The Tourism Institute, with representatives of eleven tourism companies, participated in the IMEX Convention Tourism Fair that is taking place this week at Messe Convention Center in Frankfurt, Germany.

According to IMEX organizers, the fair had about 11,000 tourism representatives from 100 countries. It is considered the leading trade fair for meetings, incentives, conferences, events and business trips since it facilitates direct contact between specialized companies and international buyers.

The Costa Rica booth was represented by tourism companies such as  Swiss Travel Marriott Hotels, Costa Rica Convention Bureau, Dream Travel Corporation, el Mangroove Autograph Collection Hotel and Costa Rica Convention Center, among many others.

Costa Rica stands out as a destination for conferences due to several advantages such as air connections, a strategic location, unforgettable experiences, a robust health system, an excellent tourist platform, good infrastructure for holding events, a high level of education and the diversity of activities that can be done in the country among others, said the institute in its statement.

The conference industry represents 22% of tourism worldwide. Tourists who come to participate in conventions typically have a higher income and spend 3 to 4 times more than a traditional tourist, the institute said.