Worldwide tourism will grow 4 percent this year to

Costa Rica continues to be a country very visited by tourists from around the world

For the first time globally, international tourist arrivals reached 1 billion (1,035 million) during the year 2012, according to an initial advance of the World Tourism Barometer, exhibited by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) in the framework of the international tourism fair (Fitur).

The World Tourism Organization expects for the 2013 world tourism growth between 3% and 4%, figures that match the predictions made by the Organization to obtain an average of annual growth of 3.8% in the decade from 2010 to 2020.

Data indicate that the fastest-growing tourist region was the Pacific and Asia, who won a 7% increase in arrivals of tourists compared to the 2011. Southeast Asia is the sub-region with better results (9% increases) due to regional tourism promotion policies.

The following region with greatest increase in tourism demand is Africa (6%) with a record of 52 millions of

data from the sub-region of Middle East international tourist arrivals were the only ones in the world that remained in red, however, improved by 2%, after having reached a growth of - 7% during 2011.

Meanwhile, Europe remains the most visited region of the world with 535 million arrivals of tourists (51% of the world). The Mainland had a total increase of 3%, where France and Italy recorded a decline in tourism (- 7% to - 2% correspondingly).

America recorded a total of 162 million tourists, an increase of 6 million (4%) compared with 2011. The most visited sub-region is Central America (4%), while South America dropped 9% that maintained the 2011 to a 4%

For Costa Rica, the data are encouraging, since according to the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism depending on the country received to September of 2012 around 1,800,000 tourists, being the number of the last registered quarter arrivals (513.513) higher from the same period in 2011 (485.067).

Posted by Costa Developers

Costa Rica inaugurates the international tourism fair in Spain

Participation of the country in the international fair of tourism promises to attract thousands of European visitors to Costa Rica.

The Costa Rican Institute of tourism participated this past weekend 30 January and up to February 3, the 33 edition of the international fair of tourism (FIT) which was held in Madrid, Spain.

During the event around 9000 companies that came from some 167 countries in the world; about 25 national companies in the tourism sector led by the Costa Rican Institute of tourism were presented natural and cultural attractions that attempted to delight visitors.

The most important charter of Costa Rica has been the subject of sustainable tourism, which forms part of a strategic plan that was carried out by the Secretariat of Central American integration, which has sought to the achievement of international cooperation projects, for quality and sustainability initiatives.

The Minister of tourism, Allan Flores believes that it is important to promote Costa Rica as a model of responsible and sustainable tourism, which will improve their position in markets such as Europe and Asia.

While the majority of tourists visiting the country come from the United States and Canada, the European market is important for Costa Rica, as Spain for example generated revenue of up to $ 49 million in 2011.

In the same year also recorded an income of approximately 47.782 Spanish tourists, which spent on average $117 daily newspapers.

European tourists show a great interest in the subject of eco-tourism, one of the most innovative of performing factors tourism in Costa Rica, not only the country is has earned a reputation for its arduous environmental conservation, but also a valuable in a tourist population space increasingly demanding and aware.

In last year Costa Rica booth at the fair, received more than 20,000 tourists and it is expected that this year the number of potential visitors has increased, although numbers for this edition have not been revealed yet.

Posted by Costa Developers