The political stability and excellent reputation of Costa Rica have made the country a key country for US investment.

“It is a multi-dimensional, beautiful, and people-friendly country that is easy to visit and safe to invest in,” said Laura D’Andrea Tyson, a member of Barak Obama´s economic advisory cabinet.

“My perception of Costa Rica is that of a socially stable, democratic, and well-positioned country to attract foreign investment, which has been an important mechanism for economic growth.”

ICT created a sustainability exposition explaining the benefits for tourists and wholesale businesses when negotiating with CST establishments

The Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) will participate in the FITUR fair in Madrid, Spain, from the 20th to the 24th of January, along with 34 businesses from the private sector: 16 tour operators, 12 hotels, 4 rental car agencies, and an airline.

To add something new this year, FITUR has become involved in sustainable development with the tourism sector by creating FITUR GREEN, in coordination with the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the Madrid Tourism Board. This forum, comprised of an exposition area and conference, seeks to familiarize the sector’s professionals with tools that favor energy efficiency in tourism and lodging, as well as possible advantages.

“Costa Rica is well-known in the international realm for its commitment to sustainability; it will therefore have a special place in this first green forum of the FITUR fair,” said Allan Flores, Tourism Minister.

Our country will participate in this event with an area of 820 sq. feet, where the country’s attractions will be on display with an exhilarating rain forest experience. The Costa Rica area will also include a sustainability exposition, designed by the ICT International Fair department, where the benefits to tourists, businesses, and related ideas will be presented. This area will also include on display a list of businesses that hold the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST).

Along with business appointments scheduled by ICT for this event, companies such as Iberia Airlines and wholesalers such as Mundicolor, el Corte Inglés, and Viva Tours, among others, will be in attendance, commented Marketing Director María Amalia Revelo.

ICT marketing executives have set up interviews with media outlets such as Televisión Española TVE, Europa Press and Spanish radio stations.

FITUR is the largest professional tourism fair in Spain. This year, 12,312 exhibitors from 170 countries along with some 136,177 tourism professionals, are expected in attendance.

On Tuesday, January 6, 2010, Costa Rica’s National Emergency Commission (CNE) declared a “yellow” alert due to ash fall at the Turrialba Volcano. The “yellow” alert is preventative and advises people nearby to be vigilant and stay tuned to further instructions from authorities.

The Turrialba Volcano, located east of the Central Valley in the province of Cartago, has erupted ash from its peak, slightly affecting some small nearby communities.

As a preventive measure, authorities have evacuated 21 people from a community near the slopes of the Turrialba Volcano. The Turrialba Volcano National Park will be closed to visitors until further notice. Tourism in the rest of the country, including in the town of Turrialba, as well as all air and ground transportation, continue normal business operations.

Inquiries should be directed to 1-888-600-6806 within the United States and Canada. Within Costa Rica, dial 800-868-7676 or 800-887-4766.

In order to celebrate the ten years of the Chunches de Mar ART-CAMP Festival (Ocean Stuff ART-CAMP Festival), where the Nefertiti Ingalls photography exhibit will be on display in Montezuma, Puntarenas, there will be a celebration on January 30th, at 11:00 a.m.

The public will be able to enjoy the art, dance, and live music exhibition. There will also be food and drinks available. The event will take place along Playa Grande, Montezuma, and the Romelia Mixed Wildlife Refuge, located 1.8 miles from the Montezuma School.

In turn, on Saturday, January 23, 2010, there will be a live concert by Cuban percussionist, Luis Conte, and his group, Native Vibe.

In addition, on the weekends of the 9-10, 16-17, and 23-24 of January, workshops will be offered for children and teenagers during the Chunches de Mar ART-CAMP Festival.

Likewise, in order to raise awareness about the importance of conserving and promoting nature through art, a group of international and national artists will be at the Romelia Mixed Wildlife Refuge to create works of art that will be on display in February 2010 at the National Children´s Museum Gallery.

Some of the invited artists will include Joaquín Rodríguez del Paso, Luis Chacón, Eve Ingalls, Fabio Herrera, Tilman Rothermel, Natalia Morales, Roberto Lizano, Joanna Platt, Susan Hockaday, Margreet Wielemaker-Postma, Nefertiti Ingalls, Christine Rieck-Sonntag, Cecil Gaspar, Julia Soto, Anna Harmsen Corcuera, Marco Lora Read and Tony Capellán.

For more information on how to participate or contribute to this event, contact Luis Soto by telephone at (506) 88-47-91-08. Web page: www.chunchesdemar.com or by email: talleres@chunchesdemar.com and sotoluisa@gmail.com

Costa Rica is the second most aware country in the world with respect to the climate change crisis, according to a survey by the Globescan Institute for the BBC World service, recently released by the Associated Free Press.

The countries with the highest awareness levels are Brazil (86%), Costa Rica and the Philippines (83%), Turkey (81%) and Kenya (52%).

The study was done between June 19th and October 13th on 24,071 inhabitants from 23 countries, among them being, China, Costa Rica, India, the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Russia.

Even though the world sensitivity levels reached a record (64% against 44% in 1998), two countries dropped down: China (57% in 2009 against 59% in 2007) and the United States (45% in 2009 against 50% in 2007). These two countries are the main perpetrators of C02 in the world.

The US multinational BCD Travel set up its first call center in all of Latin America, in Costa Rica.

The center will be named Centro Multinacional de Servicios (Multinational Service Center) and is expected to begin operations in the second week of January in Ultrapark 2, in Heredia.

BCD Travel is a company with operations in 90 countries and a payroll of 13,000 employees. It has call centers set up in different parts of the world: six in the US, six in Europe, one in the Asian Pacific, and most recently, in our country.

The selection of Costa Rica was based on the country’s traditional aspects like its economic and political stability, and proximity to the United States.

Both executives chose Costa Rica due to its investment draw and the prevalence of qualified personnel.

Five new bird species joined the official list of birds in Costa Rica.

This was confirmed in a publication by the Costa Rica Ornithological Association (AOCR in Spanish) in the latest edition of the prestigious periodical Zeledonia.

According to the report, the bird species are not new to science, but rather to species known throughout the world that make their home in Costa Rica.

The first of these birds is known as Christmas Shearwater, whose scientific name is Puffinus nativitatis.

It is a bird from the Puffinus genus widely found in numerous archipelagos in the Pacific Ocean, like Hawaii. It is estimated that only 5,000 of these birds remain in the wild throughout the world.

The second addition to the Costa Rica list is the Accipiter poliogaster or Grey-bellied Goshawk. This is a bird of prey species, that is to say, they hunt for their food using their beak.

This species lives in tropical and sub-tropical forests and jungles in the lowlands. The majority are found in South America. As indicated by the name, they are characterized by their grey belly.

The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), is a medium-sized bird, chubby, with short legs, and black wingtips. It is the third newest bird species found this year. It is one of the two species that comes from the Rissa genus and its name comes from its atrophied rear claw.

Physically, this species is characterized by its long yellow beak and spotless head and body; its back and upper part of the wings are grey and the tips of the wings are completely grey. Their claws are also a dark-grey or dark-reddish color.

With respect to their behavior, they are ocean birds and only come to the coast to nest.

Up until now, it was thought that this species was only located in the Northern hemisphere, but in March of this year, Nicole Michel, a bird specialist, witnessed one at the mouth of the Tortugeuro river, located in Tortuguero National Park, Limón.

According to Michel, it was the only bird with ¨basic winter plumage¨ sitting on the beach, but it was enough to register it in the country.

Another species, the Veraguan Mango (Anthracothorax veraguensis) was also included in the national list for 2009 by experts at the Costa Rica Ornithological Association.

Features of the bird are that it is very small and light. It has a very showy, metallic plumage with a bill almost as long as its body. The neck of male species is generally bluish.

Until now, scientific evidence showed that it only lived in neighboring Panama. However, specialists Kevin Easley and Steven Easley witnessed several of this species in a garden in Golfito, Puntarenas.

The Veraguan Mango has been on the endangered species list since July, 2006.

Finally, rounding out the list of “new bird species” is another hummingbird species, the Lepidopyga coeruleogularis.

This is also another very small bird with showy and metallic coloration as well as a bill as long as its body.

Just like the situation with the Veraguan Mango, the Easley scientists witnessed these birds on some red Erythrina flowers in Puntarenas.

The scientists encourage you to check out these and other species at www.avesdecostarica.org

The most common variety of Costa Rican blackberry has the power of antioxidants to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels (fat cells that form in the blood) for those that frequently consume this fruit.

