ELA 2019: Trade reports Costa Rica growth after political protests ‘set-back’

European tourists are “excited” about travelling to Costa Rica again following the crisis in neighbouring Nicaragua last year.

Speaking at Experience Latin America 2019, luxury hotel groups in the region said the European market was bouncing back after the political protests of 2018, which began last April in light of President Daniel Ortega’s social security reforms and saw hundreds killed and thousands injured.

Constanza Navarro, director of sales and marketing at Nayara Resorts, said: “We’re very encouraged from the numbers that our colleagues share with us because for me in particular and for us in central America we’re seeing an increase [in tourism], particularly in Costa Rica,” she said.

“I know that the crisis in Nicaragua was a set-back for us as a region last year but everything’s going back to normal and Europeans are continuing to travel to Costa Rica – they are very excited about it.”

As such, the hotel group is expanding its product in Costa Rica, with a selection of luxury tented camps being added to the 50-room Nayara Resort and 35-villa sister property Nayara Springs this December.

The new, full-service ‘glamping’ resort will feature 25 tents 800m above the original resort for sweeping views across the rainforest canopy.

Alicia Repetto, sales and marketing manager at Casa Chameleon Hotels which operates four properties in the region, added that she has seen a “year-on-year” increase in tourism from the European market.