This Family of Seven Was Celebrated as the 2 Millionth Tourist to Costa Rica.

The Biedron family from New Jersey received a grand welcome to Costa Rica this Wednesday, Dec. 17, as they were chosen to represent the arrival of the 2 millionth tourist to Costa Rica. Mark and Gretchen Biedron, who will be traveling in the country with their five children aged 8 thru 20 for two weeks, were met by Minister of Tourism Carlos Benavides and a large group of press and interested onlookers.

This is the first year in the History of Costa Rica that the total number of arriving tourists will surpass 2 million, a number the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) expects will jump to 2.1 million before the close of 2008. ICT also estimated that the tourist industry will have generated $2.2 billion by the end of the year, $280 million more than last year which saw a total of 1.9 million tourists come to the country.

Despite the grand achievement, the ICT originally hoped to see a total increase of up to 15% in tourism numbers this year, whereas the actual number will turn out between 7 and 7.5%.

The Biedrons turned out to be an ideal pick, as they represent the majority of Costa Rican tourists (54%) who Visit Costa Rica from the United States, as well as the 29% of them that arrive with family members. The family choose to Travel to Costa Rica thanks to recommendations from a relative that is living in Nosara, Guanacaste. They plan to visit both the Pacific and Caribbean sides of the country and take surf lessons and swim with the dolphins, among other activities. The Biedrons are also in touch with the eco-friendly spirit of Costa Rica as they run a sustainable private high school in New Jersey.

Further proving the attraction of Costa Rica as a tourist destination, the weekly travel newspaper Travel Weekly just designated Costa Rica as the best tourist destination in Latin America for the fifth consecutive time.

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Filed under: Travel on December 18th, 2008