According to a study by the Pharmaceutical Research Institute (Inifar in Spanish) and by the National Center for Food Technology and Science (CITA in Spanish), both from the University of Costa Rica, the blackberry variety Rubus adenotrichum, grown in the Los Santos area, has higher levels of antioxidants than fruits known for these components, like blueberries, grapes, plums, star fruit, or grenadine.

“This variety of Costa Rican blackberry is considered a ´super fruit´, meaning it has powers to protect the body against diseases and improve people´s health. It is very important,” said Ana Mercedes Pérez, food technician at CITA.

For 4 years, 33 researchers have been investigating the components of this blackberry and their effects on people’s health.

There were professionals on the project from various fields, Food Technology, microbiology, Pharmacology, Agriculture, Psychology, Biology, Statistics, and Economics.

The list of the 20 best hospitals and clinics in Latin America, according to the publication América Economía, included two Costa Rican hospitals, la Clínica Bíblica and Hospital San Rafael de Alajuela, which made it through as one of the only two public entities found in the list. No other Central American hospital broke the Top 20.

The list is made up primarily of Brazilian and Colombian hospitals, each one with five, followed by Chile with three, Argentina and Costa Rica with two, and Uruguay, Mexico, and Venezuela, each with one.

The tour operator, Gap Adventures, will promote Costa Rican based tourist businesses with environmental certification to its customers.

Those destinations that have attained the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism granted by the ICT, or that form part of Rainforest Alliance’s Sustainable Tourism Program, will be included.

The promotion was carried out by means of a written agreement between the international conservation group, Rainforest Alliance, Gap Adventures, and Planet Earth, an NGO founded by Gap Adventures.

“This agreement with Gap Adventures is very important, since it is one of the main tour operators in North America and will allow us to increase the number of incoming tourists,” said Cristina Suhr, Rainforest Alliance Marketing manager, in a press release.

Thanks to this established relationship, Gap Adventures must guarantee that at least half of the businesses included in the Costa Rica tourist packages are intricately involved in sustainability.

In addition, tourists returning from their trips will be contacted in order to find out about their trips and encourage them to share their experiences with family and friends to get them to make similar excursions. Any information obtained will be sent to Rainforest Alliance.

A new web site, CRbio.cr, offers access to valuable and easy-to-understand information on the more than 30,000 species that inhabit the country.

The initiative was started by Jorge Rodríguez, head of the Environment, Energy, and Telecommunications Ministry (Minaet), in order to integrate the best information on the country’s biodiversity onto one platform.

The data was gathered over the last few decades by scientists from the Biodiversity National Institute (INBio in Spanish), the Organization for Tropical Studies (OET in Spanish), the National Museum, the National System of Conservation Areas (Sinac in Spanish), as well as by the National Commission for Biodiversity Management.

The user can enter the name of a common vegetable or animal species, whatever you choose, and it will immediately bring up the scientific name and any “related species.” When the search is entered, the page will show data about where the species lives, what it eats, when it eats and sleeps, and even offers the opportunity to look at detailed photos.

“Other sites already offer data like this. However, CRbio.cr integrates all the available information onto one site in order to simplify searches for students or scientists,” says María Auxiliadora Mora, a tech specialist at INBio.

The site also shows research done by Costa Rica institutions regarding species and even recommends scientific studies published about them.

Mora points out that the new web site can be used for pure entertainment, without looking for any specific species. This can be done by clicking an option on the page that shows photos of many species and allows users to click on species that interest them.

As an additional service, the site has a map with all the conservation areas in the country, with specific dimensions and existing laws for each one. It also shows the access permits to genetic resources that are granted by authorities in the country.

Costa Rica tops the list among Latin American countries in the 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index. Internationally, the country ranks 32.

The Prosperity Index evaluates 104 nations around the world looking at 44 different indicators measuring economic strength and quality of life.

Other indicators measure economic growth, education, health, happiness, and the quality of life of its inhabitants.

European countries occupy the top ten spots with Finland being number one.

At the other end of the spectrum lies Zimbabwe at the bottom of the list.

In Costa Rica, democratic institutions and personal freedoms are seen as the strongest variables.

The institute is a research center within the Legatum business group whose mission is to research and promote the principles that lead to world-wide prosperity and the spread of human freedom and well-being.

Legatum is a private international firm that focuses on investing in international money markets and promoting sustainable development.

Villa Caletas, Grano de Oro, Lapa Ríos Ecolodge, Costa Rica Marriott and Capitán Suizo are five hotels considered some of the best destinations by the tourism magazine, Conde Nast Traveler. The voting is done by its readers.

There are 100 hotels voted on throughout the world with first place being filled by the Four Season Tented Camp Golden Triangle, in Thailand.

The hotels in Costa Rica, Villa Caletas, located in Garabito, Grano de Oro and Marriot in San José, Capitán Suizo in Guanacaste and Lapa Ríos in the Osa Peninsula in the southern Pacific, were all recognized as some of the best hotels in Central America.

Three of the five, Villa Caletas, Grano de Oro, and Capitán Suiza belong to the Small Distinctive Hotels firm that are made up of personalized, boutique type hotels, with limited rooms and facilities that are integrated into the surrounding nature.

Since May of this year, one of the most “stylish” and unusual species of whales in the world can be easily seen, at least once every fifteen days, in the southern Pacific of Costa Rica.

This information was released by Damián Martínez and David Palacios, biologists from the Keto foundation that monitors whales and dolphins in the area.

It is a Bride whale, a saltwater mammal with big eyes that measures some 50ft. in length. Its size and weight are similar to the Humpback whale, although they seem a little “skinnier” since their bodies are more hydrodynamic.

According to scientists, adult Bride whales have been seen visiting the Costa Rican coastline, and on two occasions there were females and their young. Whales traveling solo as well as in groups, up to 8, have been seen near the coast.

Six thousand people from the United States and Europe travel to Cocos Island daily, but not by boat.

The trip is done in Second Life, a social network website by Linden Lab, from San Francisco, California, where users have a personality or avatar that they themselves create. Here, they can chat, share stories and learn in a 3D virtual world.

On Cocos Island, sponsored by the Costa Rica Tourism Board, the species, bays, underwater world, and even the guard posts are recreated. In addition, in light of the new Seventh Wonder of the World competition, virtual parties are being held for 8 months in order to collect votes.

“We have received a large number of visitors to our site,” said Jessica Chavarría, marketing coordinator for the Friends of Cocos Island foundation.

On Second Life, the island is a region or sims, part of the Costa Rican Sims project that has also developed another 12 sites for the Arenal volcano, Manuel Antonio, Palo Verde, and Las Baulas.

In Second Life’s virtual Costa Rica, there are 350 people from 46 different countries that pay a monthly fee to have land and participate in activities like avatar beauty contests and fashion shows.

For the fifth consecutive year, Parador Resort & Spa has been awarded the World Travel Awards.

In 2009, where more than 500 companies and organizations were nominated, the hotel received the awards from Mexico, Central America´s Leading Hotel and Costa Rica’s Leading Spa Resort. It was also nominated for the World Leading Hotel.

“Today’s winners have held to their long term objectives and have committed to go beyond what is required. They are an example for the tourist industry,” said Graham Cook, WTA president.

The flora and fauna of the Osa-Piedras Blancas stretch (on the Costa Rica southern Pacific) will arrive to the catwalks for New York’s Fashion Week, thanks to Genesis: the Rainforest Collection, created by US designer Abi Ferrin.

While working on her designs, the designer was inspired by the rainforests of this area during a visit she made this last June.

Ferrin said that the closeness to nature was “wonderful” and that gave her an inspiration that she had never felt before.

This is reflected in the 37 pieces that make up Genesis: the Rainforest Collection, with vivid colors that reflect the Osa natural habitat.

Ferrin went with environmentally friendly designs, recyclable materials, and also got to know the women of Osa to help her with accessories for her collection.

In working with these local women and getting to know the rainforest better, Ferrin had support from the founders of the Rare project, which promotes rainforest recovery in the region.

According to the designer, she was very pleased with work done by the Costa Rican women and plans to return to Osa in December to involve them in other projects.

The most abundant population of Scarlet Macaws in Costa Rica is currently in the Osa Peninsula, in the southern part of the country.

This was revealed in a study by US and British scientists in the latest edition of the periodical Biología Tropical.

Although it is difficult to say with absolute certainty, it is believed that the Scarlet Macaw population in the Osa area consists of between 800 and 1200 birds. This exceeds three times the Scarlet Macaw population estimated in the Pacific Central area where barely 432 are registered.

