Costa Rica's digital identity results in tourism growth: study

A new analysis of Costa Rica's identity and digital footprint reveals that the country is showing significant growth in tourism and exports, according to the 2022-2023 study conducted by Bloom Consulting for esencial COSTA RICA.

Based on more than 12.4 million searches, this report highlights how Costa Rica has captured global interest in key areas such as tourism, investment, and exports.

In addition, it underlines the country's alignment with the principles of renewable energy, carbon neutral and sustainable products.

"This fingerprint study is an invaluable tool to understand how Costa Rica is perceived globally and which aspects generate the most interest in key sectors. It allows us to fine-tune our strategies, projecting the value of Costa Rica in a way that connects with those seeking authentic and reliable experiences in a destination of quality and sustainability,” said Adriana Acosta, Director of esencial COSTA RICA, in a press release.

Tourism-related searches reached 11 million, the report says. The United States leads with almost 50 per cent of these searches, followed by Canada and Germany.

Ecotourism, surfing, and luxury tourism niches remain strategic, and searches related to sustainable activities, such as bird watching, hiking, and tourism in national parks.

Costa Rica has also recorded an eight per cent increase in export-related searches. Products such as coffee, flowers and cocoa are the most sought after, with notable increases such as 20 per cent in cocoa searches and 16 per cent in coffee.

Investment searches grew 17 per cent, highlighting topics such as "labour costs," "port infrastructure," and "clean energy."

One of the highlights of the study is the strength of Costa Rica's digital footprint. Content generated by official sources in the country appears in 83 per cent of searches, which ensures that international perception is aligned with Costa Rica's real offer.

The analysis also shows how Costa Rica has recovered and surpassed pre-pandemic levels of global interest, particularly in tourism, with a 42 per cent growth in searches.

"One of the objectives of the 2035 Strategy of esencial COSTA RICA is for our country to consolidate its global positioning as an example of sustainability and fight against climate change; and this new digital footprint study allows us to continue evaluating the perceptions of consumers who seek Costa Rica for different objectives, to continue working on those messages," Acosta said.

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