Increasing Competiveness in the Tourism Market:

Analysis and Recommendations for Limón Province, Costa Rica

May, 2014

Alice Loy, PhD

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1. Overview Tourism is a critical economic driver for Costa Rica, annually contributing $2.253billion USD to the nation’s economy1. Yet, for various reasons, the market share of Limon Province in the national market remains at a 21% of the national market2. Current efforts to increase entrepreneurial capacity and create an effective regional partnership reveal both opportunities and challenges in the region. A market analysis indicates there is greatest promise for economic development aligned with regional cultures and communities through focusing efforts on “geotravelers” – travelers who prefer culture, heritage and outdoor activities. In order to gain market share and expand incomes related to tourism, entrepreneurs in the Province of Limón need to adopt and effectively use technologies and tools used frequently by tourists, including Web 2.0 and mobile marketing, online

reservation systems, and payment technologies. Working cooperatively across hospitality, transportation, and cultural sectors the region may be able to capture a leadership position in the emerging and growing geotourism market. Investments in brand development and marketing, as well as investments into entrepreneurial leaders, are warranted. The Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica offers unparalleled ecotourism, cultural, and heritage tourism opportunities. However, the region’s tourism development is plagued by four limiting factors: 1.) Rumors and facts regarding regional crime and safety; 2.) A lack of presence/visibility in tourism marketing channels – both government and private; 3.) A relative lack of tourism-related infrastructure such as higher-end hospitality

offerings; and 4.) An unmet need to differentiate the place brand from the nation’s other tourism offerings. It is widely

acknowledged that the infrastructure problems stem from decades of neglect on the part of the federal government of Costa Rica due to prejudice and disinterest in the region of Limón. Contemporary problems ranging from drug smuggling to infrequent trash removal to higher incidents of public health issues can be tied high levels of unemployment. While these challenges are real, so are accessible and low-cost solutions. This report details recommendations toward building a place-based brand. This place brand will attract greater number of higher value tourists while reinforcing positive cultural and social traditions and norms. Specifically, the report addresses reversing the negative image of the region, increasing the region’s presence and desirability in the targeted geotourism market, and building a differentiated brand for the region. Recommendations are tied to Web 2.0 technologies that make possible lower-cost enterprise strategies. Each section identifies specific technologies related to recommended solutions and opportunities as well as communication/marketing and technology adoption strategies. Before addressing recommendations, the report provides an overview of tourism in the region, entrepreneurial capacity in the region, market analysis and opportunities, and project activities completed to date.                                                                                                                1 http://www.visitCostaRica.com/ict/pdf/estadisticas/1-1_2013_Anuario_de_Turismo.pdf 2 http://www.visitCostaRica.com/ict/pdf/estadisticas/3-4_Pisos_demanda_UPT_2012.pdf  

Artwork by Francisco Urbeña.

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2. Limón Province The Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica is blessed with rain forests, beaches, national parks, distinct cuisine, music, and cultural events. Parts of the region have experienced phenomenal growth in tourism over the past two decades: in 1994 Puerto Viejo offered two hotels; today over 50 are listed on Tripadvisor.com. This growth is understandable considering the region has relatively inexpensive accommodations and offers the same four most desired activities to visitors: beaches, hiking, nature, and shopping 3 . The number of four and five star accommodations is lower than in other national tourist destinations, offering only .01% of the nation’s 4 and 5 star rooms4 despite having 10% the total rooms in the country. Additionally, the typical visitor to the region is attracted to the reputed “party town” atmosphere in Puerto Viejo and surroundings, the result being a younger “party and surfer” clientele, which brings

diminished totals in tourist-related income for the region. Current efforts to increase entrepreneurial capacity and create an effective regional partnership reveal both opportunities and challenges in the region. To date the communities of Limón province have been able to maintain local ownership of hotels, shops, and restaurants. While many business owners are foreigners, most live and work

in the communities where they own businesses. This local

ownership has led to a strong appetite for small business ownership

and a general entrepreneurial aptitude in the region. While not all elements of a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem are in place, the region has several key elements5. Additionally, economic gains are multiplied through local ownership: dollars spent in the area recycle back into the community instead of flowing to a corporate entity located outside the region or country. Locals feel a sense of urgency and opportunity to grow their own businesses and attendance at our workshops demonstrated this high level of interest in entrepreneurship.                                                                                                                3 http://www.visitCostaRica.com/ict/pdf/estadisticas/3-3_Actividades_Realizadas_VIA_AEREA_2008-2012.pdf 4 http://www.visitCostaRica.com/ict/paginas/cifras_turisticas/Junio_2012/CifrasTuristicas.pdf 5 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-12/what-an-entrepreneurial-ecosystem-actually-is.html  

Local business ownership has led to a strong appetite for

small business ownership and entrepreneurial aptitude.

Consortium of Local Creative Entrepreneurs

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2.1 Building Entrepreneurial Capacity Our workshops (one in Puerto Limón and one in Puerto Viejo) each attracted 28 participants (names listed in Appendices). Furthermore, participants eagerly accepted follow-on appointments and mentoring. A total of 232 hours of classroom instruction and mentoring were delivered. Trainings provided participants with an overview of marketing concepts melded with the use of Web 2.0 social technologies. Most commonly asked questions stemmed from a lack of awareness of Web 2.0 tools (like LinkedIn and Pinterest) and concerns regarding costs associated with website construction and maintenance. Challenges present themselves with a product offering and brand that is created and shared among varied businesses: consistency and quality become unpredictable and customers hesitate to try the unknown brand. To overcome this challenge the project is actively organizing small business consortiums and is identifying and cultivating small business leaders and brand champions. The emerging consortiums in Puerto Limón and Puerto Viejo provide an ideal platform for organizing small business owners, providing continued training and development, and shared tools and tactics for creating a consistently high-quality brand and related product offering. 3. Market Analysis and Opportunity The region’s ability to attract higher income visitors suffers from 1.) Low awareness of existing tourism amenities and activities, 2.) A reputation as a “party and surf” destination, 3.) A persistent problem with trash removal, and 4.) Damaging misconceptions about malaria, crime, and drug trade activities. This market position is perpetuated by the current lack of positive and accurate information about the region and the overall absence of a cohesive marketing and branding approach. 3.1 Position of Limón Province Brand Relative to Other Regions The combined areas of the Central Valley and Guanacaste dominate the tourism industry in Costa Rica. Between them they harbor 78% of the 4-5 star hotel rooms and 66% of the total hotel rooms in the country6 . In part, these regions’ popularity stems from the famous and well marketed Monteverde Reserve and Volcan Arenal National Park. A notable addition to these favored destinations includes the area surrounding Quepos including Jaco beach and Manual Antonio National Park, each attracting substantial numbers of international travelers. The town of Puntarenas offers a large quantity of hotels and restaurants yet caters primarily to Costa Rican citizens on brief holiday from the capital San José. Nicoya’s Tamarindo beaches are beloved for quality surfing and nightlife. Evaluations of planning websites (see list at end of report) offering packaged tours and “Top 10 Destinations” type lists give tourists the sense that the country is chock full of natural wonders including beaches, cloud forests, volcanoes, and

                                                                                                               6  http://www.visitCostaRica.com/ict/pdf/estadisticas/1-1_2013_Anuario_de_Turismo.pdf  

Local artwork, Manzanillo.

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wildlife. Note that culture and heritage activities are rarely mentioned. Furthermore, specific destinations in Guanacaste, the Central Valley, and Quepos areas are named and cited with activities while the Caribbean region is nearly always associated only with Puerto Viejo and Tortuguero –as ecoadventure destinations. The below matrix demonstrates the dual challenge faced by the Caribbean Coast: visitors perceive there are more amenities and more activities in other regions while also reading incorrect (or very little) information about the Caribbean areas.