“Keeping in mind that this is a tropical bird species that is in danger of extinction, identifying a Scarlet Macaw population with more than 1,000 birds is a very good thing,” stated Christopher Vaughan, a scientist from the University of Wisconsin who has been studying birds in this country for thirty years.

With more than 1,400 plant and animal species, Cocos Island, in the Costa Rican Pacific, has one of the purest, healthiest, and biologically diverse marine eco-systems on the planet.

This was affirmed by Spanish ecologist Enric Sala, leader of the recent National Geographic expedition to the island and its surroundings, where the underwater mountain, Las Gemelas, is located.

The mission was composed of 15 specialized scientists who made numerous daily dives in the national park.

Their conclusion was that, “Cocos Island is an absolutely wonderful place!” Their opinion is based on two main factors.

First, there is the highest concentration of large predators, like sharks, in the entire Pacific. “The estimate is measured in tons of fish per acre, but I prefer not to give an exact number yet,” said Sala.

The point is not only that there are sharks, but that there are so many that are very big and belong to numerous species. Keeping n mind that sharks are at the top of the food chain in oceans, their diverse presence there means there is plenty to feed on and, therefore, the waters around the island have a very healthy eco-system.

The second element is the enormous abundance of small fish, jellyfish, coral, microorganisms, and algae.

In celebration of its 20-year anniversary, the tour operator, Costa Rican Trails, planted 500 small trees in the Salitral area in Santa Ana with the help of its staff and suppliers.

It is the third year that the company has planted trees. It planted 250 in 2007 and 1000 trees in 2008.

Costa Rican Trails is a consolidated company that started operations in 1989 and developed the idea of sustainable tourism as part of its mission. Since 2007, it has held the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism with three leaves.

In addition, other projects have been done to support environmental education, including with the Brasil de Mora School in 2008, and cleaning Hermosa Beach and La Sabana Metropolitan Park in September of this year for the First National Clean-up Day.

The first “vegetarian” spider known to the world lives in the forests of Costa Rica.

This fact was revealed in a study by US biologists from Villanova University and Brandeis University in the newest edition of the periodical, Current Biology.

According to scientists Christopher Meehan and Eric Olsen, it is an unusual jumping spider that feeds only on wild bush leaves.

Of the 40,000 spider species known today, 39,999 of them feed on insects smaller than them and not on plants.

Given the name Bagheera kiplingi, the new species has a reddish color and is a little less than 5 centimeters in length.

According to researchers, this species lives here, in Mexico, and South America and feeds specifically on plant leaves called acacias, especially those where ants also feed.

The spiders rob the food from the ants that protect the plant against invaders.

There are other interesting things about the “vegetarian” spider. For example, it doesn’t eat insects, so it has no need to spin a web to trap its prey. This allows them to fully concentrate their energy on building homes for their families or nests that the mothers use to raise their young.

If that weren’t enough, scientists have also found out that the females of this species have the habit of eating their mates after the act of love-making.

The Third Tourism Education Congress will take place this November 3rd and 4th in the research center of the University of Costa Rica in San José, which plans to provide training in sustainable tourism.

It is geared toward trainers, directors, tourism career advisers, rectors, deacons, tourism, hotel, and food professionals, public officials for educational institutions with tourism and international programs, directors and members of tourist organizations, providers of learning material on tourism, researchers, and tourism business owners, tourism students, and related professionals.

Part of the activities for the conference will include: conferences, work stations, educational tourism tracks, audiovisual presentations, presentations of sustainable articles and projects, post-congress tours, and social activities for professionals to exchange experiences.

Topics to be dealt with will include sustainability and education, professional technical training and needs for human resources in the tourism sector, the role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in sustainable tourism education, the 2009 Ulysess program, the School Awareness Program for ICT Costa Rica Adventures, social education responsibility, sustainability-quality in the tourism sector, current challenges to tourism, accreditation for educational tourism, the tourist professional, as well as perspectives, challenges, and action plans to be applied to tourism education.

Headed by the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals (ACOPROT).

Entry fee is $100 for the general public, $80 when registered before September 30th, and $40 post-tour.

For more information call (506) 2280-5375. Web page: www.coeducatur.com and email: congreso@coeducatur.com

Some 170,000 professionals from the hotel industry submitted their vote in the “World Travel Awards 2009” for four hotels in Costa Rica.

The four hotels are: the Four Seasons Hotel, Costa Rica, Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort, Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort and El Parador Boutique Resort & Spa.

The awards related to categories such as the best golf course, the best hotel, the best tourism complex, and the best spa, respectively.

Twenty-four hotels from Costa Rica were nominated.

The World Travel Awards started in 1993 in order to recognize excellence in the tourism and travel industry. This award is the biggest award granted in its area in the world.

Group Agrisal from El Salvador started its expansion process with a hotel in Escazú (west of the capital) that will operate under the brand name Holiday Inn.

The hotel is part of a joint project called Riverwalk located between Cima Hospital and Pricesmart.

The complex hotel project will cover 32,808 sq. feet and offer some 150 rooms.

The goal of the hotel is to start operations next year. Its initial market will be corporate and business clients, but because of its proximity to Cima Hospital, it will also cater to medical tourism.

The mysteries and riches of Costa Rican marine areas will attract a group of researchers from the National Geographic Society from September 9th to the end of the month.

A group of experts will study the underwater mountain Las Gemelas, which is found 35 nautical miles south of the Coco Island National Park. There is little information on this area.

The expedition is part of the “Ocean Now” program, in which a group of researchers is performing studies on the most pristine marine areas in the world, meaning they have little contact with humans.

During the sounding, scientists will extract the first concrete data of the underwater mountains, the first images, as well as descriptions of the biodiversity and abundance of invertebrates and fish that habitat the area. This information will be used as a reference point for other underwater mountains along the Costa Rican Pacific and the Tropical East Pacific territory.

The exploration will also offer more details on how to protect the mountains and the state of the Coco Island National Park, where illegal fishing will be investigated and satellite photos will be used as a mechanism for remote surveillance in the protected areas.

For the scientists, the expedition is very important because Las Gemelas underwater mountains have never been studied, and they are also areas believed to have rich biodiversity, and where the effect of fishing has yet to be measured, according to Enric Sala, head of the expedition and National Geographic explorer.

The experts will be posting photos and information on Las Gemelas at http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/

Puerto Limón was chosen this year as the finish line for the Transat Jacques Vabre, the third most important yacht race in the world. The starting point will be Le Havre port, in northeast France.

The course over the Atlantic, covering some 5,000 nautical miles or 4,350 miles, is expecting more than 50 vessels to compete at the end of this year. The beginning of the long voyage is scheduled for the 7th and 8th of November and is expected to end 12 days later in Puerto Limón, in the Costa Rican Caribbean.

The competition will entail two categories: one is single sail vessels (one mast) and the other will be multiple sail vessels (one main mast and two others for support).

The vessels will be comprised of two crews and countries represented will be France, Italy, England, Finland, the United States, and Germany.

This year, the Transat edition will be named “The Coffee Route,” since the promoter is a brand of this drink.

Pierre Bojic, the Pen Duick French representative, the French company that organizes the race, explained that the reason for choosing Costa Rica as the destination point was due to its tradition of coffee brewing.

The Frenchman commented that in past years, other coffee producers like Brazil and Ecaudor have been countries to host the final destination.

“There were other countries in the running (Mexico and Panama), but due to its ideals of sustainability and coffee production, we went with Costa Rica,” said Bojic.

The commitment of the Limón province was also required in order to dock the sport vessels of the Transat race.

The cruise line company Star Clippers plans to course a new route through Costa Rica in 2010.

This line of luxury sailboats already makes stops in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Southern Seas.

There are two types of vessels: the one to stop in Costa Rica will be the “Star Flyer” (which has a twin vessel, the Star Clipper).

The “traditional” style sail boats are 345 feet in length, but with luxury style services and a capacity of 170 passengers. They travel through the Western Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and the French Polynesia, and, as of 2010, Costa Rica

The shipping company also has the “Royal Clipper,” with a on-board capacity of 227 passengers and 405 feet in water-line length and 5,400 sq. ft. of deck.

Three months after the opening of their first hotel in Costa Rica, the Spanish chain Riu is planning on opening a second complex in Guanacaste.

The construction will be in Matapalo, on the same land where the first building was built.

The difference is that the second one will go by the name “Palace” and will be of the Premium category, more sophisticated and with some 500 rooms.

