Prevue September/October 2015 - (Page 50)
Costa Rica
A sophisticated and sustainable meetings haven
[ON LOCATION] REGINA BARABAN
T
wo streaks of red flying over the lush rainforest canopy
surrounding the Villa Caletas, a boutique hotel on the
Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, catch my attention as
I take in the expansive green and blue vistas of rainforest
and ocean. These are scarlet macaws, the world's largest parrots
and one of Costa Rica's most magnificent birds. Several more pairs
follow, blazing trails of scarlet across the sky, and I gasp in delight.
This scene was typical of my week in Costa Rica, a Central
American country that combines a surprisingly sophisticated
meetings and technology infrastructure with a stunning natural
landscape rich in tropical biodiversity.
Environmental consciousness is part of the national psyche-
this was evident not only in close encounters such as that with the
scarlet macaws, but in the country's progressive environmental
practices that have made it a world leader in conservation and
sustainability. Nearly all electricity, for instance, comes from
renewable resources and there's a national mandate to become
completely carbon-neutral by 2021.
"In a country the size of West Virginia, 25 percent is protected
as nature reserves, and we have more wildlife species than
the United States and Canada combined," says Pablo Solano,
executive director of the Costa Rica CVB.
It's a given, he says, that meeting and incentive attendees will
want to participate in nature-related activities.
"We are experts at melding business with nature. Our DNA is
about sustainable travel," adds Alejandro Castro, CMO for the Costa
Rica Tourism Board. "And our experience shows that attendees are
going to be even more productive after having a unique Costa Rica
experience, such as relaxing in a volcanic hot spring."
46 | prevue magazine
LUXURY IN NATURE
Costa Rica's irregular mountainous terrain is bordered by both the
Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with most group business
taking place in the Northern and Central Pacific regions. Known
for its beautiful beaches, Guanacaste boasts a growing number of
upscale resorts that cater to groups; among the most popular is the
406-room Westin Golf Resort & Spa Playa Conchal. Despite an
expanding tourism infrastructure, the region is sparsely populated
and meetings hotels such as the Westin are located in secluded
enclaves surrounded by nature. Wherever you go, even within the
manicured grounds of a resort, you're likely to encounter some of
the country's exotic wildlife, from monkeys to toucans to raccoonlike creatures called coatimundi.
Group activities in Guanacoste include day trips to a volcano;
visits to waterfalls and lakes and catamaran sails. For groups with
limited time to spare for a uniquely Costa Rican adventure activity,
consider a tubing trip on the Rio Negro, a navigable river near
Rincon de la Vieja National Park, which can also be paired with
a horseback ride.
At the Four Seasons Resort at Peninsula Papagayo,
groups don't need to leave the property to connect with nature
and have an adventure. Here, regionally inspired architecture-with
stylish and colorful public spaces renovated in January-is tucked
away on 45 acres flanked by two jungle-edged beaches. Attendees
can enjoy a round of golf on the ocean-view Arnold Palmerdesigned golf course, which has 25 species of trees and is certified
by Audubon International, and then participate in a "Trail of Giants"
golf car tour and tree planting activity.
CSR activities that foster sustainability are also popular with
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue September/October 2015
Planner’s Pick: Santa Fe
Fresh Meets: Grupo Posadas Expands Into US
Bureau Buzz: Detroit CVB
Good Business: Singapore Tourism Board
Sea Shores: Cuba: Pioneering a “New” World
On the Verge
MILLENNIAL MINDSET
THE WEST
GATEWAY CANYONS
HAWAII
On Location: Costa Rica
On Location: Langham Place New York
On Location: Norfolk
CALGARY
Checkout: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
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