Costa Rica is seeking to expand its share of the U.S. and Canadian meetings and business travel market as tourism officials participate this week in the M&I Flagship Forum in Nashville, the capital and largest city of the U.S. State of Tennessee.

Representatives of the Tourism Institute, known as ICT, are attending the event to connect primarily with tourism industry representatives from Canada and the United States.

Tourism officials describe the forum as one of the world’s leading trade shows for meetings, incentives, conferences, events and business travel, collectively known as MICE tourism.

The event brings together representatives,  suppliers and buyers from across the meetings industry. The trade show features more than 250 educational sessions and allows participants to conduct what organizers describe as a year’s worth of business under one roof.

Costa Rica’s delegation includes the Costa Rican Convention Bureau and representatives from six tourism companies. Their goal is to promote the country as a leading destination for international meetings and events, a sector commonly known as MICE tourism.

According to ICT, Costa Rica offers several advantages for business events, including strong air connectivity, a strategic geographic location, diverse tourism experiences, high-quality infrastructure, a reliable health care system, a well-educated population and a wide range of activities for visitors.

Costa Rica is also a member of the U.S.-based Professional Convention Management Association as part of its broader strategy to strengthen its position in the global MICE tourism market. Events in this sector are often planned years in advance, making the industry a long-term opportunity for tourism destinations.

ICT said the conference segment accounts for 22% of global tourism and that MICE travelers generally have higher incomes than leisure tourists. According to the institute, business-event travelers spend three to four times more than typical leisure tourists.


Costa Rica’s participation in the M&I Flagship Forum is part of the country’s ongoing effort to increase tourism revenue and strengthen its presence in key international markets.

The effort comes shortly after Costa Rica launched a major advertising campaign on San Francisco’s iconic cable cars, seeking to attract more tourists from California and further strengthen the country’s presence in the U.S. market.

Tourism remains one of Costa Rica's most important economic sectors. More than 1.6 million travelers arrived in the country by air during the first half of 2026, underscoring the industry's continued role as a major contributor to the national economy.

In 2025, Costa Rica welcomed more than 2.6 million air travelers.

The tourism industry also reached a significant economic milestone during the first quarter of 2026, generating more than $2 billion in tourism revenue for the first time in the country's history.

The ICT is the government agency responsible for promoting Costa Rica as a tourism destination and supporting the country's tourism industry.

--------
What additional strategies could Costa Rica pursue to attract even more visitors? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com