CommuniQuest Incentive Travel Digest - Year 11 Vol. 1, 205

Vol. 1, No. 205

DIRECTORY

INDEX

Visionary, Founder and Seller of Dreams: Jose Manuel GARCIA, CDS jmgarcia@ividmc.travel

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Pg.

President: Jose Manuel (Manolo) GARCIA

Pg.

Meetings and Incentives in Costa Rica

CIS, CMS, CCM, CES manolo@ividmc.travel Vice President of Marketing: Raquel MIJARES, CIS, DMCP,

Pg.

CITP rmijares@ividmc.travel

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Corporate Business

Costa Rica among the 9th most chosen countries in Latin America for Meetings and Incentives Pg.

C o nne c t ivit y an d Cost a Ri c a 's biodiversit y

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The education system in Costa Rica and its plethora of attractions

Director: Mariana LEON, CMS, CITP corp.business@ividmc.travel

Pg.

Corporate Quality Director:

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Costa Rica's strategic location, outstanding infrastructure and sustainability

Julia ORTIZ, CES, CMS jortiz@ividmc.travel IT Manager: Javier HERNANDEZ informatica@ividmc.travel

Pg. Content & Editing:

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Costa Rica ranked as the 7th best in the world in terms of quality

Omar DELGADILLO corp.news@ividmc.travel

Destination offices

Cover subject: The definition of Pura Vida; Costa Rica's M&E

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Mexico:

Caribbean:

Central America:

South America:

IVI DMC Los Cabos

IVI DMC Cuba

IVI DMC Costa Rica

IVI DMC Colombia

Yazmin ELOSEGUI, DMCP, CIS,

Alejandro DEBASA, CMS

Jeremy ZUÑIGA

Alexandra MONTAÑEZ

CMS, CITP

Regional Managing Director

Regional Managing Director

Regional Managing Director

Destination Managing Director

adebasa@ividmc.travel

jzuniga@ividmc.travel

amontanez@ividmc.travel

IVI DMC Dominican Republic

IVI DMC Panama

yelosegui@ividmc.travel IVI DMC Puerto Vallarta & Riviera

Bidia BISSUMBHAR, CIS, CES, CMM Malek ALMAINI

Nayarit

Regional Managing Director

Destination Manager

Jaime NELO, DMCP, CIS, CMS,

bidia@ividmc.travel

malek@ividmc.travel

CES, CCM Destination Managing Director jnelo@ividmc.travel IVI DMC Cancun & Riviera Maya Ximena LOPEZ, CMS Marketing & Planning Director cun.planning2@ividmc.travel

© Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.

A WORD FROM OUR PRESIDENT. Dear reader, With its reputation as an eco-friendly paradise, Costa Rica offers naturally beautiful backdrops, which have propelled its success in setting the international standard as a destination for meetings and incentive travel. The country’s modern and unique event spaces - including the stunning new Convention Centers in the capital of San Jose - complement its rainforest, stunning beaches, and alluring wildlife. According to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Costa Rica is the 9th most frequently chosen country in Latin America to host meetings and 56th globally. We at IVI DMC are ready to welcome you to any of Latin America’s glorious destinations; we guarantee a leading quality and sanitary protocols thanks to our constant training, internationally recognized certifications, and the countless hours served by our human resources and hard-working executives. This accomplishment and enthusiastic attitude are what upholds our motto, in your business, “We make YOU look GREAT”!

Sincerely,

Jose Manuel (Manolo) GARCIA, CIS, CMS, CCM, CES President IVI DMC Enterprises

COMPANY PROFILE •

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After more than 34 years, iVi DMC is no longer just another DMC, we are more than that, today thank GOD and the teamwork of partners, associates, and advisors we are a true holding company such as: IVI CORPORATE. I.- IVI DMC, since 1986.

Website: www.ividmc.travel Serving only incentive houses, event companies, site selection companies and specialized travel agencies, or only 40% of the universe of the travel industry.

Direct corporate business is prohibited for us.

Co-ownership in a franchise model network in 6 LATAM countries throughout Mexico - Cuba - Dominican Republic - Costa Rica - Panama - Colombia with the same top standards of quality as a “Coca Cola in the middle of the desert.”

II.- DQuest DMO, since 2000.

Website: www.DQuest.travel Multi Destination CVB - First private DMO in LATAM. Site Selection Company.

Social Media (facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, etc.

Public Relations.

III.- Amigos of the Planet Foundation, since 2000.

Website: www.amigosoftheplanet.org Three main objectives. a) Health. b) Education. c) Environment.

Pura Vida living in

Costa Rica You'll soon find that Costa Rica is the ideal destination to hold your next meeting or incentive travel. Bring professionals in your field together in a country recognized for its diverse attractions and activities, connectivity, world leadership in sustainability, and state-of-the-art and technologically advanced infrastructure and services.

Costa Rica represents an excellent alternative for planning meetings and incentive travel. We offer a wide array of attractions for visitors and a tourism sector that is renowned for its creativity and professionalism. Numerous testimonials speak to the excellent results that have been obtained by events held in our country. A few of the most important reasons to consider us as a destination for your next meeting or incentive trip are connectivity, a strategic location, excellent infrastructure, well-being and quality, experience, a high educational level, sustainability, and diversity of activities.

Connectivity Costa Rica is located in Central America, south of Nicaragua and north of Panama. The country has two main international airports, Juan Santamaría International Airport, near the capital of San José, and Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in the country’s northeastern Guanacaste province. Coming to Costa Rica is easy from the main cities of Latin America, North America, and Europe, with twenty-nine airlines offering over 500 flights per week. Also, numerous daily flights connect Juan Santamaría International Airport with the nearby hub of the Americas, Tocumen International Airport in Panama City.

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Paradise just a flight away It’s because of Costa Rica’s accessibility and its tourism qualities that the largest airlines have announced an increase in their flights to the country. One of them announced two additional daily flights from Dallas to Costa Rica since 2019.

Another airline announced an increased number of flights between Costa Rica and Toronto, which resulted in a 36% boost in the number of seats between 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, it provided service during September and October, when operations had previously been interrupted. In terms of port infrastructure, the country jumped from 89th to become the regional leader in total connectivity thanks to the opening of the Moín Container Terminal, according to data from the World Economic Forum. For the first time, the country will have a direct connection between Moín Port and the markets of Europe and Asia without the need to ship goods overland.

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Nature exhales harmony to the soul On the other hand, the advantage of being a small country that is home to 5% of the world’s biodiversity is that many of the attractions are very close to one another, for example, visitors can enjoy the warmth of our beaches at less than a 2-hour journey from the capital. Once the meeting has taken place, participants can choose to enjoy the lush mountains or choose a tour closer to their lodgings.

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Strategic location Costa Rica is situated in sunny Central America, with a varying and highly pleasant climate year-round.

Temperatures range from 7080°F (21-26ºC).

Excellent infrastructure The capacity of the largest Conference Halls is, Guanacaste: 800 guests, Central Pacific: 340 guests, Central Valley ( Costa Rica Convention Center ): 3,000 guests.

Sustainable Costa Rica is a world leader in clean energy production and practically free of fossil fuels.

• The country runs on green electricity for 99% of the year • Taxes on fossil fuels help protect Costa Rica’s forests • Protected areas cover 25% of the nation’s territory • According to the Happy Planet Index, Costa Rica was the happiest and most sustainable country on the planet in 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2016 • The country has set itself the goal of being carbon-neutral by 2021 Page 9

Well-being and quality of life An evaluation of the country’s public health system ranked it as the seventh-best in the world in terms of life quality and the best in Latin America.

Additionally, Costa Rica is the highest-ranking country in the Happy Planet Index, the second year that it has received this distinction. The HPI examines aspects such as sustainable happiness at the national level, examining around 140 countries on the following criteria: how happy their citizens are, how long their live, and the amount of resources they use.

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According to the 2019 World Happiness Report, published by the UN, Costa Rica is ranked 12th in a list of 156 countries.

This index analyzes a variety of indicators such as life expectancy, social support and corruption, among others.

This year’s report paid more attention to addiction issues, which, it says, are a factor in unhappiness and depression.

“I don’t want an army of soldiers, but an army of educators”, President José Figueres Ferrer, 1948. This was the phrase that put an end to Costa Rica’s army and converted into one of the world’s first countries without armed forces. Over 70 years ago, the country has put aside violence to invest more in education, health and infrastructure.

That is why this decision strengthened the practice of democracy and the country’s sociopolitical stability.

Experience Costa Rica has set the international standard as a destination for Meetings and Incentive travel. According to information from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Costa Rica is the 9th most frequently chosen country in Latin America to host meetings, and 56th globally.

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High education level

Costa Rica’s educational system has a major digital focus, with 90% of schools and educational institutions currently offering access to digital technology. It is essential to note that roughly 44% of the population has studied at the post-secondary level.

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Diversity of attractions and activities The country’s geographical diversity offers visitors a little bit of everything, from mountain chains and active volcanoes to gorgeous beaches on its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. This incredible geography creates a wide array of microclimates, meaning that there is always more to discover. With so many sights to behold, Costa Rica offers a rich experience for your Meeting or Incentive travel.

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Interview with

The Experts!

Dale Smith

Director of Sales & Marketing - Andaz Costa Rica Resort Dale is living in San Francisco with his partner Marlon. He has been in the industry for over 20 years, with an extensive track record that includes working with prestigious hotels such as W, Marriott, Four Seasons, Hyatt, and Andaz Costa Rica during the last four years. Dale loves Costa Rica, he enjoys going out into nature, visiting the parks, and hiking.

Costa Rica is showing some promising changes over the last couple of months as the country has established a clear plan that will allow every region of the world to travel to Costa Rica by simply taking a health pass survey and purchasing health insurance. Strong protocols are in place, and as a result, they are seeing an increase in visitors; having now groups on the books for the first quarter of 2021.

Andaz Costa Rica is now open, with their first groups arriving in January 2021. They have implemented mandatory protocols that extend from the airport to the hotel - every step of their stay. In the Food and Beverage section, they have redesigned the space, contemplating social distances. This includes re-adjusting menus, and working closely with the Health Ministry.

Click here to watch the full interview >>

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Jeremy Zuñiga

Regional Managing Director IVI DMC Costa Rica Jeremy began his career in the tourism industry helping his family in their lodge that was located in the Caribbean of Costa Rica. After that, he decided to get more involved in the business so he studied to be a naturalist tour guide. His passion for the industry propelled him to a world of growth opportunities, which led him to work for several companies during his career. His knowledge and a strong sense of customer service skills allowed him to be promoted to the sales and marketing department.

He shared that Costa Rica has done a great job since opening its borders to every nation in the world. With open arms, Costa Rica is ready to welcome all visitors while enforcing protocols has become mandatory. Since opening its borders, Costa Rica has received 36,000 tourists with no reports of Covid - which says a lot about the strenuous work the destination has done.

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What our client’s have to say.

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Great time in your wonderful country. Everything was on time! Well coordinated. The staff worked well to adjust to our needs.

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It was easy to communicate and make the reservation for our Senior Executive. He located the IVI representative (turquoise shirt) and the process was easy. Eugenia ESPARZA (the Program Exec) was very responsive and efficient.

MaryLeigh Burnett | Executive Assistant

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Sandra Daniel | President & CEO

IVI DMC was professional and great every step of the way. Thank you to the entire team for your help and professionalism.

Ashley Peterson | Senior Program Manager

Doctor Travel’s cure for the common trip Find Photogenic Places Use Instagram when looking to find the best places to visit during your stay at a particular destination. Before you plan your trip, make sure to check Instagram for the most scenic places in that town or city. If you´re still in search of help, don't be shy to ask the locals, as they will be more than happy to help!

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Serving the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions industry since 1986.

Find us in over 41 destinations throughout: • Mexico • Cuba • Dominican Republic • Costa Rica & • Panama • Colombia

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CONTACT:

Dear reader!

Thanks for reading Communiquest Incentive Travel Digest I hope you find in this newsletter a useful tool that will help you make decisions for your successful business.We would be delighted to know if there anything else you’d like to see or experience in this monthly newsletter. Your suggestions are more than welcome.

We wish you the best in your endeavors and business adventures, and please, don’t forget, working with us “Will make YOU look GREAT”.

IVI DMC² Corporate office: Ave. Acanceh #1-01, SM 15 Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mx Phone: +52 (998) 287-1700 Email:ivicorp@ividmc. travel

Sincerely,

For further information on the finest hotels, deals, activities, and group packages mentioned in this travel digest, please contact:

José-Manuel GARCÍA, CDS Visionary, Founder Founder and and Seller Dream Visionary, ofSeller Dreams

Raquel MIJARES rmijares@ividmc.travel

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© Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.

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