2 by 2 Matrix: Brand Associations of Regions Limon / Caribe

Positive Perceptions of Amenities and Activities

HIGH Guanacaste

Valle Central / San José Pacífico del Medio

Puntarenas Pacífico del Sur

Llanuras del Norte

LOW HIGH

Concerns Re: Crime, Safety, Health    

    3.2 Market Segments: Served and Underserved The majority of international travelers (48%) arriving to Costa Rica come from North America7. While Costa Rica is expanding arrivals from Central America, Asia, and Europe8, specific nationalities could be better marketed to. For example, over the last decade, China has grown to become the first tourism source market in the world with US$ 102 billion in spending on travel abroad. Yet, arrivals from China to Costa Rica totaled only 6,573 in 20129 despite China’s per capita income is growing at 8.8% per year10 and the Americas being one of the main destination regions for Chinese travelers11. Additional nations meriting greater attention include the Republic of Korea (2012 per capita income $22,670, doubled since 2002) with arrivals to Costa Rica of only 3,437; Brazil with incomes at $11,63012 and increasing 7.7% annually, with 15,071 arrivals in 2012. The Caribbean region can focus on these nationalities and emphasize three unique offerings as compared to more frequently touristed regions: 1.) reasonably priced accommodations, 2.) English is widely spoken, and 3.) Cultural diversity including indigenous cultures. Costa Rica has excelled in attracting outdoor and adventure enthusiasts. As eco and adventure travel are growing segments, the region of Limón will do well to expand their offerings in this area. However, over-investing in this strategy harbors a pitfall: as Baby Boomers begin to age over the next two decades, Boomers will shift away from higher-risk

                                                                                                               7 http://www.visitCostaRica.com/ict/backoffice/treeDoc/files/Llegadas_internacionales_2012.pdf 8 http://www.visitCostaRica.com/ict/paginas/modEst/estudios_demanda_turistica.asp?ididioma=1 9 http://www.visitCostaRica.com/ict/backoffice/treeDoc/files/Llegadas_internacionales_2012.pdf 10 http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/china/overview 11 http://www2.unwto.org/publication/chinese-outbound-travel-middle-east-and-north-afRica 12 http://data.worldbank.org/country/brazil

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adventure to “soft adventures” mixed with wellness and culture and heritage travel. To move ahead of the curve and build a brand that attracts this shifting segment, Limón is advised to develop products and services that appeal to this growing segment (see chart) of wellness travelers.

The US Baby Boomer segment is important to Costa Rica travel as nearly 40% of travelers come from the US. Recent research (compiled by Clark Norton13) shows:

• Boomers in the US account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel in America; and spend half of all vacation dollars in the U.S.;

• Baby boomers make most of their major purchases, including big-ticket travel items, over the Internet, and spend two hours more online weekly than their nearest competitors for that honor, the Millennials;

• Boomers travel more than any other age group and rank travel at or near the top of surveys on how they would most like to spend their money.

Additionally, Boomers are traveling more frequently with their children and grandchildren – more than 20% of active travelers are grandparents and of these, 40% have taken a trip with a grandchild during the past year14. Activities and accommodations providers will do well to consider this trend when developing new products. Finally, the Caribbean Coast region is strongly encouraged to pursue market share in the geotourism or geotraveler market, which overlaps with Boomers and active adults and families. Geotravelers are a growing segment of the US, Canadian, and European tourist market. Typically geotravelers earn $60,000-$90,000 per capita annually, hold advanced

                                                                                                               13 http://www.clarknorton.com 14 http://www.mmgyglobal.com/process/research/

Percentage of International Tourists Engaging in Activity Types

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

ECOTOURISM

ADVENTURE

OCEAN TOURISM

WELLBEING

SOURCE: http://www.visitCostaRica.co

m/ict/pdf/estadisticas/3-3_Actividades_Realizadas_VI

A_AEREA_2008-2012.pdf

Limón is advised to develop products and services that appeal to the

growing wellness travel segment.

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or college degrees, and travel on average 20% more than non-geotravelers, this segment of the tourism market prefers “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place— its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.” 15 Notably, geotravelers, as compared to eco-travelers, prefer working landscapes that integrate local customs and traditions of the people who live in that place. Approximately 55million Americans are categorized as geotravelers. Further segmenting this market, we see that some geotravelers lean towards eco-activities while others lean toward heritage and culture activities. Recent research shows that geotravelers who lean toward culture and heritage activities are more likely to stay in locally-owned lodging, shop for local arts &

crafts, and eat local foods.

