Interview to Álvaro Conejo, new Executive Director of CATURGUA (Guanacaste´s Chamber of Tourism). Guanacaste is all about adventure, sun, beach and national parks.

We talked to the new director of CATURGUA to learn more about the growth of Guanacaste area.

1- Guanacaste is the most visited destination in Costa Rica. What do you think are the main attributes of the Guanacaste area?
Guanacaste has a great diversity of places to go, one that has more attributes than other areas. It has adventure, sun, beach. It also has volcanoes, national parks, rivers, caves, etc. You can practice lots of sports and ecotourism. You can also find folklore, handicrafts, customs and traditions, as well as a great variety of restaurants.

2 – How do you think the new Daniel Oduber Airport expansion will affect the arrival of tourists? What is the approximate percentage of influx expected for the remainder of 2017?
Well, the building´s growth is not enough, although it’s expansion is fully justified. The opportunity will be to encourage new airlines to come and increase their flight frequencies. The growth expected for this year is more than 4 or 5%.

3- Why do you think so many tourists from the United States of America and Canada choose this destination?
Costa Rica is a reliable destination with political stability, only very few countries in the world have this stability. This country offers a great variety of activities, excellent hotel infrastructure and great service. It has the special warmth of the Costa Rican people that attracts visitors of the north . And we are a strategic geographic location.

4- What are the most popular activities to do in Guanacaste?
Adventure, sun and beach, visiting the national parks and enjoying the nightlife.

5- Describe the profile of the tourist who visits Guanacaste?
Fort he most part, they are a professional with a complete university education and a high income, who comes to enjoy a quality experience.

6- What is the commitment of the tourist entrepreneurs within this area?
Tourism businesses must be totally committed to the sustainability and practice of responsible tourism as has been defined by the national policy towards the development of the country.