Representatives from the Tourism Institute (ICT) are taking part in IMEX America, one of the world’s leading trade shows for meetings, incentives, conferences, events, and business travel, being held this week in Las Vegas.

Tourism officials said the event attracts more than 3,500 exhibitors from 150 countries and is considered the largest trade show for the global meetings, events, and incentive travel industry.

The show gathers suppliers and buyers from every sector of the meetings industry for more than 250 educational sessions, allowing participants to conduct a year’s worth of business under one roof.

Costa Rica’s delegation includes the Costa Rican Convention Bureau and representatives from more than 25 tourism companies. Their shared goal is to promote Costa Rica as a prime destination for international meetings and events, 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 experiences, high-quality infrastructure, a reliable healthcare system, a well-educated population, and a variety of activities for visitors.

  

The country is also a member of the U.S.-based Professional Convention Management Association, part of its broader strategy to strengthen its presence in the global MICE tourism market, where events are often planned years in advance.

ICT said the conference segment accounts for 22% of global tourism and that MICE travelers tend to have higher incomes, spending three to four times more than typical leisure tourists.

Costa Rica’s participation in IMEX America follows its recent appearance at IMEX Frankfurt and is part of an ongoing effort to boost tourism revenue. Recently, the country launched a marketing campaign aimed at strengthening its presence in Canada’s two largest markets, Toronto and Montreal.

In related events, several airlines have announced new routes to Costa Rica. This week, Viva Aerobus, a Mexican low-cost carrier based in Monterrey, unveiled four new nonstop flights between Mexico and Costa Rica.

Tourism remains one of Costa Rica’s strongest industries. From January through August, over 2 million travelers arrived in the country by air.

In 2024, the country welcomed over 2.6 million international air arrivals, a 7% increase from the previous year.

The sector also generated more than $5.4 billion in foreign exchange earnings in 2024.

ICT is the government agency responsible for promoting tourism and investing in infrastructure improvements.

---------------
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