To demonstrate the growing significance of geotourism, we can look at the growth rates of it's components. Geotourism consists of

ecotourism, adventure tourism, and cultural tourism. According to the World Tourism Organization, the ecotourism industry is projected to grow by 4.1% annually for at least the next decade. Similarly, data from George Washington University demonstrate that adventure tourism is accelerating out of the recession with an estimated growth rate of 17% annually16. Finally, cultural tourism is already well established and considered one of the nation's most dynamic economic sectors, with 78% of US leisure travelers participating in “cultural and heritage activities”17 while on travel. Geotravelers spend more during trips (32% more on average) than the average traveler and enjoy culinary activities including sampling artisan food and wine, attending food and wine festivals and unique dining experiences18. Furthermore the same Mandala Research report shows that of geotravelers:

• 65% seek travel experiences where the destination, its buildings and surroundings have retained their historic character;

• 58% want travel to be educational, they make an effort to learn about local arts;

• 45% spend more money on cultural/heritage than on other activities while on a trip;

• 37% would pay more for lodging that reflects cultural/heritage of destination.

                                                                                                               15 http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable/about_geotourism.html 16 http://files.adventuretravel.biz/docs/research/adventure-tourism-market-study-2013-web.pdf 17 http://mandalaresearch.com/images/stories/free_download_CH_2013.pdf 18 http://mandalaresearch.com/images/stories/free_download_CH_2013.pdf  

Artist working, Estrada.

Tourist cycling group in Puerto Viejo, 2014.

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This market analysis indicates there is greatest promise for economic development in the Limón Province through developing products, services, and accommodations aligned with the region’s cultures and communities. Through focusing efforts on “geotravelers” – travelers who prefer authentic culture, heritage and outdoor activities - Limón can simultaneously grow into more lucrative tourism segments and adapt offerings to the changing (aging) population. The region must target specific geotraveler segments and highlight its unique and comparatively abundant heritage and cultural features. Geotravelers preference cultural and heritage experiences more than eco-experiences, while still valuing both. Additionally, geotravelers prefer to buy local, stay at local establishments, experience 19local culture, and eat local foods. Through targeting this market segment, the region capitalizes on its unique cultures, and activities – which constitute the region’s core competitive advantage. The following survey results, from Google20, show that travelers to Costa Rica first consider price and next consider available activities when selecting a destination – which suggests that Limón could be very competitive in the geotourism market.

4. Tech-savvy Travelers In 2012, 52% of all US leisure travelers reported using social media as a primary planning tool for travel. Furthermore, the extraordinary adoption rate of smartphones has made it possible for travelers to stay in touch, share, and generate content while on trips. As                                                                                                                 20 http://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/research-studies/2013-traveler.html

   Characteristics  Considered  “Very  Important/Important”  When  Choosing  Destination    

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Costo/Precios Activades que me interesan

Experiencias previas en el lugar

Variedad de actividades

Relaciono con el lugar

Promociones Price Activities Previous Experience Variety of Relationship Promotions That Interest Me in the Area Activities to Area

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travelers stay more connected while on travel they are beginning to look for activities and reviews while on vacation – using Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and TripAdvisor as sources of inspiration and information. In 2013:

• Stikkymedia.com reported 84% of travelers stated online reviews had an impact on their method of travel.

• mediabistro.com reported that 50% of travel companies have said that direct bookings have been generated from social media.

• The same report stated that 70% of travelers updated Facebook status while on vacation.

According to SportSocial.com, social media influenced 52% of travelers to change travel plans. Facebook was cited as the most popular site to post and review travel related content such as photos and recommendations. The fastest adoption of social technologies currently is coming from video as a sharing tool and marketing platform for small businesses. Low cost videos can be deployed on YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram. Videos do not have to be made by professionals or even travel professionals: 55% of people view videos “made by people like me”21.

                                                                                                               21 http://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/research-studies/2013-traveler.html

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

de Ocio de Negocio Afluente

% de Viajeros Usando Videos

2012

2013

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Videos made by hotels, airlines, cruises, tours, etc.

