Costa Rican Tourism Looks Ahead To Growth

Costa Rica currently receives the majority of their tourist arrivals from the Americas, with the top three nationalities visiting the country being from the US, Nicaragua and Canada. Tourism arrivals, after increasing from 1.72mn in 2006 to 2.15mn in 2008, dipped to 1.93mn in 2009. Arrival numbers are forecast by BMI to pick up in 2010 and grow at an average rate of 8% until the end of our forecast period in 2014. 
Health tourism also brings visitors to the country and it is an area where Costa Rica can continue to develop its infrastructure to tap further into this growing market. Already known as a destination for medical tourists, Costa Rica is now competing with newer destinations, such as Puerto Rico, for the millions of Americans, and other nationalities, who travel abroad for medical care. 
In the same vein as health tourism, Costa Rica is making retirement communities a priority to keep visitor numbers up. The country is targeting North American pensioners and is doing away with the red tape of residence permits, especially for those in good health. Tax exemptions on real estate and vehicles are also being offered. The campaign is being run by the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism. Meanwhile, the competitiveness ministry has already identified eight locations for retirement communities, focussing on areas with natural beauty, tourist attractions and in proximity to hospitals
Another tourism draw to Costa Rica is spa and well-being vacations. Costa Rica has been recognised by TripAdvisor users as one of the best places in Central and South America to enjoy spa getaways. Some areas that well-being tourists are targeting are the hot springs near the Arenal Volcano, the beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula (home of yoga retreats) and the back to nature setting of the Central Valley region. The planned regeneration of the province of Limon, on the less frequently visited Caribbean coast, has the potential to put upward pressure on inbound tourism numbers. Puerto Limon was once the town of the United Fruit Company and the province has two national parks. The parks have the potential to be a large tourism driver, with a tour by one company, Wildland Adventures, having recently been named one of the '25 Best New Trips for 2010' by National Geographic Adventure magazine. In our view, developing the tourism infrastructure in the region will likely unlock great potential. 
In early 2010, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved grants of US$1.1mn and US$1.5mn to support two parts of the Mesoamerica Pacific Corridor Project. The corridor runs through seven countries from Mexico to Panama. The Optimization of Border Crossings Pacific Corridor grant will be used to improve passage over borders and the Adjustment, Maintenance and Operation of the Pacific Corridor grant will improve road infrastructure over 2015-2030. The project aims to develop a quicker route between Mexico and Panama. BMI believes that as well as fostering trade in the region, the development of infrastructure has the potential to increase tourism as travel will be much more feasible

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International Living On Medical Tourism In Costa Rica

Most Americans Go to Costa Rica For…

International Living Postcards—your daily escape
Monday, May 10, 2010

Dear International Living Reader,

Josef Woodman,  IL's health editor, spent more than five years touring 100 medical facilities in 14 countries, researching contemporary medical tourism.

When Josef wanted to save 20% on his own dentist's quote for treatment…there was only one country he wanted to visit—Costa Rica. Find out why below.

Len Galvin
Managing Editor,  IL Postcards

Most Americans Go to Costa Rica For… International Living Postcards—your daily escape Monday, May 10, 2010 Dear International Living Reader, Josef Woodman,  IL's health editor, spent more than five years touring 100 medical facilities in 14 countries, researching contemporary medical tourism. When Josef wanted to save 20% on his own dentist's quote for treatment…there was only one country he wanted to visit—Costa Rica. Find out why below. Len Galvin Managing Editor,  IL Postcards Save Up To 60%: Fix Your Smile in Costa Rica By Josef Woodman Around midway through my research for the first edition of my book,  Patients Beyond Borders, an old root canal became infected and I needed an extraction and implant. When my specialist in North Carolina quoted $4,100 for the procedures, I knew it was time to “walk the medical tourism talk” and head overseas for care. --Recommended By IL-- Live Well and Invest Profitably in Beautiful Costa Rica For the first time in 3 years, International Living is going back to Costa Rica for this year’s only  Live and Invest in Costa Rica Seminar. Join us, and you’ll see all sides of Costa Rica. From luxury living to a comfortable and enjoyable way of life that you can manage on a Social Security check. From the lush green mountains to the dazzling beaches and everything in between. You’ll find that this conference will bring you up to speed on affordable lifestyles that you didn’t know about before. Live and Invest in Costa Rica Seminar August 11-13, 2010 ~ San Jose, Costa Rica And don't miss the Lake Arenal Tour With Moran Real Estate to be announced ****************************** **************************** I chose Costa Rica, one of the five countries in the world most visited by Americans for medical treatment; in the Western Hemisphere, only Mexico receives more medical tourists. Medical tourists can choose from a wide range of specialties, including orthopedics, heart surgery, bariatrics and obesity management, and cosmetic surgery. But Costa Rica attracts more patients for dentistry than for any other specialty, numbering in the tens of thousands of U.S. patients annually. Most of the work is done in San José and its affluent and highly Americanized suburb of Escazú, where I went for my dental work. Each time I returned to Costa Rica for treatment (I’ve been back four times now), the waiting lobbies were increasingly crowded with American and European visitors who had come primarily to take advantage of the 30% to 60% savings—and, perhaps, to recover in a lush, tropical, pampering environment. I saved around $800, which included costs for my airfare, hotel, transportation and meals. My dentist, a certified implantologist, worked diligently on a number of challenges surrounding my procedure. He and his staff were always courteous, informative and empathetic. All the equipment was state-of-the-art, and I was most appreciative to see that the lab and panoramic X-ray equipment were all on location (true of all the top dental clinics I visited when researching my book)… International Living - The Best In International Real Estate Moran Real Estate Over 50 Years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."