Both structures will occupy 5 percent of the property, which measures 939 acres. The building to be inaugurated in November is valued at $150 million. It will be an all-inclusive establishment centered around the family.

The layout will be 701 rooms divided among six floors. It will also have a
gymnasium, casino, discotheque, spa, and five conference rooms.

The decision to invest was made in response to the potential the owners
noticed in the area.

Right now the company is taking measures to be environmentally aware.

Riu is the 16th chain in the world and the third in Spain. Last year they saw 2.1 million tourists pass through the doors of their establishments.

With the World Championship Surf competition as a background and Playa Hermosa, Jacó as the center stage, filming began in the area for the film Buscando la ola (Looking for the wave) by Mexican director Gabriel Retes.

The movie is about a comedy of errors which deals with “the natural beauty of Costa Rica, an important world surf competition, and concerns about ecological issues,” pointed out the producer and script writer for the film, Lourdes Elizarrará, who is also Retes’ wife.

“Buscando la ola tells of three different stories that center around the surf tournament and eventually become connected,” stated the Mexican actor Jahel Palmero, who is in the film.

“In one story, two friends confront each other; the second centers around a love story, and in the other story, a character passes off as someone else,” added Palmero.

According to Retes, the film script was written 8 months ago and deals with some ecological issues since this is one of his concerns.

“The movie mentions environmentalist issues, but it isn’t boring. Ecology worries me because, all around us, we see deterioration and we must be aware of it, and do something about it,” indicated the experienced director.

According to Elizarrarás, the film will involve actors from Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina, as well as appearances from professional surfers like Gilbert Brown from Costa Rica, and Angelo Josué Lozano from Mexico.

Other Mexican actors like Carlos Macías, Alexander Da Silva, and Ignacio Castello, also play an important role in the film.

Assistant producers of the film will be the Costa Rican born director Gustavo Fallas, the sound technician, Nano Fernandez, and executive producer Silvio Bonomelli.

Jason Torres and Gilbert Brown received another high score for the Costa Rican National team at the World Surf competition in Playa Hermosa, Jacó, where they advanced to the next round and are among the 16 finalists.

Scores range from 0.1 to 10 points. Each surfer has twenty minutes in the water to ride a maximum of 10 waves.

The two best performances will make up their final score. If a surfer qualifies among the best two, he will go on to the next round. If he doesn’t qualify, it will be very difficult to overcome, but there is always a chance to win.

For the first time, Costa Rica is hosting the World Surf games, an event that will engender more tourism to the country, but will also represent a challenge to Costa Rican surfers.

Between August 1st and the 8th, the eyes of the world will be focused on the competition going on in Playa Hermosa, Jacó, the main stage for the Billabong World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009, which will be under the guise of the International Surf Association (ISA).

The National Tourism Chamber (Canatur) has made digital maps available to both national and foreign tourists: one is of San José, and the other is of Costa Rica.

These digital maps offer information about political divisions, roadways, primary tourist destinations and where to find basic services.

Users can access this virtual tourism guide at www.costaricatourism.co.cr. It is located in the upper-left hand corner of the web page under “Map. Click here.”

Once inside, the viewer will find a guide to help organize his/her trip to Costa Rica. For nationals, it is an information source in order to plan your trip and find out details about the destination of your interest.

The national map displays typical legend symbols regarding hospitals, waterfalls, airports, aerodromes, gas stations, marinas, and ports.

We also offer approximate distances in kilometers between destinations, as well as distinguish between major highways and secondary streets.

The San José city map also includes a telephone list for specific points of interest, like emergency services and international calls. Likewise, it shows a graph of the zone where vehicle restrictions apply.

Pacuare Lodge and Costa Rica Natural Adventures, along with the National University Wildlife Program, started monitoring jaguars in October 2008 in the protected zone of the Pacuare river.

Twenty-four cameras that were installed in the forests captured valuable information about the fauna in the area, notably ocelots, rams, pumas, anteaters, pacas, and peccaries.

However, a jaguar had never been caught on tape until this last April (the 28th) where a beautiful image of a female jaguar in gestation was caught on tape. It was encouraging news for investigators who will continue working on the project for two more years and also expand the coverage area of the cameras from 12 sq. miles to 24 sq. miles (20 sq. km to 40 sq km).

The program is headed by Dr. Eduardo Carrillo, a world authority on jaguars, and developed by Carolina Sáenz, a Masters student in Forest Engineering.

For those that wish to contribute to this research project, you may contact Roberto Fernández or Luz Cáceres. Help is needed in purchasing additional equipment.

For moe information, go to: http://www.pacuarelodge.com/php/jaguar.php Telephone 2224-0505 and 2225-3939. Fax: 2253-6327. Email: operaciones@crna.co.cr

A new vision of Chorotega pre-Colombian art, with large painting, drawings, sketches and two displays, comes alive with the “Communication Vessels” exhibit by Otto Apuy. It opens to the public from June 19th to August 9th, 2009 at the Costa Rica National Museum.

Apuy is known for his use of multimedia and it isn’t the first time that he has focused on a pre-Colombian theme. Throughout his career, he has worked in many artistic mediums, and has even pioneered some new concepts.

“It’s about bringing together an idea in just the right place. It proposes looking beyond the cultural object and seeing into the spiritual and poetic act. The journey through polychromatic ceramics in Gran Nicoya is a concept that archeologists and artist can’t see without controlling their artistic excitement. I believe that in art and the vision of cultural reality or “High Culture” lie the Mesoamerican origins that bring us together, out of a hidden identity, even an ongoing denial of them, by means of manipulating or distorting publicity and the concept itself, full of materialistic or political motives in a few cases,” said Apuy.
Otto Apuy’s exhibit includes sets and displays using fragments of ceramic and clay pieces, thus creating a setting reflecting his artistic concept.
One of his sets, titled V.3D, is a display where the viewer finds themselves in a three dimensional vision of the vessel, a central theme of the exhibit. Using vegetable and mud elements tied and laced together with yute rope, the artist ties in the theme with technology, intentionally contrasting the digital with the thematic.

According to data gathered by the Audubon Society, there are 37 new species of birds on the Costa Rican Pacific. This new information was revealed thanks to the Bird Count that took place in December 2008. Additionally, 7 new species of birds were discovered on the Atlantic side, a sector which hasn’t been studied for years.

This study, which took place in the Atlantic and Pacific Rainforest Sky Trams, brought together more than 100 individuals comprising ornithologists, tour guides, and bird watchers in general, to monitor the status and distribution of the populations and to learn more about the behavior of migrating species.

According to results of the bird count made on the Atlantic, the most sighted bird was the golondrón by 354 individuals, while the poll on the Pacific side revealed that the most numerous species was the Alcatraz or Brown Pelican with 265 sightings.

Likewise, the Atlantic Rainforest Sky Tram registered a total of 397 species and 9,211 birds overall, while the Pacific side counted 310 species and 5,130 individual birds.

The Bird Count is one of the most important events worldwide in the educational and scientific world in the Americas, since it brings together animal lovers who share the same value in conserving the various habitats used by these birds, especially in the rainforests.

This event, which is organized annually by the Audubon Society, brings together around 50,000 bird watchers at 2,000 sites around the American Continent. This tradition dates back to 1900 when it was founded by Frank Chapman, who called for the end of the massacre of birds that took place during the Christmas holidays.

He suggested that instead of gathering together and killing the birds, they should count them instead. Thus began the Christmas count.

The maze of paths in the Waterfall Gardens tourist attraction reopened to the public five months after the Cinchona earthquake that damaged a large section of the structure.

Dahyana Carrillo, marketing director of the company, explained that only day tours will be available, which includes hikes to the two waterfalls, the frog house, snake house, aviary, butterfly garden, and the monkey and feline exhibits.

The La Paz Hotel, located on the premise, is still under reconstruction.

The first eight rooms are expected to
be ready for visitors by July 1st.

The hotel has 17 rooms and the remaining 9 will be repaired thereafter. The company employs some 60 workers, the majority of which are residents of Varablanca, Heredia.

The road leading to this tourist site is in excellent condition, assured Castillo.

He added that there are no risks of landslides, according to experts.

In order to demonstrate the variety of film scenes that Costa Rica has to offer in the field of cinematography, the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) and Procomer organized a scouting trip that included important US specialists in the field.

The cloud forests, Toro Amarillo waterfalls, la Fortuna de San Carlos, San Ramón, Orotina, Punta Leona, Jacó, Manuel Antonio and Carara were part of the trip which ended with a flight over the Southern Pacific.

