Published on Monday, July 8, 2024

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Costa Rica will host the 2025 Americas Social Tourism Summit which will be held at the Convention Center on May 19-21, next year, announced the Institute of Tourism.

According to the authorities, the main goal of this meeting is to share the vision for tourism that the International Social Tourism Organization (ISTO) has been promoting and implementing through its global partners.

This event also sets out to create an additional space for the exchange of ideas, models and strategies through collaboration and innovation to promote and develop social tourism throughout the Americas and in Costa Rica.

Previous summits have been held in Montreal and Quebec in Canada, Mexico City in Mexico and São Paulo in Brazil.

The meeting is divided into three different subjects, each one with a focus on raising awareness and adopting best practices in social tourism.

These practices emphasize solidarity and sustainability and are currently being applied in some American countries.

In addition, a seminar will be held entitled “Tourism and sustainability: rights, access and current challenges for Social Tourism.”

The ISTO Annual General Meeting will also be held, along with a series of expert visits to interested companies that will showcase successful social tourism experiences in Costa Rica.

In Costa Rica, social tourism is seen as a universal right that guarantees access to rest, recreation, leisure and free time with suitable economic conditions, accessibility, security, comfort and quality for populations who are experiencing social and economic vulnerability.

ISTO is a not-for-profit organization created in Brussels in 1963. It is known as the home of socially responsible tourism around the world. It has over 150 partners in 47 countries around the world and it promotes close collaboration between its members and partners.

Tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in Costa Rica. Over 884,000 tourists arrived in the country via air between January and March 2024, representing a 16.8% rise over the same period in 2023, noted the tourism authorities.

In 2023, the country reported a new tourism record with more than 2,4 million travelers.

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What have you heard about social tourism development in your country? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com