Costa Rica Wins 2014 Golf Destination of the Year Award for Latin America & Caribbean
Out of 21 countries, Costa Rica wins coveted award from the prestigious International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO)
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – January 9, 2014 – With a total of 12 golf courses, including courses designed by renowned golf architects Ted Robinson and Robert Trent Jones II, Costa Rica’s world-class golf courses, long considered undiscovered jewels known only by golf insiders, have propelled the destination to win the coveted 2014 Golf Destination of the Year Award for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Several notable golf courses in Costa Rica include the par-72 championship La Iguana Golf Course on the central Pacific coast, the par-71 championship course at the Reserva Conchal Golf Club in the Guanacaste province and the Arnold Palmer-designed Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica golf course, the latter of which has received honors as one of the top 100 courses outside the United States by Golf Digest. While enjoying a round on one of these courses or in the Central Valley of the country, one can also take in spectacular views of tropical rainforests, glistening beaches, active volcanoes as well as towering mountain ranges that provide picturesque backdrops.
“It is an honor for us to win this coveted award, as we have been determined to make Costa Rica an ideal golf destination for golf travelers, while we continue to uphold our position as a world leader in sustainable tourism, says, Ireth Rodriguez Villalobos, Marketing Director, Costa Rica Tourist Board. “Our world-class golf courses, resorts and lodges embedded within beautiful rainforests, along coastlines that have a mountainous back-drop offer a unique experience for golf travelers from all over the world.”
IAGTO is the global trade organization for the golf tourism industry, comprising more than 2,100 companies in 95 countries. The Golf Destination and Golf Resort awards are voted for by more than 600 IAGTO specialist golf tour operator members from more than 60 countries. Criteria included: customer satisfaction; quality of golf courses and accommodation; value for money; support from suppliers, tourist boards & airlines; professional conduct of suppliers; and accessibility to tee times.
For more information on the IAGTO, please visit http://www.iagto.com/ or for more information on Costa Rica, visit www.visitcostarica.com.
About Costa Rica
Costa Rica is located in Central America, nestled between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south; it is bordered on the east by the Caribbean Sea and the west by the Pacific Ocean. With an abundance of unique wildlife, landscapes and climates this small country proudly shelters approximately five percent of the known biodiversity in the world. In order to protect and preserve its wealth of natural resources Costa Rica has become a global leader in sustainable practices with protected areas comprising 26 percent of its land mass. With a peaceful spirit, emphasis on education and an economy based on tourism, technology and exportation, Costa Ricans and visitors alike enjoy one of the highest standards of living and organized tourism infrastructure in Latin America among a tropical paradise of lush rainforests, mystical volcanoes and cloud forests and beaches that meet mountains filled with monkeys and macaws. Offering a broad terrain of activities and accommodations, visitors to Costa Rica will find a range of hotel options ranging from small beachside bed & breakfasts, to authentic intimate boutique mountain lodges, to major international business hotel brands and everything in between; Costa Rica’s accommodations offer something appealing for everyone’s desires. The phrase “Pura Vida” can be heard echoing throughout Costa Rica from coast to coast. Used as a greeting or expression of happiness, the phrase literally translates to “pure life,” however its true meaning is “full of life,” which accurately describes the adventure and wonder that await visitors.
About Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT)
Established in 1955, the Costa Rica Tourism Board spearheads the vital task of regulating and promoting Costa Rica’s extensive of tourism offerings. The ICT and its partners in the private sector work tirelessly to garner recognition, standardize practices, provide insightful research data and foster cultural development for the country’s coast to coast one-of a kind tourism products and resources.