Scott Trimble, from Marvel Studios; Barbara Miller, from Miller Locations; Laura Matterson, from Big Island Enterprises and Bill Doyle from Spotlight Films, all took part in the adventure.

Also part of the team were Bill Bowling (renowned scout locator who worked on such films as Saving Private Ryan ); John Smart, Chris Baugh and David Graham, as well as directors Leo Zana and Brian O'Neill.

Some members worked on location scouting for films such as The Curious Case of Benjamín Button while others worked on the famous James Bond saga.

The group of explorers was comprised of film directors, photography directors, and location directors.

After flying over several areas during the tour, such as Caño Island and Corcovado, Chris Baugh said that Costa Rica is perfect for shoots that need spectacular nature scenes.

Mapache Rent a Car, together with other companies from around the world, will participate in the National Geographic project: Changemaker Geotourism Challenge 2009.

National Geographic and Ashoka Changemakers launched its second Geotourism Challenge, which seeks to reveal innovations in sustainable tourism for improving and preserving the local culture and environment. The challenge seeks to identify people and organizations that utilize innovative practices in tourism.

As defined by National Geographic, Geotourism is understood as “tourism that sustains and highlights the geographical character of the area, its environment, esthetics, heritage, culture, and wellbeing of its residents.”

National Geographic is one of the most important scientific and educational non-profit organizations in the world.

Founded in 1888 to “increase and spread geographical awareness,” it seeks to inspire people to take care of their planet.

The Ashoka Changemakers initiative, focused on the rapid worldwide spread of social innovations, offers solutions and necessary resources to help people become agents of change themselves.

Likewise, it presents a group of stories that explores the fundamental principles of success of social innovations around the world.

Changemakers is creating the first online community committed to social change through global collaborative skills. Each online challenge begins by showing a conceptual framework that explores the principles of success in
social innovations around the world.

Ashoka (in sanskrit “the absence of sadness”) is the first world association of Social Entrepreneurial leaders that link these qualities to the search for innovative solutions to social problems. Ashoka was founded on the premise that the most effective way to promote positive social change is to invest in social entrepreneurialism with innovative ideas and solutions that can be incorporated nationally or internationally.

For more information on the Mapache Rent a Car proposal, visit: http://geotourism.changemakers.com/es/node/247906

The hotel company Marriot opened the first hotel in Costa Rica under the Residence Inn chain, which has operations outside of the US and Canada. The 109-room facility is located in Escazú within the Escazú Avenue project.

The layout is designed for long-term stays. The hotel has amenities geared toward corporate tastes; however, it is also suitable for vacationing families.

“The location and the facilities make it ideal. Its proximity to CIMA Hospital will attract visitors who come to the country for medical reasons. In addition, executives who relocate to Costa Rica can stay in the hotel while they look for permanent housing,” commented Laura Miranda, Marketing Manager for Marriott Costa Rica.

Part of the reasons that led to the decision to invest in Costa Rica were the positive results from their other three chains already in the country, JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels and Resort and Courtyard. This first operation in Costa Rica will be a stepping stone to expanding the brand at an international level.

The design was inspired by other lifestyle centers, a concept that is promoted by Escazú Avenue, part of a world trend to offer various services in the same location, such as shops, hotels, lodging, restaurants, theaters, and offices.

The architecture is contemporary and its design was headed by the architecture firms, Trejos Facio, Zurcher Arquitectos, and Studio 506. The internal design was led by Marriott and the Costa Rican company Fusion.

The hotel offers suites, one or two bedroom studios, furnished kitchens, Internet, breakfast service, laundry service, and complementary grocery shopping. The common areas offer a gym, pool, and conference rooms.

The company’s expectation is to make the hotel a destination for long-term stays with the comforts of home.

The Costa Rican oceans contain a wealth of diversity with at least 6,777 species, representing 3.5% of known species around the world, according to scientists.

This data was confirmed by research done by the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and was released in the book Biodiversidad Marina de Costa Rica, Centroamérica (Marine Biodiversity in Costa Rica, Central America) which recently came out at the same university.

The scientists Ingo Wehrtmann and Jorge Cortés compiled their work from more than 50 specialists in the field and catalogued 6,777 species, representing 3.5% of the world’s known species at this time.

Costa Rica recently assumed the first and second vice-presidency seats of the Board of Directors for the Central American Federation of Small Hotels (FECAPH for its initials in Spanish).

The first vice-presidency seat will be represented by Lic. Jane Lemarie Caicedo who currently acts as the President of Costa Rican Small Hotels. The second vice-presidency seat will be represented by Cristhian Castro Peraza, Sales Manager for the Rolands Hotel Group in Costa Rica.

The announcement was made during the Seventh Forum for Central American Small Hotels in Panama, along with hotels owners who belong to the National Network for Small Hotels in Costa Rica. The country is backed by the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT).

The presidency, by order of the country, was given to Honduras, represented by Dora Morales de Suazo, who will assume the seat for the 2009-2010 period.

Boston Scientific, the medical device manufacturer, opened its second production plant in Costa Rica.

The plant is located in Propark free-zone in Coyol, Alajuela. According to information released more than a year ago, it will be about a $35 million investment with facilities measuring 85,301 square feet (26,000 square meters).

Boston Scientific came to Costa Rica in 2004 and its first plant is located in Global Park, Heredia.

Their plan is to have a payroll of some 2,400 employees by 2011.

The company develops various medical devices for heart disease, gastroenterology, and gynecology, among others.

Specifically, the plants in Costa Rica develop surgical forceps (tweezers for biopsies) and all of their snares (devices used for pulling out polyps and cauterizing).

The medical device sector has grown 250% in 8 years in Costa Rica.

The newly renovated Hotel Aurola Holiday Inn in the capital of Costa Rica is offering their clients a wide variety of changes.

Among them is the newly remodeled reception area as well as completely smoke-free facilities.

“The image change extends from the new signage and name change to renovations in the reception area and 32 inch plasma TVs on the executive floors, Suites, Junior Suites, and Presidential Suite. There will also be changes to the telephones, bed comforters, blankets, shower curtains, mini-fridges, glasses, coasters, and new mini-bars throughout all the rooms. We really focused on every little detail,” explained Helmuth Tapia, Director of Sales and Marketing.

One of the main renovations has been to the Executive reception. For guests that reserve executive rooms, Suites, Junior Suites, or Presidential Suites, their reception is located exclusively on the 15th floor, so that those special guests may check in more efficiently and receive individual attention.

Other special benefits for those on the executive floor include: two-hours of free international calls to the United States and Canada, free-of-charge happy hour from 5p.m. to 7p.m. including beer, wine, and appetizers. There is also a shoe shine service, free-of-charge cell phone service so that you may be reached wherever you are. Guests may also purchase their exit tax within the hotel. Finally, there are also meeting rooms, money exchange windows, and flight confirmation services. These are all part of the services currently included on the Executive Floor in the Hotel Aurola Holiday Inn. It should also be mentioned that there is parking and free valet service for up to 300 vehicles, available to all guests of the hotel.

Within Costa Rica lies the exact center line of the American Continent, according to the Minister of Tourism, Carlos Ricardo Benavides.

“Within the country lies the dividing line of the American continent, specifically at the peak of Ochomogo in Cartago. So the distance from Ochomogo to Alaska is the same distance as that from Ochomogo to Cape Horn in Argentina,” stated Benavides.

Likewise, geography experts from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) point out that this point in Cartago is also the dividing line between the Pacific and the Atlantic waters.

The objective is to convert this area into an educational and tourist area, erecting a monument acknowledging its unique location.

Within the mountains of Cartago, surrounded by bamboo forests, waterfalls, wooden bridges and ponds that shape this uniquely Japanese area is the first Japanese garden in Costa Rica.

It is also the only one in Central America. It is located in the Lankester Botanical Gardens in the University of Costa Rica (UCR), Dulce Nombre, Cartago.
Two people were critical in the creation of this project. The garden was designed by the landscapist Hiroshi Oozeki, and the construction of every detail was carried out by the master landscapist Mamoru Tsunoda.

In order to carry out the creation of the Japanese garden, Tsunoda found inspiration in the famous garden of his hometown, Okayama Korakuen Garden, considered one of the three best in the country.

The result is a wide-open space that incorporates the most important elements of Japanese gardens that originated in Buddhist temples: that being, natural elements like water (seen in the waterfalls and ponds), bamboo and wooden bridges.

The city of Limón will be modernized thanks to the approval by the Legislative Assembly for a proposal of a BID loan which will grant $80 million dollars.

