hopes of boosting weak domestic tourism.

Domestic tourism, or tourism by Costa Ricans within their own national territory, is still relatively rare, according to data from the 2014 National Household Survey.

According to the 2014 survey, only 12.3 percent of Costa Ricans spent at least one day away from home for tourism-related activities or vacations that year, while most – 35 percent – said they made no such trips outside the home.  Some 29 percent said they took a trip but returned home the same day.

ICT is hoping to change this with this year’s campaign aimed at Tico tourists.

“We worked to renew this campaign so that Costa Ricans feel the same passion as the 2.5 million [foreign] tourists who visit annually and travel thousands of kilometers in order to enjoy lifelong experiences throughout our country.  It is time for Costa Ricans to know and enjoy the best of tourism in their own country,” tourism minister Mauricio Ventura told reporters.

ICT also hopes to raise awareness of the potential of domestic tourism amongst those working in the sector, saying that domestic tourism can provide revenues throughout the year.

As part of its campaign, ICT is promoting special holiday offers from some 50 member companies on the web site www.vamosaturistear.com.