Costa Rica: 2.2 Million Foreign Visitors In 2011
Posted by
Adam Sax on Tue, Feb 07, 2012 @ 04:44 PM
Reposted By: Jesse Montgomery, from Inside Costa Rica
The Cámara Nacional de Turismo (CANATUR) and the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) are happy campers with the news on Monday revealing some 2.2 million foreign tourist visits for 2011. The official number of foreign visitors for 2011 was 2.195.960.
The number represents and increase of 93.131 more visitors than in 2010.
CANATUR (the national tourism chamber), as well as the ICT (national institute of tourism), expressed on Monday their satisfaction on the results.
However, both institutions point out the need to continue their efforts to attract more visitors and must compete for tourism attractions in Central America, Brazil, Russia, China and India.
The head of the ICT, Allan Flores, said that their promotion in foreign markets and presence at international tourism fairs have paid off, but will continue their efforts to attract more South American and European visitors.
The CANATUR and the ICT are expecting more visitors this year with the opening of the new Daniel Oduber (Liberia) airport terminal, which will allow more airlines and tour operators to include Costa Rica in their offers to travellers.
The new terminal in Guanacaste is one of the main entry doors to Costa Rica’s north Pacific coast beaches and the La Fortuna and Arenal areas and increasing airline capacity and the handling of more visitors at one time.