The money will be allocated to various areas of the Caribbean province as well as towards improving the quality of life for its inhabitants.
The idea is to improve development directly within the city of Limón and, indirectly, within the Caribbean region, by means of economic synergy between the renovated city and the modern port, which will generate new services, employment, and investment.

In order to develop a joint project with the community, the Japan International Cooperation Agency trained a new group of park rangers for the Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge in the northeast part of Costa Rica.

This refuge is the second largest protected area in the country, after La Amistad International Park. However, its 227,336 acres are not only known for their diverse flora and fauna covering every square foot, but also for their unique inhabitants.

According to the Population Census for the year 2000, there are 3,000 people living in the reserve, but the locals say there are 4,000.

For more than a year, the Japan International Cooperation Agency has been developing a joint project with the community. Last April, an interdisciplinary group comprised of a biologist, a forest engineer, a sociologist, an agricultural engineer, a cartographer, and a tourism specialist came together to work in the reserve.

During this training, the group became familiar with different strongholds, among them the territory itself.
The reserve’s inhabitants make a living through fishing, controlled logging, hunting, and collecting plants.

The largest manufacturing activity is dairy farming.

According to data gathered from tourism authorities, based on reports from the only company that flies from Spain, 25,000 more Europeans will visit Costa Rica this year.

Data from last year revealed that 190,000 people traveled from Europe to Costa Rica, an increase of 21% from 2007.

In 2009, that number will be exceeded with more than 215,000 travelers, 25,000 more than last year.

As the clock moves forward, we are getting closer and closer to this year’s largest sporting event to take place in this country, the World Surf championship, which has confirmed the participation of 35 countries.

Of these countries, at least 17 have confirmed that they will bring complete teams. Among them are some of the strongest teams in the world, Australia, Brazil, the United States, South Africa, France, Portugal, Tahiti, and New Zealand, among others. Also, of the 35 teams that will be in Costa Rica, 19 have yet to register with the International Surf Association (ISA), noted Carlos Brenes, a journalist for the Costa Rican Surf Federation (FCS in Spanish)

The event is slated to take place from July 31 to August 8, at Playa Hermosa, Jacó and organizers hope that the number of registered teams will continue to grow, seeing that there are 54 official teams throughout the world. The last day for registration is July 29th.

The organizers of the tournament in Costa Rica expect that between the national participants and coaching staffs, there will be more than a thousand people in Jacó during the championship.

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The climate, abundant food source, and rich forests, are optimal conditions that has made the country a special nesting place for hundreds of species of birds that many have come to admire for their beauty, exotic plumage, precious songs, and mesmerizing flights.

These very reasons contribute to the migration from Eastern North America to this area where they spend approximately six months feeding and taking advantage of the ideal conditions for their return flight to the north during their reproductive season.

For these reasons, the country enjoys a wealth of birdlife and, according to data from Julio Sánchez, president of Costa Rica’s Ornithologists Society, there are an estimated 900 species, 50 of which are indigenous to the country which makes them extremely valuable. Around 200 are migratory.

“We should be proud of the nature that surrounds us where such a spectacular variety of birds can be found in such a small area. Birdlife is very abundant, and what is even more important is that 50 of these species are indigenous to the country like the Fiery-throated hummingbird, the cusingo, and the goldfinch,” asserted Sánchez.

The Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste, will welcome charter flights from Canada, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, and possibly Madrid during the second quarter of this year.

The Tourism Minister, Carlos Ricardo Benavides, said that the increase in charter flights to Liberia will help bolster the worldwide decrease in tourism.

In order to protect the land and sea ecosystems in the area, the Legislative Plenary opened debate on case 16 349 which would legally make Playa Iguanita a Wildlife Refuge. It is located in the Nacascola Peninsula and includes primary forests, dry tropical forests, mangroves, as well as a marine bay area.

The area has many tourist, educational and scientific attractions, and its proximity to Liberia and Carrillo make it a popular tourism development point for sustaining natural and cultural resources, in such a way that the refuge can be protected and, at the same time, maintain the local use of the beaches.

Studies have revealed 67 marine species (including those of commercial interests such as snapper, lobster, and the queen conch), 118 species of trees and plants, 110 species of birds, of which 27% are migratory, and 10 species of land mammals, including species that are decimated, threatened or at risk of extinction. Thus, recommendations have been made to increase long-term protection efforts in this area.

The State, through the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), ICT, and the municipalities of Liberia and Carrillo, have guaranteed keeping Playa Iguanita open for tourist and local use without creating obstacles for the Papagayo Gulf Tourism Project development.

They aim to guarantee the availability of Playa Iguanita for all Costa Ricans, especially those from Guanacaste that, for economic reasons, cannot afford trips to tourist areas.

Spirit Airlines opened its Reservation Center within the country. The opening of this new office is located in Ultrapark, in Heredia, and more than 75 agents and support personnel have been hired to begin operation.

The company has trained its new customer service personnel to take calls in Spanish, make reservations, and deal with travelers’ questions.

“Without a doubt, this news comes at the right time because it shows a level of trust and reflects not only the reputation that Costa Rica has as a destination spot, but also the excellent preparedness of Costa Ricans,” said María Amalia Revelo, Assistant Manager and Marketing Director of the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT).

Spirit Airlines is a low-cost airline and ranks among the largest in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Currently, it operates 150 daily flights to 39 destinations with the newest Airbus fleet in America. It is based out of Miramar, Florida and employs 2,300 professionals.

The Salvadoran business group, Agrisal, will invest close to $15 million in Costa Rica on the construction of its first hotel outside of its own country.

Eduardo Quiñónez, director of Agrisol’s hotel division, reported that the hotel will operate under the Holiday Inn chain and will be located in Escazú, “very close to the CIMA hospital.” He failed to give the exact
location.

“We undertook a thorough analysis and came to the conclusion that Costa Rica provided the best conditions for our first hotel outside of El Salvador. You have done an extraordinary job in positioning the country for tourism,” he stated.

He remarked that the first block will be laid in September, with the goal of opening its doors at the end of 2010. Its construction will generate up to 300 direct jobs and a little more than 150 permanent employees when it opens.

Agrisol’s arrival to the country did not happen alone. The Salvadoran group joined up with the InterContinental Hotels Group chain (IHG), which currently has four hotels in San José.
The agreement with IHG was signed in 2007, not only to open the Holiday Inn in Escazú, but also for another six hotels throughout Central America.

The international business school ranking of the Financial Times Executive Education placed Incae among the top 50 business schools in the world with respect to executive education.

The Costa Rican education center ranked 46 on the list. According to the study, only four Latin American schools were included in the list among the more than 6,000 schools that are in operation today throughout the world: Ipade (Mexico), Fundação Dom Cabral and Ibmec São Paul (Brazil).

The executive education study reflects the opinion of more than 5,600 high-profile clients and general participants that filled out the survey. The poll was released in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin.

Presently, Incae has schools in 10 countries with Executive Master Programs, along with research programs, extension programs, executive education, and think tanks within the countries where they are located.

The Panamanian bank, Banco General, opened its Costa Rican branch in La Torre Banco General in Trejos Montealegre, Escazú, just west of the capital.

Banco General was the first private Panamanian capital bank founded in 1955. At the close of 2008, its worth was about $1.004 million.

The bank has at least 2,900 employees and around 360,000 customers. The main bank is in Panama with 60 branches.

The financial publication, The Banker, published by the news agency The Financial Times, located in London, granted the bank the “Bank of the Year” award in Panama last year, an honor that the publication gives out every year to one bank in each country.

Some of their services include: personal accounts, corporate accounts, ATMs, teller services, training and saving products, debit and credit cards and personal and corporate credit services, among others.

Nature Air, the airline flying the Costa Rican flag, won the Tourism for Tomorrow 2009 award from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), thanks to its sustainable tourism efforts and its commitment to Costa Rica’s national heritage.

This recognition has been granted for many decades in order to stimulate efforts for environmental protection in the tourism industry.

The choice was made based on efforts by Nature Air in reducing carbon dioxide emissions through the 100% carbon neutral aviation program which gets passengers involved in the involuntary emission compensation plan thereby reducing fuel consumption in the air and on land.

Nature Air has developed a unique bio-fuel service station and created the non-profit NatureKids foundation, which teaches English and environmental topics to local communities.

“The environment is precious and we are grateful to receive this great recognition by the WTTC due to our conservation efforts,” stated Alex Khhajavi, founder and CEO of Nature Air.

“This award is an inspiration to us all at Nature Air and encourages us to continue seeking news ways to add positive value to social and environmental challenges that face us.”

