Costa rica

Presented By- Arpit Samnani, VIHTM, B18
Guide- Mr. Barun Mohanty (Faculty- Tourism Management)

1. COSTA RICA “ Pura Vida” – Pure Life

2. A Brief Introduction Capital : San Jose Currency : Costa Rican colon Total Area : 51,100 sq.km Surrounding countries : Nicaragua, Panama Language : Spanish Population : 49,34,994 No. of states : 7 (including San Jose)

3. TOURISM IN COSTA RICA Tourism in Costa Rica is one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the country and by 1995 became the largest foreign earner. The tourism boom began in 1987 with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1.03 million 1999, over 2 million in 2008, to a historical record of 2.66 million foreign visitors by 2015. The country also has plenty of beaches, both in pacific ocean, & Caribbean sea, within short travel distances & also several volcanoes that can be visited with safety.

4. According to Costa Rican Tourism Board, 47% of the international tourists visiting the country in 2009 engaged in activities related to the ecotourism which includes trekking, flora, fauna, and bird watching & visits to rural communities. Costa Rica was included by Ethical Traveller magazine in 2011 & 2012 list of Developing World’s 10 Best Ethical Destinations.

5. ECOTOURISM Ecotourism is extremely popular with many tourists visiting the extensive national parks & protected areas around the country. As of 2006, a 54% of international tourists visited national parks or protected areas, visiting at least any two such natural refuges & it goes up to 3 for European Visitors. In recent years, several of its top travel service providers have been internationally recognized for their for their commitment to planet positive tourism.

6. TOURISM CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK Located on the gorgeous Osa Peninsula, the Corcovado National Park has been called as one of the most biodiverse places on earth. Together with Drake Bay, this region has become an ecotourism hot spot for those who want to be one with nature.

7. ARENAL VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK Used to be one of the most active volcanoes in Costa Rica, the beautiful Arenal is indeed a sight to behold. Visit La Fortuna, a tiny town near the base of the volcano and you will not regret the sheer beauty. While here don’t forget to check out the marvelous Hot Springs, a tropical paradise where you can relax both your mind and body.

8. TAMARINDO, PLAYA LNAGOSTA Located along the north Pacific Coast, Tamarindo and its surrounding beaches are some of the most easily accessible beach towns in the region. Boasting crystal clear turquoise water and pristine weather, Tamarindo is one of the most popular tourist destinations for good reason. 

9. MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK What this park lacks in size, it makes up for in the incredible wealth of attractions found here. Stunning tropical beaches, an amazing array of birds and wildlife, rich dense forestation, easy accessibility and a plethora of things to do, all make this park one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.

10. MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST RESERVE Shrouded in clouds, the stunning Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has a unique air of mystery to it. A distinctive mountain rainforest where the humidity is usually 100%, Monteverde is home to more than 3000 species of animals and plants .

11. Beaches & Adventure Most of the main attractions are nature related, a combination of ecotourism with leisure and adventure activities, sun, sea & sand (55%), flora & wildlife watching (44%), visiting volcanoes (43%), trekking (41%) etc.

12. Medical Tourism Costa Rica together with Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Brazil, Colombia, Chile is among the Latin American Countries that have become popular for medical tourism. In 2009, Costa Rica received 30,000 tourists seeking for medical treatment & spent around $250 million. Most of the medical travelers came from US & Canada.

13. CULTURE OF COSTA RICA Costa R ica culture has been heavily influenced by Spanish Culture ever since the Spanish Colonization of America including the territory which today forms Costa Rica. Parts of the country have strong influence, including the Caribbean province of Limon are influenced by Jamaican immigrants & indigenous native people.

14. The OFFICIAL LANGUAGE of Costa Rica is Spanish. English i s the first foreign language & the second most taught language in Costa Rica followed by French, German, Italian & Chinese. RELIGION: A 2007 survey conducted by University of Costa Rica found that 70.5% of the population identifies themselves as Roman Catholics (44.9%practising & 25.6%non-practising). Costa Rica has various religious dominations: Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam etc.

15. Art: Music : M ost of the music & folklore comes from the North of the country including the Mayan Culture & the Afro-Caribbean Culture. Costa Rican Music is marked by a rhythm known as tambito , as well as distinctive musical genre known as punto . Dance : Dance remains an important cultural tradition in Costa Rica. Most Costa Ricans learn several dance forms from young ages. The vast majority of the Costa Rican traditional dances were born in the province GUANACASTE.

16. PEOPLE OF COSTA RICA Ticos, as Costa Rican call themselves affectionately are so named for their linguistic tendency to add the diminutive “tico” to the end of each word. Despite Color or Creed, Costa Ricans universally share a strong cultural identity. In fact, though Costa Rican were once the part of a centralized Central American Government, they are deeply proud of their Tico Heritage.

17. Indeed Costa Rica is a unique nation, built from their recent history of tolerance & prosperity. In 1948, Costa Ricans proved their confidence in the stability of their nation by abolishing their army. Instead of recruiting regiments of infantry, they recruited platoons to forest rangers & teachers. Investing their country has paid off – total literacy rates soar to over 96%, infant mortality rates are the lowest in Latin America after Cuba & 26% of the country’s verdant landscape is protected by the law.

18. Thank you Presentation by : Arpit Samnani (02)