2012-10-27 18:31:15 - Fast Market Research recommends "Costa Rica Tourism Report Q4 2012" from Business Monitor International, now available

The Costa Rica tourism report examines the significant long-term potential currently being offered by the local tourism industry, but flags concerns about the proliferation of drug-trafficking throughout Central America which poses a challenge to Costa Rican authorities and could potentially deter tourism to the region. That said, the report also analyses the growth strategies being employed by the country to continue to attract arrivals, including airport and port expansions, as well as continued efforts to remain an eco-tourism destination.

Costa Rica receives the majority of its tourist arrivals from the Americas, with the top three source markets for visitors to the country being the US, Nicaragua and Canada. Tourism arrivals, after increasing from 1.73mn in 2006 to 2.09mn in 2008, dipped

to 1.92mn in 2009. The numbers picked up in 2010, but then dipped again in 2011 to an estimated 1.93mn due to the global financial crisis. Tourism arrivals are forecast to reach 2.02mn in 2012 before growing at an average rate of 7% until the end of our forecast period to 2016.


Full Report Details at
- www.fastmr.com/prod/479411_costa_rica_tourism_report_q4_2012.asp ..


Health tourism brings visitors to the country and it is an area where Costa Rica can continue to develop its infrastructure to tap further into a growing market. Already known as a destination for medical tourists, Costa Rica is competing with newer destinations such as Puerto Rico for the millions of Americans, and people from other countries, who travel abroad for medical care. In 2011, medical tourism generated an estimated US$100mn in revenue, according to the Council for International Promotion of Costa Rica Medicine (PROMED).

In the same vein as health tourism, Costa Rica is making retirement communities a priority to keep visitor numbers up. The country is targeting North American pensioners and is doing away with the red tape of residence permits, especially for those in good health. Tax exemptions on real estate and vehicles are also being offered.

Another tourism draw for Costa Rica is spa and wellbeing vacations. The country has been recognised by TripAdvisor users as one of the best places in Central and South America to enjoy spa getaways. Some areas that wellbeing tourists are visiting are the hot springs near the Arenal Volcano, the beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula (mainly for its yoga retreats) and the back-to-nature settings of the Central Valley region.

The planned regeneration of the province of Limon, on the less frequently visited Caribbean coast, has the potential to put upward pressure on inbound tourism numbers. Puerto Limon was once the town of the United Fruit Company (the predecessor of Chiquita Brands International) and the province has two national parks. The parks have the potential to be a large tourism. In our view, developing tourism infrastructure in the region is likely to unlock great potential.

Over the last quarter BMI has revised the following forecasts/views:

?? We have adjusted our arrivals data based on new data from Visit Costa Rica. The major change was a decrease in arrivals in 2011 to an estimated 1.92mn due to global economic turmoil. ?? The data regarding Costa Ricans directly employed by the tourism sector has been adjusted based on new information from the International Labour Organisation. In 2012, the number more than doubled from a previous 51,000mn to 109,700mn.

Report Table of Contents:

SWOT Analysis
- Costa Rica Tourism Industry SWOT
Industry Forecast Scenario
- Arrivals
- Table: Arrivals, 2009-2016
- Expenditure
- Table: Tourism Expenditure And Economic Impact, 2009-2016
- Inbound Tourism
- Table: Inbound Tourism, 2009-2016
- Outbound Tourism
- Table: Outbound Tourism, 2009-2016
Market Overview - Travel
- Commercial Airlines
- Global Oil Products Price Outlook
- Table: BMI Oil Price Forecasts, 2011-2016
Market Overview - Hospitality
- Accommodation Developments
- Gaming
Global Assumptions
- Table: Global Assumptions, 2010-2016
- Table: Global And Regional Real GDP Growth, 2010-2013 (% chg y-o-y)
- Table: Developed Market Exchange Rates, 2010-2013
- Table: Emerging Market Exchange Rates, 2010-2013
- Developed States
- Table: Developed States Real GDP Growth Forecasts, 2010-2013 (% chg y-o-y)
- Emerging Markets
- Table: Emerging Markets Real GDP Growth, 2010-2013 (% chg y-o-y)
Company Profiles
- Barcelo
- Nature Air
- TACA
Demographic Outlook
- Table: Population By Age Group, 1990-2020 ('000)
- Table: Population By Age Group, 1990-2020 (% of total)
- Table: Key Population Ratios, 1990-2020
- Table: Rural And Urban Population, 1990-2020
BMI Methodology
- How We Generate Our Industry Forecasts
- Tourism Industry
- Sources

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