Every year 17,2 million Chinese take pleasure trips abroad
China declared Costa Rica as one of the four tourist destinations recommended for its citizens in Latin America, a decision that has caused satisfaction in the Costa Rican government, an official source reported today.
Costa Rican Tourism Minister Carlos Benavides said in a statement today that the Chinese government's decision is "a very important step" for the growth of tourism in the Central American country and the diversity of its visitors.
"We believe that Costa Rica has great tourism potential to offer Chinese citizens, which is why we are very pleased with the decision made by the government of that country," Benavides commented.
The declaration of "recommended destination" was communicated today by the Chinese embassy in San Jose to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica and the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).
With this recognition, Costa Rica has the green light to promote its tourist attractions in China, a privilege that in Latin America is only enjoyed by Chile, Mexico and Peru.
Benavides commented that from now on his country will consider promotional strategies in China, where some 17,2 million people travel abroad for leisure each year, according to data from the World Tourism Organization.
Some of the first actions of the Costa Rican government include holding talks with airlines for several weeks to facilitate travel from China, as well as the signing, in the short term, of a memorandum between both countries to facilitate tourism.
The ICT is also analyzing the possibility of participating in the Shanghai Expo 2010 tourism fair.
China and Costa Rica established diplomatic relations on June 1st and since then contact between the two governments has grown, especially in the commercial and diplomatic spheres.
Costa Rica, with 4,5 million inhabitants, has tourism as one of the main drivers of its economy, as it receives more than 1,6 million visitors each year, generating foreign exchange of about 1.600 billion dollars.
The main tourist attractions of the Central American country are its natural riches, which are protected in national parks and reserves that cover 25 percent of the national territory.
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