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ICT signs agreement with Iberia to promote Costa Rica in Europe

 

  • Minister of Tourism seeks to consolidate the Spanish market through a strategic partnership
  • Iberia announces the introduction of its new Premium Economy class on its flights to Costa Rica

The Minister of Tourism, Maria Amalia Revelo, and the President of Iberia, Luis Gallego, signed an agreement this Thursday to promote Costa Rica in Europe. The announcement was made during the Fitur 2019 tourism fair.

Revelo noted that the agreement will strengthen the ties of friendship between the Costa Rican tourism sector and one of its most important strategic partners in Europe. “Signing this agreement will lead the way for greater efforts to consolidate and boost the Spanish and European markets”, said the Tourism Minister.

For four decades, Iberia has been connecting Costa Rica with Europe, with the first-ever direct flight to the continent. The partnership has remained constant over the years, with the airline offering quality air transport services for passengers on their established San José to Madrid-Barajas route. “We have been flying to Costa Rica for over 40 years and we have promoted the country as a tourist destination across Europe. We are delighted to renew our commitment to Costa Rica and to be able to offer our customers new services for quality tourism”, said the President of Iberia at the signing ceremony.

Partnership to build quality

The promotional campaign includes actions on the airline’s official communication channels including the Ronda Iberia newsletter, the airline’s social media and the website www.iberia.com, which will promote the sale of seats in the Spanish market. The company projects an increase in demand that will strengthen its other connections throughout Europe.

The Costa Rican Tourism Board will develop a joint promotional campaign for the destination. The cooperation with Iberia will last for three years and will represent an as yet undefined investment.

Some 480,000 European tourists visited Costa Rica in 2018, 69,000 of whom were Spanish nationals, according to official data. Observation of flora and fauna is a top choice that Spaniards enjoy (89%) in Costa Rica, as well as sun and beach activities (87%), visiting volcanoes (73%) and hiking (63%), according to multiple-choice questionnaires completed by visitors to the country.

Premium Economy on flights to Costa Rica

Iberia has just begun to offer Premium Economy service on the daily direct flights it operates between Spain and Costa Rica. This service is an intermediate offering between Business and Economy class with 23 seats, which represent an investment in quality tourism and passengers with a greater spending potential. Premium Economy is designed for customers who tend to fly Economy but who are willing to pay a little more to travel in greater comfort, with additional services on board and at the gate. Iberia flights between Madrid and San José are operated by A340-600 planes that offer 23 Premium Economy seats. Some of the features offered by this new class are:

  • 20% more space between rows of seats - 94 cm in Premium Economy as opposed to 78.7 cm in Economy class
  • Wider seats: 48 cm in Premium Economy as opposed to 43 cm in Economy
  • 40% greater recline, from 5” in Economy to 7” in Economy Premium
  • Adjustable headrests and reclining footrests
  • 12” FullHD screens (9” in Economy), noise-canceling headphones and connectors for individual electronic devices
  • Exclusive on-board service: welcome drink, exclusive menu and exclusive grooming kits
  • Larger baggage allowance: two suitcases included with ticket purchase, priority boarding and disembarkation and special check-in counters in the Madrid airport.