Costa Rica has had another successful year at WTM. Our rainforest stand was by far the most ‘standout’ stand at Excel and was packed with product managers, journalists, influencers and consumers all enjoying Costa Rican coffee, candy floss and watching our local artist hand paint cultural designs on to umbrellas and hats.
It wasn’t all play there was also a lot of hard 
work, with a packed schedule across all three days we met with great product managers and journalists to discuss new product ideas and themes for tourism in Costa Rica. The key topic in all meetings was about focusing more on wellness with a Tico twist which we like to call ‘Wellness Pura Vida’.
According the World Health Organization ‘burnout’ is the state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. To combat this UK travellers are increasingly combining travel with wellness. Costa Rica has responded to this new trend with the launch of ‘Wellness Pura Vida’ for 2018. You will hear the phrase Pura Vida echoed all around Costa Rica and translates to Pure Life. To Costa Ricans or also known as Ticos Pura Vida is a way of life, to have a positive mind, energy and attitude. You can only experience the true meaning of Pura Vida when in Costa Rica.
The tourist board is working with hoteliers and stakeholders to make Costa Rica the leading wellbeing destination, offering unique experiences, which improves the quality of life of those who visit. Combining the ecotourism Costa Rica proudly promotes with the Pura Vida concept. Visitors can go on a digital detox by staying at a luxury eco lodges where they will wake up for energising yoga sessions in the rainforest, a midday jungle trek and an evening of rejuvenation with dip in volcanic hot springs. Living the Pura Vida way means living a clean life in moderation, from natural juices made from the world’s finest fruits and food based mainly on grains including rice and beans (called “gallo pinto” when mixed). The proof is in the gallo pinto – the Nicoya Peninsula has one of the highest percentages of centenarians in the world, and the region has been declared as an official ‘blue zone’ (one of five geographic areas in the world where people live statistically longest).
Finally 2017 has been a strong year for Costa Rica visitor numbers from the UK during the first nine months of 2017 are up 7.8% compared to the same period in 2016. From January to September 2017, a total of 57,906 Britons travelled to Costa Rica, compared to the 53,700 from the same period last year. The UK remains as Costa Rica’s largest source market in Europe.
If you would like to discuss any coop opportunities or training at your store for you and your agents contact Zeeshan Rashid on zeeshan.rashid@fourcommunications.com
