WestJet Inaugurates New Routes to San Jose and Liberia

• Currently, the Airlines flies twice a week on the route Toronto-Liberia, Guanacaste.
• Canada is the second main source of tourists in the world for Costa Rica.

December 18, 2015 – For the first time, two new routes connecting Costa Rica to western Canada are inaugurating today their flights with the WestJet Canadian airline on the routes Toronto-San Jose and Calgary-Liberia.

The first will fly twice a week (Tuesday and Sunday), while the second will fly four times a week to Costa Rica (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday).

To cover both routes, the airline uses Boeing 737 air crafts with capacity for up to 136 passengers. The flight between Toronto and San Jose will begin today through April 26, 2016; while the Calgary-Liberia route will operate beginning today through April 30, 2016.

For Mauricio Ventura, Minister of Tourism, the transcendence of these flights originates mainly in that for the first time there will be air connections between two of the Canadian cities of major importance for Costa Rica.

“Toronto groups 12.1% of the best prospects for Costa Rica and 5.1% for Calgary. These people are characterized by their interest in visiting or re-visiting the country, being experienced travelers, committed to sustainability, with high incomes and levels of education,” highlighted Ventura.

An aspect that makes the Canadian tourist stand out from others is that the Canadian tourist has on a 34% average a re-visiting Costa Rica, and registers an average stay of 15.3 nights, as highlighted by the Minister of Tourism.

In 2012, WestJet initiated operations in Costa Rica with the Toronto-Liberia route which converted Costa Rica in the first Central American destination.

Canada is a leading source of tourists for the country, only second to the US, entering through air travel. The previous year recorded a total of 155,103 Canadians entering by air, representing an increment of 7.5% compared to 2013.

Also, the 2009-2014 period, the average daily expense of the Canadian tourist was of US$96.2; among the main activities carried out by the Canadians in Costa Rica were sun and beach, flora and fauna watching, trail hikes, visit to volcanos, among others.

WestJet is a low-costing airline that offers regular services to 81 North American destinations.

Source: Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT)