EXPOTUR is the travel mart of Costa Rica and Central America, which takes place in COSTA RICA every year in the month of May.

The event is organized by ACOPROT (Costa Rican Association of Professionals in Tourism), which is a group that encompasses more than 1,200 members, all of them specialists and representatives of the different branches of Costa Rican Tourism.

This event took place for the first time in 1985 and it has promoted the services and touristic attractions in Costa Rica and other countries in the Central American region for 25 years.

Approximately 260 “Selling” firms gather in order to offer the array of services they render in this paradisiacal sector of Central America to “Buyers”. Among the services rendered, there are air transport, hotels, tour operators, car rental agencies, adventure tourism, health tourism, etc.

The Tourism Institutions in the sector also take part in the event, which demonstrates the formality the Fair carries; also, this is proof of the support these Institutions give to participants, which is the reason for which the fee carries the guarantee that the negotiations carried out during the event are of the highest quality.

The participants who attend as buyers are International wholesale businesspeople from Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America, the majority of whom attend repeatedly in view of the variety of the products and new businesses that sign up as service providers.

During the days prior to the event, the well-known “pre-circuits” are organized, so that the businesspeople who attend for the first time may become acquainted with some of the locations of touristic interest that may enter into the negotiations during the event. It is also customary to organize such an activity days after the event took place.

Approach behind the Negotiations

Buyers and sellers meet during two days at the Conference Center at the Ramada Plaza Herradura Hotel through appointments scheduled beforehand, in order to establish commercial liaisons and to design packages that will later be offered through travel agencies at their respective countries.

“Free Negotiation” is also practiced; this takes place between selling and wholesale companies, which did not have appointments scheduled beforehand by Expotur’s computerized system and who have shown interest in some of the participating companies.

More Information: www.expotur.com