Costa Rica Tourism Board Launches Innovative North American Advertising Campaign

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Oct. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Costa Rica Tourism Board announced today the launch of its new advertising campaign in the United States and Canada, set to inspire visitors to explore the wide variety of offerings that have long made Costa Rica one of the most popular travel, study abroad and second home destinations for Americans and Canadians.

Spanning from October 6, 2011 to February 5, 2012, the campaign, titled Costa Rica's Million Dollar Gift of Happiness, seeks to spread happiness by gifting US $1 million dollars worth of week-long Costa Rican vacations to people in the United States and Canada. North Americans can enter to win one of the highly-coveted trips via Visit Costa Rica's Facebook page, which will serve as the hub of the campaign. Twitter, influential blogs and popular news outlets are also being used as sources to find travelers who share Costa Rica's values, and who, of course, would benefit from a gift of happiness.

Recipients of the week-long Costa Rican vacations have the option of selecting a trip from a group of exciting themed travel packages, including Romantic Happiness (romance), Adventure Happiness (soft adventure), Wildlife Happiness (nature), Adrenaline Happiness (extreme adventure) and Authentic Happiness (culture). On the country's official Facebook page, fans of Costa Rica will be able to preview five videos corresponding to each trip experience. Thanks to a strong social media component, the campaign will encourage North American travelers to explore the country's natural beauty, thrill-seeking adventures and sustainable tourism practices, while also sharing these experiences with friends and family.

The campaign was inspired by Costa Rica's recognition as one of the happiest places in the world by the New Economic Foundation's Happy Planet Index, which rates satisfaction based on a country's quality of life, life expectancy and carbon footprint.  The Gallup World Index's The World's Happiest Countries also named Costa Rica one of its happiest places in the world, ranking it as the happiest place in the Americas.

This is the first time in 16 years that the Costa Rica Tourism Board has launched an institutional advertising campaign in the United States and Canada, according to Costa Rica Tourism Minister Allan Flores. The Costa Rica Tourism Board hopes that this campaign will contribute to its goal of increasing visitor numbers by five percent annually, while sharing with its North American friends how Costa Rica's offerings, including the country's commitment to sustainability, have paved the way for its recognition as one of the happiest places in the world.

"Costa Rica has long embraced American and Canadian visitors with open arms," Flores explained. "Sharing our country with others is one of the things that make Costa Ricans most happy, and this campaign will demonstrate that we really mean it when we say it."

Created by Atlanta-based independent advertising agency 22squared, the timing of this campaign is ideal, as Costa Rica forecasts strong tourism numbers for the upcoming high season, kicking off in November. This year, the country has already broken records with nearly 1.2 million tourists visiting Costa Rica during the first six months of 2011. This corresponds to a 6.5 percent increase, compared to the first half of the last four years and the forecasted growth of the World Tourism Organization, which is between 4 and 5 percent.

About Costa Rica

Nestled between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica is located in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama. The country represents only .05 percent of the planet's surface but shelters almost 5 percent of the world's biodiversity. Costa Rica is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, four types of forest, 12 microclimates and more than 500 species of flora and fauna, with more than 26 percent of its territory comprising national parks and other protected areas, making the country one of the most popular sustainable tourism destinations in the world.  

Some of Costa Rica's most notable recognitions include: TripAdvisor 2011 Travelers' Choice Beaches Award for top beach in Central and South America; the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Award 2010 for best resort in the Americas and best hotel in Central America; Travel Weekly Readers' Choice Award 2010 for the seventh consecutive year for best destination in the Americas; and Apple Vacations 2011 Crystal Apple Award for Best Destination.

About Costa Rica's Million Dollar Gift of Happiness

Costa Rica will give away US$1 million in trips to Americans and Canadians from October 2011 to March 2012 as part of Costa Rica's Million Dollar Gift of Happiness, a campaign in appreciation of ranking first worldwide in the New Economic Foundation's Happy Planet Index. To compete for one of these trips, visit www.facebook.com/visitcostarica.

About the Costa Rica Tourism Board

The Costa Rica Tourism Board (www.visitcostarica.com), created in 1955, is responsible for promoting tourism attractions and destinations nationally and internationally; establishing tourism norms, regulations and incentives; and certifying Costa Rica's hotels, travel agencies, rental cars and other tourism service providers under its world-renowned Certification of Sustainable Tourism program.

For travel information about Costa Rica, contact the Costa Rica Tourism Board directly at 1-866-267-8274, visit www.visitcostarica.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

For press inquiries, please contact 1-888-600-6806, e-mail [email protected] or consult VisitCostaRica.mediaroom.com.

This material is distributed by Burson-Marsteller on behalf of the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

MEDIA CONTACT  
Dana Cohen
1-888-600-6806
[email protected]

SOURCE Costa Rica Tourism Board