Costa Rica; first in tourism competitiveness

Source: Costa Rican Institute of Tourism.

By a third consecutive year, Costa Rica is the most competitive country in matters of tourism of Latin America, according to the 2009 Trips and Tourism world ranking of the World Economic Forum.

For the Minister of Tourism, Carlos Ricardo Benavides, the results of this measurement are of sum importance; especially in times where the competitiveness of the tourism products that are offered are essential in an international market, which is affected by the world crisis and its conditions.

The study valued 133 nations all over the world, a figure that includes three more nations than the 2008 study. The results of the Tourism Competitiveness Ranking located the country in the number 42 of the list, surpassing two seats with relation to the 2008 study and placing Costa Rica above nations such as Brazil (45), Mexico (51) and Puerto Rico (53).

The World Economic Forum considers three important parameters to carry out this measurement: the regulatory framework; the business environment and tourist infrastructure, as well as the cultural, natural and human resources of each country.

Twenty judges will choose the best coffee

Taken from: www.nacion.com

Twenty judges, of whom 17 are international, will analyze the properties of Costa Rican coffee to choose the lot with the best quality. The competition will be among 60 lots that passed to the final round in the contest, Cup of Excellence.

Cup of Excellence is a contest promoted in various countries by the Alliance for Coffee Excelence (ACE). In Costa Rica it is coordinated with the Association of Fine Coffees of Costa Rica and the Institute of the Coffee of Costa Rica (Icafé).

This year, the competition was initiated with 119 lots, of which 78 passed to a second round, and only 60 passed to the final this week. The producer obtains a special promotion of their coffee amongst the most important buyers of the world, which, at the same time, is qualified by experts, which guarantee the quality and excellence of the grain. The lots that obtain the best qualification will be offered to buyers in an electronic auction, this June 11.

Latin America will surpass crisis before large economies, according to the IMF

Taken from www.elfinancierocr.com

The impact of the current economic crisis on Latin America and the Caribbean will be notorious, but there exists a possibility that the region will be well off before advanced economies. Such informs the last edition of "Regional Economic Perspectives: The Americas", elaborated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The report also foretells that the economic activity of the region will suffer less than in other parts of the world. It is possible that Latin America might reach rock bottom during the first part of 2009, but it will go up again once the second part of 2009 takes place. According to an estimate, growth in developed economies will be able to recommence in the middle of 2010.

Despite the forecast; that the economies of Latin America will contract 1.5% this year, it’s possible that they shall experience a positive rate growth of 1.6% in 2010. In the case of Costa Rica, according to the report, it would have a growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) of 0.5% this year and 1.5% the following year; while it would have an inflation of 8% and one of 7% for the 2010.