(QCOSTARICA) Betting on the sense of “revenge” that Americans have for having to postpone their travels, should be one of the strategies of Costa Rica when reopening international tourism country, estimates the study by EY consultants, “Why Costa Rica?”
La Republica also reports that in the wake of the pandemic, Americans are more likely to postpone their trips than cancel them, according to a survey by MMGY Global, a tourism company.
For example, many cruise tours have been rescheduled under the label of “rematch trips,” regardless of whether this was a tourism sector quite vulnerable to Covid-19.
As of June 8 of this year, 36.7% of American travelers had their next well-defined pleasure trip, the EY study adds.
These factors make up an accumulated demand for leisure that Costa Rica could exploit positively, considering that the United States is its main source of tourists.
Another factor is that half of American travelers are consulting the health protocols of the places where they plan to stay.
In this regard, Costa Rica has designed more than 14 specific protocols for the sector, thanks to the contribution of the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT).
Another advantage that the report points out is that Costa Rica is attractive for young travelers, being a benchmark in ecotourism and adventure tourism. Younger travelers will be the ones to revive tourism in Covid-19 times, being less vulnerable to the virus.
Likewise, Costa Rica is seen as a safe destination due to the low mortality registered in Covid-19 cases, 16 as of June 30.
Another point, “It helps that the population density accumulates in the center of the country and not in tourist areas,” EY concludes.
Costa Rica will reopen its borders to international tourists on August 1, to travelers from countries with relative control over the expansion of the Covid-19.
Initially, the ICT proposed receiving tourists from the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada, on July 1, while the United States would be added later.
At this point in the pandemic, the United States Department of State allows its citizens to leave their country but does not recommend it.
Welcome to paradise
Americans have a good impression of Costa Rica as a post-Covid-19 destination. These are its advantages:
- Medium domestic demand
- Health and hygiene
- Youth appeal
- Controlled experience tourism and safe isolation
- Good image before North Americans
- Ecotourism and sustainability
- Digitization
- Few cases of Covid-19
- An abundant offer of boutique hotels
