Costa Rica returns from Spain, where it participated in the Fitur international tourism fair with various awards and recognitions that place it at the forefront of the world scene and highlight its innovative, inclusive and sustainable model, which is part of its tourism strategy.
Chair of the Committee on Tourism and Sustainability of UN Tourism
In the framework of the FITUR fair held on Thursday 25 January, the Committee on Tourism and Sustainability of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) awarded Costa Rica the presidency of the body for the next four years, a candidacy supported by the majority of the members at the 18th meeting of the Committee. The country's commitment to sustainable tourism, which, in addition to bringing together more than 6.5% of the world's biodiversityhas a 28% of Protected Areas- 28% of Protected Areas- 28% of Protected Areas together with innovative initiatives and global recognition, have positioned him as the ideal candidate to lead the Committee on Tourism and Sustainability.
In addition, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute has signed the Glasgow Declarationwhich acts as a crucial driver by highlighting the urgency of accelerating climate action in the tourism sector and seeking to secure concrete commitments to support global targets, including halving carbon emissions in the next decade and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. It is also reaffirmed by the Global Plastics in Tourism Initiativethrough which it commits to implement and promote actions aimed at fostering a circular economy in the sector to significantly reduce the use of plastics, one of the root causes of pollution. Both initiatives are supported and promoted by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Costa Rica, for more accessible, inclusive and social tourism
The Costa Rican Accessible Tourism Network has been awarded "Inclusive Organisation of the Year" at the first edition of the FITUR 4ALL awards, a pioneering initiative within the framework of the Fitur fair that recognises trends and exemplary practices in accessible tourism, aimed at breaking down barriers and bringing tourist destinations closer to all people, regardless of their accessibility needs.
The Costa Rican Network of Accessible Tourism is a non-profit association, a reference point for information, verification and education on Accessible Tourism in Costa Rica. Its objective is to enable national and international people with disabilities to get to know the natural beauties of the country, through access to accurate information and a high quality service. https://costaricaturismoaccesible.com/
Costa Rica has also announced that it has been selected to host from 23 to 25 October 2024 the World Congress on Social TourismThe decision was taken unanimously by the Board of Directors of the Social Tourism Organisation (ISTO). Costa Rica's election is supported by its active participation since 2015 in this field with the ISTO valuing Costa Rica's effort in understanding, applying and evolving the concepts of social tourism in favour of the most disadvantaged population; the right to do tourism, together with the fact of hosting the 'Social Tourism Meeting of the Americas in 2019', year in which the 'Costa Rica Social Tourism with Integrity' programme, later called 'Tourism for all people', was also launched.
Crafts with Identity
In addition, the Minister of Tourism, William Rodriguez, taking advantage of his presence in Spain, has participated in the presentation of Tico Treasures (www.ticotreasures.com), the new e-commerce platform of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) that will connect national and international visitors with the product offer of the "Crafts with Identity" programme, made up of 17 Artisan Collectives comprising 300 MSMEs, created more than ten years ago by the ICT. Traditional handicrafts receive a new boost with this new project "...".Tico Treasures", which began in November 2022 with the signing of the public-private agreement between the ICT, Mastercard and Correos de Costa Rica, and with the addition of Banco de Costa Rica, providing MSMEs with financial tools for online commerce.. Through this platform at will allow artisans to sell their products online and send them to any part of the national territory and the rest of the world, thus expanding the frontiers for the commercialisation of their products and promoting the recovery and acceleration of this economic activity.
For more information, please visit Official website in English: www.visitcostarica.com/es – Social networking: Instagram y Facebook
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