Trip reviews from experts

Videos from travel-related channels

Trip reviews from people like me

Videos made by people like me

Commercials/ads from companies/brands

Videos by friends and family % of Travelers Using Videos Types of Videos Travelers View

42% of travelers are more

likely to use their smartphone or tablet for information while on vacation - versus

33% in 2012.

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5. Recommended Strategies 5.1 Invest in Cultural Entrepreneurs Cultural entrepreneurs play a foundational, if overlooked and undervalued, role in place making and branding. Cultural entrepreneurs are visionary leaders whose unique ability to marry intrinsic cultural or place-based knowledge and creativity with extrinsic market trends and opportunities, provide communities with pathways toward future prosperity, often reshaping social and economic patterns and structures. Cultural entrepreneurs have the power to engage and shift communities, generate and grow incomes from place, reinvest in place distinctiveness, and provide consumer feedback and innovative responses to emerging market opportunities. In the process of building place brands, cultural entrepreneurs provide scaffolding as communities move across time and adopt new cultural norms and activities. They serve as sources of creative inspiration, community organizing, and market intelligence. They are foundational to place branding. In Limon Province, cultural entrepreneurs abound. The same exclusionary policies the federal government enforced until the 1950’s generated an insulted and increasingly unique cultural ecosystem in which Afro-Caribe, indigenous, and Latino folks mixed and shared traditions, talents, and creative expression. The result is a contemporary cultural and creative product offering unparalleled in the rest of the nation. The communities along the

coast harbor enterprises offering cultural experiences and connections to the people and place that meet the interests of geotourists in an authentic and fulfilling manner. Investing in resource and capacity development to increase the success of cultural entrepreneurs is essential to efforts to increase tourism and economic development. Cultural entrepreneurs of Limón create the stories, connections, and experiences sought by geo/eco

travelers. Investing in their digital skills, ability to cohesively and collaboratively market the region, and organize themselves as local business owners is a priority. Suggested ongoing capacity building efforts could emphasize: website development, videography and photography for web marketing, use of online marketing tools (youtube, pinterest, tumblr, etc) and use of mobile payment systems. Additionally, basic enterprise development courses and workshops will provide local entrepreneurs with a framework for using tools toward business expansion and sustainability.

The communities offer cultural experiences and connections to the people and place that meet

the interests of geotourists in an authentic and fulfilling manner.

Trash Heap and Vultures, downtown Puerto Limón.

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5.2 Reversing the Negative Image of the Region. First, the Costa Rican government and media, working in partnership with Limón leadership, needs to communicate the facts regarding crime, which is lower in Limón than San José. A public relations and traveler-targeted communication effort should be launched to negate the incorrect rumors that portray Limón as a dangerous destination and reinforce negative stereotypes regarding the region.      Second, a concerted effort must be made to collect garbage and provide more sanitary conditions and appearances. The high visibility of trash along roadsides, beaches, and nature preserves reinforces the sense that Caribbean Costa Rica is an unsafe, disorderly destination. Finally, positive imagery and reviews from tourism professionals and visitors should be encouraged through providing FAM tours to professionals, and through mounting a “Share the Best of Caribbean Costa Rica” campaign. This campaign is described below. 5.3 Increasing the Region’s Presence in Travel Media Costa Rica’s Caribbean region is relatively unknown – which gives Limón Province an opportunity to offer itself as an adventurous and “off the beaten path” destination. With support from national resources Limón is encouraged to gain both “earned” and “paid” media presence. A precursor to this strategy is the creation of basic website for locally owned eco-cultural businesses. Earned media presence can be gained through local business participation in social networks including Youtube, Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn. It is important that businesses actively invite visitors to “Share this!” “Like us!” and “Pin this!” through placing small reminder cards in hotel rooms, on restaurant tables, and near payment registers in shops. Paid media can be gained through 1.) hiring professional bloggers and travel writers to visit and write for eco-adventure-wellness magazine, e-zines, blogs, and travel sites, 2.) through creating video and photographic content and 3.) purchasing Google ads that target customers searching for specific search terms. 5.4 Place Branding & Building a Differentiated Brand for the Region Places vying to stand out in the marketplace are challenged to identify and highlight the ways in which their place is distinct from other places. Place making, as an economic development strategy, has long been used by cities and regions to attract and retain human

resources, secure outside investment, and compete in commerce and markets. Place brands accentuate the cultural assets and creative expression of a given locale, providing the key ingredients to differentiation--and thus competiveness--within place and tourism markets. Cultural entrepreneurs are often the source of these differentiating products and services and perform an essential function in the creation of place brands.

