BUYER APPLICATION IS CLOSED
ATTA, Costa Rica Tourism Board, and the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Operators would like to invite you to apply for a Hosted Buyer opportunity at the AdventureNEXT Costa Rica event, from 17-19 November 2024.
AdventureNEXT Costa Rica gives attending buyers the chance to discover the unique natural and cultural resources and activities in Costa Rica, focusing on areas of ecological, sustainable, and nature based tourism.
Selected buyer delegates will learn about Costa Rica through immersive adventure tours. They will be able to make connections with Costa Rican suppliers at Marketplace, as well as find inspiration in learning about the value and development of adventure travel through speakers and workshops at the event.
Selected hosted buyer delegates will receive complimentary event registration, accommodations during the event, economy round-trip air, airport transfers, and a multi-day experiential adventure at no cost. Hosted buyer delegates are required to participate in a multi-day Pre-Adventure tour.
Hosted opportunities at AdventureNEXT Costa Rica involve the following:
*Note that duration and exact dates for the Pre-Adventures are still being finalized at publication time but should be within the period of 14-17 November, 2024.
If selected, the entire trip length will vary in duration from 7-8 days total, depending on the final selection of Pre-Adventure tour options (4-5 days in length) plus the travel time from your origin city. Tour selections will be made after buyers selections and registrations are complete.
The event itself is 17-19 November, with return departures on 20 November 2024.
Selected buyers are required to attend the duration of the event including a Pre-Adventure and all conference days. No early departures.
Please read the following information thoroughly to understand the details and requirements of the offer. This offer is valid for one delegate per company. The attendee must be a decision-maker for itinerary development and part of the leadership team. By completing the application form, you will be included in our selection process for one of the limited number of Hosted Buyer spots. Selection is not guaranteed.
The ATTA and our Costa Rica hosts are seeking thirty five (35) hosted buyer delegates who have an active interest in promoting or selling Costa Rica as a destination. A special consideration will be given for those based in:
Applications will be considered and reviewed with the destination partner, with the goal of hosting a diverse group of buyers who specialize in adventure and sustainable tourism with a keen interest in community-based tourism and biodiversity, including:
Outbound Tour Operators
Outbound tour operators craft ideal itineraries and sell those itineraries to individuals or groups as a packaged product. These specialized tour operators provide valuable insight into global travel trends and help match destination products to market demand. Itineraries are often multi-day, running from three to over twenty days depending on the destination and experience.
Travel Advisors (also known as Travel Agents, Travel Curators)
The travel advisor is a curator of an experience for a consumer. They can sell various packaged trips or holidays from different tour operators and therefore provide a more diverse range of options in addition to tailoring their own itineraries in direct collaboration with DMCs.
What do they all have in common?
They are all sourcing (or buying from) local Destination Management Companies (DMCs), or ground handlers and / or sending clients from their home country or specific markets to other destinations.
Role and expectations if your application is selected:
Fully-hosted buyers are expected to be researching the experience for potential new itineraries or promotion of existing ones. They are also required to meet with suppliers and destinations during the Marketplace sessions.
If a Hosted Buyer spot is offered and accepted, the Hosted Buyer agrees to:
Selected buyers will receive information about the process for reserving and selecting the PAs after registration is confirmed.
Hosted buyers selections will be made from the pool of applications received and all applications will be considered, reviewed, and selected with the destination partner. A cross-set of criteria is used in the application evaluation and selection process to curate a final selection of buyers that represent some of the specific countries listed above and a variety of experience types, related to adventure travel. After initial evaluation, criteria used in the final buyers selection includes:
Due to the large number of applications typically received for a limited number of spots, not all qualified applicants can be selected. You will receive an email from the ATTA informing you of the status of your application.
This application closes on 15 June 2024. Applications will be reviewed and final selections made in mid-July 2024.