Tourism is one of the most important economic activities in Costa Rica, a country that before the pandemic welcomed around three million people each year. COVID-19 slowed down the economy, which is why various alternatives are being sought to reactivate the flow of visitors arriving in the territory.
Laura Barrantes Requeno, president of the Costa Rican Association of Wellness Tourism, explains the main benefits of wellness tourism, a strategy that could position the region as an ecological and diverse nation.
What is the potential that Costa Rica has in wellness tourism?
The development of the wellness segment in Costa Rica is experiencing significant growth at the national level, evidenced by the increase in the supply of services and products in this regard. The entrepreneurs have been committing to improving this offer, however, there are still many more growth opportunities, which makes it so important to continue driving this growth professionally.
What are the main opportunities for wellness tourism in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica, in addition to being considered the #1 ecotourism destination in recent years, has more than 50% of its territory under some category of forest cover, has been part of the Happy Planet Index for several years, and boasts high-quality infrastructure and tourist services. All of this allows it to present itself to the world as the Destination of well-being in nature.
In addition to the above, its geographical location in the tropics, with access to two oceans, lush nature that allows for activities such as forest therapy, yoga, and outdoor meditation, and the consumption of natural products. Another advantage is that the country, having a small land area, allows visitors to travel through many areas in a single trip.
The alliances between other organizations such as the National Chamber of Tourism, as the umbrella organization of the sector, the National Chamber of Ecotourism, Arenal Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, have been strategic partners and key pieces for a national strategy.
A very important opportunity that Costa Rica has and has taken advantage of to position itself internationally is participation in Global Wellness Day, a movement that includes 170 countries. Costa Rica has been a member of this movement since 2015, and many actions are being taken to promote healthy lifestyles, one of the main needs. This opportunity is to present itself to the world as the ideal destination for improving physical and mental health by reconnecting with nature in safe environments.
What does Costa Rica need to improve to attract more wellness tourists?
There is a public-private partnership between the Costa Rican Tourism Institute and the Costa Rican Association of Wellness Tourism, which has allowed for many joint actions, such as raising awareness in the business sector, training sessions, and joint promotional campaigns, where the important quality offerings of the country are evident. However, there are also other private alliances that have supported this joint development to continue creating training and updating spaces, actions that must be maintained over time. This, in addition to generating growth opportunities, also fosters the creation of new ventures that will offer more wellness products and services in a professional manner.
The tourism industry needs to better organize itself in order to achieve a greater reach by generating a higher positive impact through a broader professional offering.
What are the most important innovations in wellness tourism?
Tourist linkages are one of the best strategies a sector can develop, as they allow for a greater and better range of services. Since wellness tourism is such a dynamic segment, it allows activities to permeate into other sectors that are not directly related to tourism, which makes the economic benefits greater.
It helps raise awareness among the local and national population, motivating them to adopt better habits that will improve their health and, consequently, their quality of life in contact with nature.
Costa Rica has two important differentiators on a global level. One is the great variety of activities that can be done in nature, especially forest therapy, and the other is that we are one of the 5 Blue Zones in the world, and in terms of size, Costa Rica’s is the largest. This zone is characterized by having long-lived people (over 90 years old) with very good health due to their lifestyle habits.
What are the characteristics of wellness tourism in Costa Rica?
People seek to improve their health or maintain their healthy lifestyle while traveling; for this reason, wellness trips focus mainly on activities that allow individuals to enhance their health through tourism services.
Diversity is what enriches the offerings, from outdoor activities to improve physical and mental health, such as forest therapy, meditation, aquatic therapies, activities to improve breathing, and thermalism. Even options for accommodations adapted for resting at night in environments surrounded by nature, high-quality food options, but consciously designed following nutritional recommendations. Specialized travel agencies that promote the integration of the dimensions of well-being. And recently, the incorporation of car rental companies that are offering services within their units such as music selections to relax the mind, scents tailored to travelers’ interests, commitments to the environment to minimize the carbon footprint, among others.
The premise for Costa Rica is that these services are carried out in harmony with nature. Therefore, the country strategy is to work in an organized and professional manner with all stakeholders to create more products and services with this emphasis and to be able to promote them nationally and internationally.
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