Minister of Tourism Carlos Ricardo Benavides of Costa Rica
Benavides was appointed the Minister of Tourism in May 2006, and has been a leading voice for tourism in the region.
served as President of the Steering Committee of the Central American Tourism Council.
For his part, Mr Benavides said the two had discussed ways to attract the European tourists, who spend up to a month traveling from two to three countries.
Mr Benavides has his own ideas as to how his neighbor can help.
Benavides said that the airline will alternate flights to Costa Rica with bigger airplanes.
Benavides was forthright about the importance of the country's relationship with travel agents.
Mr Benavides was speaking after officially opening the offices of Plantación Properties, an affiliate of Christies Great Estates, which will market and sell the residential arm of the project.
Benavides said that about $17 million would be raised from the measure.
Tourism Minister Carlos Ricardo Benavides said this growth should be accompanied by improvement, particularly in security and roads, to present a sustainable tourism.
Carlos Ricardo Benavides said that airlines had to do more to fight global warming, partly to encourage tourists worried about climate change to keep visiting remote jungles, mountains and beaches in poor countries that rely on the income.
Benavides said that he sees that figure climb to US$1 billion in 2008.
Mr Benavides is understood to have had extensive talks with British Airways, but the carrier, one of the biggest in the world, has made it clear it would be two to four years before it would commit to direct flights.
Coastal constraints: Costa Rican Tourism Minister Carlos Ricardo Benavides says new zoning regulations are coming next month for the central and southern Pacific coast.
be two to four years before it would commit to direct flights.