A precursor to this strategy is the creation

of basic website for locally owned eco-cultural

businesses.

Traditional Dance Group of Limón: Grupo Dancestre

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The government agencies responsible for promoting Costa Rica’s various destinations can work to differentiate the various regions’ offerings more effectively. The Costa Rica tourism site (http://www.visitcostarica.com) fails to mention, for example, that of the 18 “Things that make Costa Rica Unique” is the rich Afro-caribe culture, cuisine, music, and dance of the Atlantic side of the nation. Additionally, Limón area businesses and accommodations have not been included in Costa Rica’s 2012 participation in 19 international tourism fairs in major inbound countries including the United States, Canada, Spain, Germany, France and the UK. Additional ways national resources can support a differentiated and more targeted marketing strategy include giving names or taglines to each of the seven regions, better promoting specific destinations, and giving tailored identities and voices for each region will allow improved targeted marketing. For example, the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/visitCostaRica) posts by the Tourism Board do not name the destination where photos were taken – this leaves Facebook visitors with the impression that all of Costa Rica is similar. Additionally, greater effort can be made by ICT to engage entrepreneurs in each region to mount photo and video campaigns for their region. And, success has been had by mounting government-managed websites that allow private sector businesses to list themselves on the list under categories including location, activity, and itinerary development for a region. See http://www.newmexicotrue.com for an example. Tourism web sites managed by private businesses offering tour packages, trip planning, and activity ideas and packages should be communicated with and included in FAM tours. 5.5 Increasing Tourism during Shoulder Season During the low tourism months (April, May, September and October) the Caribbean side of Costa Rica experiences less precipitation and shoulder season opportunities exist during which tourism revenues could be increased through promoting “Stay dry on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica”.

Precipitation, Arrivals, and Shoulder Season Opportunities

5.6 Product Development

0  

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MONTHLY PRECIPITATION in

mm QUEPOS

LIMON INTERNATIONAL

ARRIVALS TRENDLINE

- - - - - - -

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Great advances could be made in product innovation in the region. While artistic traditions exist, relatively few resources have been invested into supporting the professional development of artists. Suggested methods include artist to artist exchanges across regions and nations, artist skill development through engagement with museum collections, and facilitated dialoguing gallery owners and design leaders. Product development specialists can also be extremely helpful in generating trendy designs that embrace traditions and innovation. Finally, artists are increasingly turning to Youtube and similar video-based resources to generate creative skills and gain new ideas for products. 6. Advancing Caribbean Costa Rica’s Web 2.0 Competitiveness 6.1 Building Basic Websites The first step in building regional competiveness in a Web 2.0 world is creating basic websites for small businesses. While some argue that with the prevalence of social media a website is not necessary, four key reasons negate this assertion:

1.) Potential customers may find new businesses through social media or other websites but statistics indicate they then jump to the business’s website to verify the products and services of the business.

2.) Websites provide in depth information and make contacting your business easy. Some social media sites obscure contact information (i.e. Pinterest and Twitter) and customers may need to email or call the business.

3.) Websites provide in depth analytics regarding how customers search and find businesses, when demand increases, what SEO terms are most effective, etc.

4.) Social media trends change fast and building a website provides a stable platform from which trends can be followed and abandoned without losing touch with customers.

Contemporary website/blog platforms such as Tumblr, Squarespace, Weebly, and Wordpress offer entrepreneurs mobile-optimized low cost solutions that can be built in a day and maintained with minimal effort. As is typical in more rural communities, entrepreneurs in Limón are unfamiliar with most of these tools – yet could easily

build them with initial training and support. Additionally, local university students could provide a cadre of experts – computer savvy youth who are in need of professional development and access to resume-building opportunities. The province hosts three universities and these harbor skilled techies who inherently understand social media and web site development. Matching tech savvy students with design-minded arts and visual media students brings together a team of locals who could be deployed to create videos, photos, blog posts, and reviews of sites and services. 6.2 Developing Themes for Placement in Social Media

Local university students could provide a cadre of experts – computer savvy

youth who are in need of professional development and access to resume-

building opportunities.

