Promising Costa Rica Tourism Figures

Costa Rica is one of the world’s most popular destinations for a beach and sun vacation and encouraging tourism figures released for the first three months of 2010 show that vacationers are beginning to have faith in a strengthening worldwide economy. Official reports released from the two principal tourism organizations in Costa Rica demonstrate that a recovering United States economy is good news for the tourism industry of this beautiful country. Furthermore, world tourism experts have also noticed a remarkable change in the way in which vacationers are choosing to spend their hard earned cash and have a keener eye for value for money.

The Costa Rican National Tourism Institute, (Instituto Costariccense de Turismo, I.C.T) reported the arrival of 636,434 tourists in the first quarter of 2010, with the month of March being the busiest. This is a welcome increase of approximately 11% in comparison to the same period during 2009. Interestingly, 45,766 more visitors arrived from the United States in the first quarter of 2010 compared to 2009. The total number of visitors from the United States reached an impressive 319,043 which is an increase of approximately 16.8 %. Officials from the institute agreed that the figures are a good indication that tourism in Costa Rica is making a progressive comeback and reflects that world economies are recovering at a faster rate than initially expected.

A press release from The Costa Rica National Tourism Board, (Cámara Nacional de Turismo, CANATUR) stated that July is going to be the second busiest month for tourist arrivals from the United States and initial estimations cite the arrival of an additional 1,900 North American tourists in comparison to 2009, with an overall total of 81,244 tourists for the month of July. “The North American market is fundamental for national tourism, as this economy recovers, it will reactivate demand in the tourism sector,” explained Juan Carlos Ramos, President of CANATUR.

The International Monetary Fund chief economist, Olivier Blanchard, says the world economy is at an important stage of its efforts to rebound from the global financial crisis. "The world economy is recovering, and recovering better than we had previously thought likely. In the U.S., consumers, who were the drivers of the economy before the crisis, are being more prudent."

Tourism industry experts have noticed a shift in the way in which tourists are spending their money. Eager to get better value for their buck more and more vacationers are opting for beach vacation rentals. This observation is reflected by a recent survey carried out by Trip Advisor, the leading online travel guide. In a survey of over 1,000 American participants, results illustrated how sixty eight percent of travelers are either planning or considering staying in a beach vacation rental in 2010. These figures show a marked increase of 52 percent compared to past renters who said they opted for a vacation rental in 2009. Interestingly, almost ninety percent of surveyed travelers said that a vacation rental would be their primary choice over a hotel if it offered better value.

In response to the recently released statistics, Costa Rica vacation rental operators agree that there has been a definite increase in bookings compared to 2009. “We have experienced a 10% increase in bookings in the 1st half of the year, and confidently anticipate even more travelers looking for vacation rentals in the 2nd half,” affirmed a spokesperson for Villas Costa Rica, a leading vacation rental management company located in Costa Rica.

Villas Costa Rica, offers exclusive rentals in Manuel Antonio and has been operating in Costa Rica for over ten years. They attribute their success to the incorporation of a wide range of concierge services and a vast portfolio of vacation rentals in the world rated award winning beach and sun destination of Manuel Antonio. Experienced chefs, chauffeur services and tour programming are just some of the benefits of a Villas Costa Rica beach rental property.

It is evident that the Costa Rica tourism industry is making a positive recovery in comparison to 2009 and this unique country is a top rated beach and sun vacation destination, with its natural beauty hard to be surpassed anywhere else in the world. Although travelers have become more careful with their vacation budgets Costa Rica will always offer a fantastic life experience tailored to individual needs and financial availability.

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