On Thursday morning, the airline Lufthansa arrived in Costa Rica with two daily flights per week direct from Frankfurt, Germany. It will be the eighth airline that flies from the Old Continent to the country.
Minister of Tourism, Mauricio Ventura, was clear that the European visitor produces more profits for the country than any other, mainly because they stay longer.
According to the hierarch, those who come from France, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, England and other European countries stay on average 18 days in Costa Rica and leave just over $1800, which means they spend between $100 and $110 per day.
For us, the European tourist is very important for several reasons. One is that they stay more nights in the country than the other tourists, so we have about 17 to 18 days of stay and that makes them spend on average $1800,”
said Ventura.
With Lufthansa there are already eight airlines that fly directly to Costa Rica. For 12 years Iberia has done so from Madrid, and this administration has achieved that seven other airlines from the Old Continent set their eyes on the country.
Air France, Condor, Edelweiss, British Airways, Thomson Airways and KLM preceded Lufthansa, bringing tourists from Paris, Switzerland, England, and soon from Holland, with the start of the KLM route.
Throughout history, Costa Rica has depended on the tourism of Americans, but they want t leave that behind, according to the minister.
We seek to grow in Europe as much as we can to lessen our dependence on the US market,”
said the hierarch.
The minister says that the growth of visitors from these countries is already in a double-digit percentage, that is, above 10% and that the acceptance is reflected in the decision of Air France to increase the frequency of their travels to the country. The French airline started with two weekly flights during the first season. Now, when the second season starts at the end of October, there will be three weekly flights from Paris.
Lufthansa will start flying to the country on March 29th, 2018.