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The region would do well to coordinate its brand and collectively cultivate themes that both align with and differentiate itself from other areas of Costa Rica. “Adventures in Culture”, “Wellness and Wildlife”, “Heritage and History in Costa Rica”, “Undiscovered Costa Rica”, “Limon Shore Excursions”, etc. With 8-10 themes tied to the unique and desired activities and experiences of the region, social media from varied businesses will present a unified brand. Small business consortiums and chambers are essential to implementing coordinated initiatives such as this. Themes also help launch organized social media actions: Twitter uses hashtags to organize people around themes, Pinterest uses topic-centric “Boards” to organize content, and LinkedIn groups are organized around areas of interest like “Wellness Travel” and “Ecotourism Professionals”. 6.3 ¡Compartá lo Mejor de Caribe Costa Rica! User generated content (UGC) is essential in today’s content saturated marketplace. Without leveraging the sheer volume of content posted by visitors, aficionados, and customers marketeers can not hope to generate a strong presence in the Web 2.0 world. Currently the majority of reviews related to Caribbean Costa Rica on Tripadvisor center on Puerto Viejo. The rest of the province is almost nonexistent to potential visitors seeking inspiration and ideas about visiting the region. The entire region is tasked with exploding the amount of UGC through proactively soliciting reviews, feedback, photos, Likes, and more. The most effective method to do this is to place physical signs reminding and inviting visitors to share, pin, tweet, review, like, post, etc. Ideal locations are near beds in hotels, on tables in restaurants, and in printed brochures listing activities in hotel lobbies. Shops and galleries can set reminder cards next to cash registers. Conversations must be cultivated with clients and customers through sharing and exchanging photos, comments, videos, tips, etc. Social media is just that: social. The final recommendation for the region is to launch a public relations campaign intended to organize and coordinate thematic approaches to social media and to galvanize user generated content. 7. Summary Tourism is a critical economic driver for Costa Rica, yet the market share of Limon Province in the national market remains relatively low. While challenges are real, so are accessible and low-cost solutions. Recommendations stemming from online research, site interviews, on-site observations, include:

1.) Building a place brand founded on the cultural and eco enterprises of the region; 2.) Pursuing market share in the geotourism or geotraveler market; 3.) Differentiating the region as culturally rich and “Costa Rica undiscovered”; 4.) Reversing the region’s negative image regarding safety and health; 5.) Increasing the region’s presence in social media and Web 2.0 realms; 6.) Deploying college youth as techies who can build competitive marketing content.

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The Caribbean side of Costa Rica is an enchanting and engaging place where Afro-caribe, Latino, and indigenous cultures mix and unfold against a backdrop of beaches and rainforests. With more to offer than the typical beach vacation, the Province of Limón can become competitive in the geotourism market, especially if the current efforts to organize and coordinate small businesses continues to be successful.

APPENDICES

Local artwork by Francisco Urbeña.

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SUGGESTED RESOURCES AND TOOLS FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/CostaRicaTravel https://www.facebook.com/costaricatraveler https://www.facebook.com/PuertoViejo?ref=br_tf https://www.facebook.com/visitcostarica?ref=br_tf https://www.facebook.com/proyectolimonciudadpuerto https://www.facebook.com/dancestradelimon?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/pages/Limón-Costa-Rica/111618458855951 PINTEREST http://www.pinterest.com/swarlywanda/viejos-tiempos-puerto-rico/ http://www.pinterest.com/culturalpreneur/caribbean-costa-rica-un-paraiso/ http://www.pinterest.com/caribbeaninfo/costa-rica/ http://www.pinterest.com/jeannineman/costa-rica-republic-of-costa-rica/ MAGAZINES/BLOGS

