Will You Be the Lucky One?

This December will see, for the first time in history, the two millionth foreign visitor to reach the shores (or international airports) of Costa Rica in any single year. Projected growth in tourism activity predicts that Costa Rica will close the year with 2.1 million visitors.

The arrival of the two millionth visitor will be celebrated in style by the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT, Institute of Tourism in Costa Rica). A grand soiree will be arranged to welcome the lucky person with open arms and treat him like a king. He or she will receive complementary stays in hotels and be given personalized tours of the country. In addition, lifetime access to the country will be granted.

The one million barrier was broken in 1999, with a 9.4% tourism industry growth rate for that year. Expectations for this year have fallen with respect to the global economic crisis. ICT are predicting that the year will close with tourist activity growth between 6% and 9%, though estimations of up to 15% had been made earlier on in the year. ICT asserts that this phenomenon is global in nature, with the number of travelers reduced worldwide. Between 2006 and 2007, tourism in Costa Rica grew by 11.7%.

The Organización Mundial de Turismo (World Tourism Organization) recently lowered global growth expectations from 6% to 2%.

The state of Tourism and Travel to Costa Rica is heavily reliant on the economy in the United States, not only because the country deeply impacts the global situation, but because their tourists make up the highest segment of visiting foreign nationals. About 40% of travelers received into Costa Rica in 2007 were from the United States.

The lucky two millionth traveler is predicted to pass through the Juan Santamaría airport in the first week of December. Anybody fancy camping out in arrivals, then?

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Filed under: Costa Rica News on November 20th, 2008