The company has been involved in environmental issues since 2004, when it committed itself to establishing new standards for sustainable practices in the aviation industry, recovering 100% of its greenhouse emissions by means of rainforest conservation in the Osa peninsula.

The Tourism for Tomorrow award is a way that the WTTC stimulates sound practices within the industry. This council brings together business leaders from the tourism industry and works with governments and other participants in order to raise awareness about the importance of one of the greatest sources of wealth and employment in the world.

NatureAir was created in 2000 and has grown staggeringly, going from 18,000 passengers annually to more than 140,000 in 2008.

It is the first carbon neutral airline in the world and the only twin-engine airline in Costa Rica with scheduled as well as charter flights offering 74 daily flights to 17 destinations in Costa Rica and Panama.

With respect to its energy conservation policy, it focuses on the use of bio-fuels (cooking oils), which operate all of its ground transportation.

The Intercontinental Hotels Group firm (IHG) is preparing its venture into the business of beach hotels in the country.

Jim Abrahamson, president of IHG in America, indicated that they plan to open two resort type hotels in Guanacaste and the Central Pacific.

Abrahamson did not say exactly when the openings will take place.
Currently, IHG has five hotels in the country, all in San José: Real InterContinental, Crowne Plaza Corobicí, Aurola Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Índigo, which was inaugurated in the beginning of May.

Índigo has 100 boutique-style rooms and is located around Forum Two, in Santa Ana, San José.

Abrahamson explained that they selected Santa Ana for its commercial development and strategic location.
Índigo is the first of its kind that IHG has opened in Latin America. The building itself belongs to the firm, Prime Holding.

Luis Hernández, president of Prime Holding, said that they invested $12 million in the project.

Costa Rica is the safest nation in Latin America for businesses and multinational companies, according to the latest Latin Security Index done by FTI Consulting Ibero America in the weekly publication Latin Business Chronicle.

The index includes a danger level rating for every country, calculated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being a completely safe country and 5 the worst. Only three countries in Latin America received a 2: Costa Rica, Chile, and Uruguay. And, among those, Costa Rica rated as the safest, said Frank Holder, Senior General Manager of FTI forensic and litigation consulting, as well as a prominent Latin American security expert.

Costa Rica will be the location for a new NBC reality show with celebrities, which will air June 1st in the United States.

The new series will be composed of 10 personalities from different backgrounds. However, the list of stars coming to Costa Rica has yet to be revealed, although the journalist, Geraldo, and ex-governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, have been mentioned.

Although reservations have been made at various hotels in Sarapiquí, the network would not specify where in Costa Rica the reality show would be filmed, which will air in the evenings during June, from Monday to Thursday during the first three weeks, and Monday to Wednesday during the last week.

NBC described the show as a “Swiss Family Robinson.”

“It’s a type of competition where 10 celebrities are ‘abandoned’ in the heart of the jungle and confront fun and amusing challenges, designed to test their survival skills.”

The Chicago Tribune indicated that television viewers will decide the fate of the participants, particularly related to finding food, hygienic supplies, and other necessities. One will be crowned “King or Queen of the Jungle,” reported the publication.

The New York Times wrote yesterday that NBC said that besides the challenges that the participants have to overcome, they will also be trying to collect the most amount of money to be given to the charity of their choice.

The show is expected to be a success. “This is a concept that has worked very well throughout the world,” said Mitch Metcalf, Programming Director of Entertainment Weekly.

This won’t be the first time that Costa Rica has hosted an international reality show. In 2005, the country was one of the stages for the popular program The Amazing Race: Family Edition. The participants competed in places such as Manuel Antonio, Quepos, Jacó, Grecia, Poás volcano, and a coffee plantation in Alajuela.

Costa Rica is the fifth cleanest country in the world, according to a recent publication in the prestigious Forbes magazine, after an environmental study on 149 countries regarding air and water quality and natural vitality, among others, done by scientists from Colombia and Yale Universities.

The Environmental Performance Indicator (EPI) study corresponds to the year 2008.

According to Forbes, the Costa Rican economy is anchored by a robust ecotourism industry that has benefitted from governmental and private efforts made to protect the country’s biodiversity.

In addition, the publication highlighted that this index will continue to improve if it complies with its initiative to become the first carbon neutral, or C-neutral, nation by 2021.

The Forbes publication also stated that, contrary to what has happened in other Latin American countries, Costa Rica has been efficient in avoiding an increase in tree felling, and has also achieved a score of 97 or higher in forest, air pollution, and climate change categories.

This is due to efforts to re-forest part of the land by means of planting a specific tree species that will be used for commercial purposes.

Costa Rica is surpassed only by Switzerland (with a rating of 95.5), Sweden (93.1) and Norway (93.1) tied for second, and Finland (91.4).

The National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) designated Costa Rica a world BioGem in honor of the efforts made to protect more than 500,000 species of flora and fauna found in Costa Rica.

BioGem is considered a place with a wealth of biodiversity that is, nonetheless, in danger.

There are 12 BioGems throughout the American continent, but this is the first time that an entire country, instead of a region, has received this recognition.

“Costa Rica’s naming as a BioGem reflects NRDC’s determination to support the commitment this country has to reach carbon neutrality and be a model for the rest of the world,” said Peter Lehner, executive director for the National Resource Defense council.

“Our goal is to find long-term environmental solutions to protect Costa Rica’s unique biodiversity and to reduce the present threat to these natural areas,” he added.
BioGems is a worldwide initiative supported by more than 400,000 activists who recognize the true reasons that countries have for conserving natural resources. For more information visit www.SaveBioGems.org

Costa Rica is the most competitive Latin American country in terms of tourism, holding the highest spot, 42, on the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index among 133 countries, according to a World Economic Forum report.

The Latin American countries that follow are Brazil (45), Mexico (51), Panama (55), Chile (57), Uruguay (63) and Argentina (65).

The most competitive country worldwide is Canada, which moved up four spots passing the United States.

All Latin American countries have excellent natural resources and many of them are included on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), the oldest ecotourism organization in the world, selected Costa Rica as the “ecotourist destination” for the month of February, thanks to its program dedicated to reducing carbon emissions in the atmosphere.

Every month, TIES selects a destination site to display to the world, and in February it chose Costa Rica for its “Clean Travel” program, a tool that allows tourists to donate money to compensate for gas emissions generated by flights to the Central American country.

"Clean Travel" is a Costa Rican government initiative that encourages visitors to contribute to the conservation of forests, water systems, and biodiversity by means of environmental service donations.

The location of Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín, at the base of the Rincón de la Vieja volcano, close to Curubande and the famous Rincón de la Vieja National Park, in northern Guanacaste, has led to some interesting discoveries by archeologists from the University of Costa Rica.

This area of Costa Rica, once populated by local tribes, has revealed a variety of evidence of how these families used to live.

Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín’s extensive property contains unprecedented archeological treasures that they are just now starting to uncover.

The anthropologist and archeologist Priscilla Molina is visiting the hotel in order to gather evidence and information that could shed light on the customs and traditions of the region’s ancestors. She is accompanied by archeologists and students from the University of Costa Rica.

The North American airline company, Continental Airlines, released its plan to boost the number of flights to the Juan Santamaría international airport in Alajuela, as well as the Daniel Oduber airport in Liberia, Guanacaste, beginning in March.

The plan includes an increased frequency in flights on Saturdays from New York to San José; the company will thus offer three flights between the two cities.

The flight to Juan Santamaría will leave Newark at 11:55 a.m. and arrive at 3:15 p.m. The return flight will leave at 4:05 p.m. and will arrive at 11:15 p.m.

A third flight will also be included on Saturdays, however, between Houston and Liberia.

This third flight will leave Texas at 11:29 a.m. and arrive to Guanacaste at 1:50 p.m. The return flight from Liberia leaves at 2:40 p.m. and arrives at 7:13 p.m.

The announcement to increase the number of flights to the country was made possible “Thanks to strong Costa Rican advertising in international markets, which led to the need to increase the number of flights,” said Carlos Granados, Sales Manager at Continental Costa Rica.

La Católica Hotel Hospital has a new ally to encourage medical tourism in the country. There are new Colonial-style facilities in Goicoechea, Guadalupe, and San José.

The new structure was made to lodge patients, mainly foreigners, who require special medical care after undergoing surgery.

This property has recovery rooms within the hospital itself. There are 33 comfortable rooms designed for an improved recovery, including Internet service, cable television, spa, a physical therapy area, and a 24 hour a la carte restaurant.