• Yoga Journal http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/travelAdventure • Women’s Adventure Magazine http://www.womensadventuremagazine.com/ • National Geographic www.adventure.nationalgeographic.com/ • Adventure World www.adventureworldmagazine.com/ • Lets Be Wild www.letsbewild.com/ • CostaRicaTravelBlog.com

ONLINE and MOBILE PAYMENT SYSTEMS

• Zimp • www.paygol.com • www.fortumo.com • www.paypal.com • www.squareup.com (not yet available in Costa Rica)

ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEMS

• RMS Hospitality Solutions • Rezdy.com • Reggo.com

OTHER

• http://blog.travelanswerman.com/?p=232 • https://www.ecotourism.org/what-is-ecotourism • http://www.wellnesstourismworldwide.com/

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION TERMS

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Google Searches Per Month (Averages) Costa Rica Caribbean surf 10 Culture of Costa Rica 390 Limon Costa Rica things to do 10 Costa Rica tour 390 Puerto Limon shore excursions 10 Costa Rica best beaches 390 surfing Caribbean Costa Rica 10 Costa Rica birds 390 What to do in Puerto Limon Costa Rica 10 Puerto Viejo de Talamanca 390 Puerto Limon Costa Rica attractions 20 Costa Rica surf vacations 480 what to do in Limon Costa Rica 20 Costa Rica travel guide 480 Costa Rica adventure tour 30 Puerto Limon 480 Costa Rica Caribbean hotels 40 vacation rentals Costa Rica 480 adventure Costa Rica 50 best Costa Rica resorts 590 adventure travel Costa Rica 50 Costa Rica resort 590 Caribbean coast of Costa Rica 50 birds of Costa Rica 720 beach rentals Costa Rica 90 Costa Rica music 720 Costa Rica Caribbean beaches 90 Costa Rica beach resorts 880 Costa Rica sea turtles 90 Costa Rica travel tips 880 Costa Rican adventures 90 Traveling to Costa Rica 880 Costa Rica vacations for families 100 Costa Rica vacation rentals 1,000 Costa Rica beach vacation 110 Costa Rica family vacations 1,000 Costa Rica tropical rainforest 110 Costa Rica rainforest 1,300 Costa Rica rainforest resorts 110 Costa Rica rentals 1,300 Costa Rica family vacation 170 Costa Rica honeymoon 2,400 Costa Rica travel tips 210 all inclusive resorts Costa Rica 2,900 rainforest Costa Rica 210 Costa Rica tours 2,900 cheap Costa Rica vacations 320 all inclusive Costa Rica 3,600 Costa Rica Caribbean coast 320 Puerto Viejo Costa Rica 3,600 cheap Costa Rica vacations 320 Costa Rica travel 6,800 Costa Rica best beaches 390 Costa Rica vacations 40,500

WEBSITES REVIEWED http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Costa_Rica http://www.visitCostaRica.com/ict/paginas/home.asp?ididioma=1 http://www.CostaRicaguides.com/Costa_Rica_travel_destinations/top_ten_travel_destinations_Costa_Rica.html http://www.anywhereCostaRica.com/destinations http://www.touropia.com/best-places-to-visit-in-Costa-Rica/ WORKSHOP ATTENDEES

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Jeffry Barley Lucia Lopez Montoya Dionne Watson Carla Aroya Campbell Karol Cisneros Mojica Romal Coto Ruiz Erika Sánchez Alpizar Elena Gaitan Reyanira Molina Shamolo Rojas Sandra Ricketts Luis Bastro Miriam Martzo Jose Pereira Evelyn Sanchez Rosalia Delgada Laura Gonzales Maritza Bega Jose Bruneo Ileana Zamora Flor ? Julieta Pecou Elizabeth Valdes Sancha Bantor Lorenzo ? Guisella Granado

Sandra Hall Nathalie Walters Jeanne Allen George Ebanks Ruth Corrales Kathia Mora Edviges Madrigal Maria Rodriguez Carlos Montoya Loria Tania Quiel Coslio Fania Edwards Eva Arauz Eliseo Kelly Rito Williams Andrea Gamboat Rosa Gonzales Solangie Hunter Veronica Glenda Aaron Zeimy Delmar Adriana Jorselda Elif Claudio

Hazel