Travel statistics in Costa Rica

Tourism is considered as one of the most important economic activities of Costa Rica. The main reason behind the success of tourism department in Costa Rica is the beautiful natural surroundings and the deep blue sea which captivates the attention of lots of people throughout the world. Costa Rica can be termed as the “paradise on earth” for the ecstatic scenery it possesses. Today, Costa Rica has established a tourism industry of about two billion dollars and is considered as the most frequently visited tourist destinations of the world. Ecotourism is one of the special features in the tourism industry of Costa Rica. The large number of national parks and reserved forests attract tourists from all over the world. The most rare and endangered animals and plants are conserved in these kinds of forests and this is surely the dreamland of many zoologists. Apart from ecotourism, another form of tourism has gained lot of popularity in Costa Rica which is called sex tourism. Sex tourism accounts for almost 10% of the two billion dollar industry.  

Over the recent years, Costa Rica has experienced huge development in the field of travel and tourism. In the year 1998-2002, Government’s National Plan for Human Development took actions to improve the body that strengthens ecotourism and nature-based tourism in the beautiful country of Costa Rica.  

What is ecotourism?            

Ecotourism can be defined as the excursion through nature which can increase the knowledge about the natural as well as cultural attributes of the concerned place and also stimulate the sense of admiration for nature and natural elements in the heart of the tourists.

The basic aim of ecotourism in Costa Rica is to promote tourism and earn money besides preserving and conserving nature and natural resources in the country.

Travel statistics: -

The Republic of Costa Rica has experienced the most rapid hotel expansion during the period of 1995 to 1999. Most of the travelers of ecotourism come in groups of approximately fifty individuals while the usual number of individuals allotted for ecotourism is about 12. In order to satisfy the demand of the new potential market, the need for establishing new four and five star hotels increases.

As per the recent statistical documents regarding travel and tourism of Costa Rica, the country supports around 1700 hotels featuring around twenty eight thousand rooms in total. Around thirty two percent of the available rooms are found near San Jose which is the capital city of Costa Rica. Recent studies conducted on travel statistics in Costa Rica concluded that within the next ten years, the number of hotel rooms in the country of Costa Rica will increase to about fifty two thousand and scattered throughout the country. Of the 1700 hotels, only about thirty hotels feature more than 50 rooms while the rest of the hotels are constructed by local entrepreneurs who offer three room lodging facilities thus decreasing the total number of rooms in the country. Approximately 300 hotels are star hotels which contribute to the highest number of hotel rooms in the country. As a matter of fact, Costa Rica requires the establishment of much more five star or four star hotels in order to meet up the demands of the tourists.

From the year 1995 to 1998, tourism had become the primary economic activity of the country. However, tourism took a backseat ever since 2000 when the technology industry spread its wings in Costa Rica, such as the Intel Company. However, as per the surveys conducted in the year 1999, tourism represents around seventy two percent of the national monetary reserves and about 8.5% of the country’s GNP. More than 15% of the country’s total population depends directly or indirectly on tourism. The largest number of tourists comes from the United States and Canada accounting to about 45% of the total number of foreign tourists visiting this place.