Other opportunities - Tourist Infrastructure

Tourist Infrastructure

The Opportunity

• The local tourism market is growing at a 7.1% annual growth rate.
• Rooms have been expanding at an annual rate of 4.5%.
• More than 1.73 million tourists visit Costa Rica per year.
• 48% of all tourists come from the USA, 16% from Europe and 36% from other countries.
• Great tourist real estate development, including golf courses and marinas

Industry Overview

Costa Rica started developing its tourist activity since 1930, a fact that has significantly marked its direction for several decades. Furthermore, the fact that it possesses an outstanding 6% of world's total biodiversity, the existence of great areas of tropical forests and volcanoes, as well as an affinity to tourists and the ability to quickly travel from coast to coast, has favored it to be one of the preferred ecological and nature hotspots. This magical combination, along with its large sun beach extensions, are earning for the country over $1.63 billion in foreign exchange reserves annually.

Real estate developments have been seen rising from $500,000 to $900 million in value, including golf courses and marinas, while hotel infrastructure investment for 2006 was over $130 million. Among the biggest hotel chains that have established important tourism operations in Costa Rica are Four Seasons, InterContinental, Marriot, Holiday Inn, Best Western, Barceló and Sol Meliá. Employment levels for the industry as a whole are currently estimated at 86,000 people.

Workforce 

The Costa Rican tourism industry workforce has the following strategic characteristics:

• Highly qualified human resource availability.
• Bilingual administrative personnel.
• A wide range of architectural, engineering and environmental consultants specialized in hotel development.
• Universities and technical colleges annually graduate personnel in the different areas required by hotel companies, and offer specialized training in reservations, accounting, countering, maintenance and culinary skills, among many others skills.

Tourist operation infrastructure

• 97.04% national electricity coverage.
• 99% urban potable water coverage (92% rural).
• 34.3 fixed telephone line per 100 inhabitants.
• 933.63 internet user per 10,000 inhabitants.
• Ports and airports. 

Tourist Incentives 

Testimonials

"They chose Costa Rica because they consider that it is an upcoming destination for luxury travel, family and honeymoon markets. "It is also a safe country, a land perfect for our business. Costa Rica has a great education system and awareness off ecology. It is without a doubt a very diverse experience...
Jeffrey French
Director of Marketing
Four Seasons

"Since we opened, we have been living opportunities to employees and improve the economy, and our company is doing well too, our business is very successful. The market is exciting and new. Four Seasons has found a great potential in Costa Rica, with its people's hospitality, multilingual education and cultural background. The infrastructure will develop and investors should take advantage with a country that's easy to do business with and has an excellent attitude...
Meredith Tyrell
Travel Industry Sales Manager
Four Seasons