Quality of Life Matters

Costa Rica must be doing something right! Its Nicoya peninsula is among the world’s five Blue Zones – areas where people typically live longer than the global average. The country also ranks consistently high in the UN’s happiness index.

With nonstop flights and all the attractions of a tropical paradise, the Central American country of Costa Rica can be an easy sell for many travel advisors. It also has some key distinctions that could make it the trip of a lifetime for clients who seek a healthy, transformative experience.

In Travel Agent Academy’s recently launched course at CostaRicaSpecialist-US.com, you will learn how to present Costa Rica to all sorts of clients – whether they want to have fun in a pristine environment with plenty of activities and lodging options, learn about nature and culture, bring their life into better balance, or all of this.

Brimming With Life

Costa Rica harbors an unusually high concentration of wildlife species – such as jaguars, sloths, tapirs, ocelots, scarlet macaws, toucans and blue Morpho butterflies – all within a vast network of national parks, refuges and other protected zones, which in turn encompass terrains like rainforests, dazzling beaches, volcanoes and wetlands. This course will give you a region-by-region overview, advising where clients can best experience favorite activities, including:

– wildlife viewing

– ziplining

– hiking

– surfing

– diving

– kayaking

– rejuvenating in hot springs and spas

Learn how diversity can also be found among Costa Rica’s people, who comprise eight indigenous groups and those with African, Asian, Caribbean and Spanish ancestry. They are often happy to share their music, art and food traditions with visitors – from Calypso bands, rodeos, lessons in oxcart painting or preparing a nutritious casado, to a host of festivals.

La Pura Vida

Happiness is palpable throughout Costa Rica, and it possibly stems from a compassionate worldview known as "la pura vida" (literally, the pure life). Centered on the importance of family, friends and nature, it creates a sense of stewardship among Costa Ricans that extends to the environment and to all visitors.

The country’s tourism product is hence characterized by low-scale development, eco-friendly resorts, fresh food, accessible attractions and wellness programs that will envelop your clients in nature’s serenity and guide them in simple practices. You will learn what "Earthing" and "forest bathing" are, and other ways for your clients to return home healthier and wiser.