Tourists that come to Costa Rica for medical reasons will save between 50-60% compared to rates charged in other countries like the United States.

Around 70 people, mainly German, shot part of a new film that will soon be aired on channel ZDF, which has Germany’s second most important television viewing audience.

The production was specifically shot at the Tamarindo Diría Hotel, on Tamarindo Beach in the Guanacaste province.

The name of the movie, the plot, or the air date have yet to be revealed.

The arrival of tourists to the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste, grew some 14,000 people from 2007 to 2008, according to the airlines.

The numbers show that some 420,000 tourists came in 2008, which represents an increase of 3.5% with respect to 2007 when just 405,000 foreigners passed through the terminal to visit Guanacaste.

A rainforest aerial tram company (Teleféricos del Bosque Lluvioso) won the award for the “Best tour of the 2007-2008 season” from the Princess Cruises cruise line. The award was presented on the Coral Princess Hamilton ship while docked in Puntarenas.

Teleféricos del Bosque Lluvioso won thanks to its best-selling tour of the past tourism season, “Costa Rica Favorites.” It includes a nature experience along the canopy of the Pacific rainforests (Jacó) and a visit to the Tárcoles river, a very typical experience of the country.

“Experiencing the canopy through aerial trams at three different heights, as well as guided walks along the paths and learning about the flora and the fauna of the Tárcoles river, allows the tourist to experience the essence of Costa Rica,” said Douglas Jiménez, marketing manager of Teleféricos del Bosque Lluvioso.

The North American actor Steven Segal is interested in opening a business so that cinematographers can film in various natural settings within the country.

“Costa Rica is a country that has everything, rainforests, oceans,” said Seagal.

“I’ve had detailed conversations with my team and with experts in Hollywood about how to set up in Costa Rica and create incentives and outlets for people to come film here. My team and other experts are ready to get things going in Costa Rica,” stated Seagal. He said that he will begin to work on the project because he already has the necessary permits.

Steven Seagal was born 57 years ago in Michigan. He has starred in movies such as Hard to Kill, 1990, and Half Past Dead, 2002, and was also the guitarist in his band, Steven Seagal and the Thunderbox.

The Marriott International Corporation opened the J.W. Marriott hotel, allured by the huge annual influx of tourists to the Guanacaste area, the surrounding natural beauty, and the professional proficiency of the local population.

The complex is located within the Hacienda Pinilla property and seeks to attract visitors from Central and South America, as well as Europe.

The hotel holds 310 rooms.

“Mariner of the Seas,” one of the largest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, recently docked in the country.

Its length reaches some 1,020 feet (310.9 meters), weighs 138,000 tons, and can hold 3,114 passengers.

It is part of the Voyager cruise fleet, which has the highest head clearance for passengers in the entire cruise ship industry. This extraordinary ship was designed with better cabins, more cuisine options, and excellent recreational installations such as rock climbing, an ice-skating rink, and a basketball court.

Costa Rica was recently selected to host and organize the World Surfing Games, Open Category, from July 31 to August 9, 2009, according to the International Surf Association (ISA).

The country beat out countries like Brazil and South Africa, two renowned surf destinations.

The tournament will take place in Hermosa Beach, in Jacó; it was named Billabong World Surfing Games Costa Rica 2009, whose main sponsor will work with a budget of $2 million to handle the logistics of an event of such scope.

Hermosa Beach was chosen by the ISA because of its consistent surf and proximity to downtown Jacó, a city which has the adequate infrastructure to host so many people.

José Ureña, the president of the Costa Rica Surf Federation, explains the magnitude of this tournament for Costa Rican business.

“Hosting the World Open is the best thing that can happen to a country for surf and for tourist promotion because of the millions of people that will attend the competition,” said the national wave expert.

His words ring true: the ISA estimates that for every event at least 80 million people follow the event live via Internet, which is something that will boost Costa Rica’s surfing image.

The role that Costa Rican surfers have overseas, also helped the country to bring the event to Costa Rica.

The new Hotel Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport, in Guanacaste, is the first to operate under this chain in Central America.

This is the fourth member of the Hilton Hotel Corporation to open its doors in Costa Rica this year, which shows the commitment of the company to continue growth in Central America.

“The strategic location of our Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport is geared toward business and leisure travelers that are looking for high-quality accommodations,” said Adrian Kurre, Senior vice-president of brand management.

The hotel is only two minutes from the airport and 10 minutes from downtown Liberia. Likewise, it is located only 20 minutes from beautiful beaches and the famous Papagayo Gulf.

El Hotel Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport offers 169 rooms, including eight suites.

308 acres of national forest are presently being reforested with native species thanks to a contribution plan by “clean flights.”

This program is voluntary and allows a tourist or local traveling by plane to compensate for the green house gases emitted by this type of transportation.

This program has been in place since 2007 and is headed by the National Forest Financing Foundation (Fonafifo).

It is put together through a special web site at www.fonafifo.com where the quantity of CO2s released by air travel are calculated and how much should be paid to reduce them.

According to Alberto García Arguedas, manager of Fonafifo resources, this mechanism has seen 615 “clean flights” and reduced 2,165 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) since November 11th of this year.

Of the participants in this program, 213 are Costa Rican and 402 are foreigners. García assures that, in monetary terms, the amount that has been taken in by this program has reached $10,825, or ¢6,062,000.

“These resources are being invested in eight projects under the guise of reforestation of native, as well as commercial species”, said the expert.

There is a reforestation project in Guanacaste, four in Alajuela, one in Heredia, another in Limón, yet another in San José, stated García.

Colinás del Poás received an award for Excellence in Tourism by the Chamber of Business, Industry, Tourism, and Agriculture of Alajuela.

It was awarded for skill, innovation, projection, and job quality in 2008.

“This acknowledgement is invariably due to the commitment of its staff and our associates with the highest values. We come together to protect the environment, look out for the community, enrich the culture and national artists, offering safe and unique high-quality services and for personally attending to the needs of the visitors,” said Isabel Vargas, manager of Colinás del Poás.

The Wyndham Jacó Beach Resort and Condominium, developed in Jacó by the Costa Rican group Rica Costa, won the International Project of the Year award.

The contest was organized by the Developers & Builders Alliance (DBA), an organization that brings together the world real estate sector and has the magnate Donald Trump as one of its founders.

The annual award is given to the most noteworthy projects in the world in various categories.

Fuad Farach, president of the group, said that the significance of the award stems from the prestige of the organization and the highly qualified panel of judges.

Among them was the architect Zaha Hadid, one of the best in the world, and Francesco Valletta, an FIABCI representative (International Real Estate Federation abbreviated in English).

The design of the project was headed by the national architect Javier Ángel Müller, who has collaborated on other company projects: “for me, as an architect, the award is very important, but for Costa Rica it is an award that places it at the top of international architectural design” he commented.

Wyndham Jaco Beach is the country’s first project that has been acknowledged by the DBA.

The Cima hospital will start construction of a new medical complex in Guanacaste and is expected to be ready by early 2011.

The hospital will be located at the entrance to Pacific Plaza, a business and health complex that will include recovery homes for medical tourists (that have been operated on or received treatment at Cima).

In addition there will be a medical consultant ward and a convenience commercial center.

The hospital will be located in Carrillo.

Recently Cima received the accreditation from the Joint Commission Internacional, a non-governmental organization in the United States that outfitted the services provided by this medical complex.

Cima belongs to the International Hospital Corporation (IHC) with hospitals in Brazil and Mexico.

An intensive reforestation plan designed by the National Institute of Biodiversity (INBio) will reduce the predominance of exotic species like Eucalyptus and Cypress trees in the metropolitan park.

More than 5,000 indigenous trees will be planted in its place whose fruit will serve as food for birds and insects in the Central Valley.

The idea is, when the trees develop, the La Sabana ecosystem will be as biologically diverse as the country itself in the long term.

“Within 15 years we will be able to enjoy an urban forest in La Sabana,” said Alfio Piva, executive director of INBio.

For every tree cut, two will be planted in its place. Over time it is hoped that some 5,000 will exist in the park.

Some of the trees will be fruit trees, and other will be timber-yielding, and many others will be species considered under the threat of extinction. Of which, all will be indigenous to Costa Rica.

The biological richness of the park is guaranteed: “Currently, there are 79 different types of trees (indigenous and exotic) in La Sabana. However, we are planning to plant 134 species, all indigenous,” said biologist Tobías García.

So, by the year 2023, when the forest has matured, those that visit La Sabana will see some 2,500 exotic trees and 5,000 indigenous ones, which will be categorized by name and characteristics.