Costa Rica | Incorporating Native Cuisine and Local Flavours to Enrich MICE Tourism Experiences

Costa Rica, a very attractive country in Central America is emerging as prominent destination for the so called MICE tourism that include Meetings, Incentive, Conferences and Exhibitions, leveraging its natural beauty, commitment to sustainability, and growing infrastructure to attract high - events and corporate retreats and is managing to incorporate in this segment native cuisine and local flavours to enrich MICE tourism experiences. 

This strategy allows visitors to better understand the country's culture through the culinary offer while creating an environment conducive to exchange and collaboration next to the unique blend of luxury and nature Costa Rica boasts , making the country an appealing choice for organizations seeking to combine business with memorable experiences.

Gastronomy can become a key added value within Costa Rican MICE Tourism. In the Central American country, local flavours, fresh ingredients and a commitment to sustainability offer multiple possibilities for integrating culinary experiences into corporate agendas. 

Costa Rican cuisine allows you to combine the local with the functional, from informal breakfast to closing dinners or socializing activities. 

In the capital of the country, San José, is possible to organize a visit to the iconic San José Central Market, a bustling, mazelike place with vendors for produce, fish, coffee, hot snacks, fruit, and traditional crafts as part of a great urban experience, or planning a welcome dinner at a restaurant offering modern interpretations of traditional Costa Rican dishes.

Costa Rican cuisine influenced by Spanish, African, and Caribbean culinary traditions is a unique blend of flavours, well known for its fresh, simple, and flavourful dishes, often featuring rice and beans as staples and utilizing local ingredients like tropical fruits, vegetables, seafood and meat. 

Popular dishes such as "Gallo Pinto", a mixture of rice, beans, and vegetables, "Olla de Carne", a stew with vegetables and meat, "Sopa de Mariscos" in coastal areas can easily be incorporated into menus for events, themed coffee breaks, or group culinary experiences.

Costa Rican coffee is an iconic product of the Central American country. 70% of Costa Rican coffee is grown in the mountainous regions, which have highly varied altitudes, soil enriched by volcanic ash, which oxygenates the beans, a special microclimate giving them richer flavour.

All of these factors affects the aroma, body, flavour and acidity, giving the coffee of Costa Rica a distinguished reputation for its velvety smootheness, delicate flavour, and exceptional quality.

Many coffee farms offers tours ideal for incentive activities or team building. During these visits, participants can learn about the entire process, from plant to cup, and even participate in tasting or workshops.

In addition, since 2015, ICT, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute has promoted the National Plan for Sustainable and Healthy Gastronomy, with the goal of promoting the use of local plants, vegetables, and fruits in traditional recipes.

Finally, Costa Rica offers not only a well - equipped infrastructure for meetings and events but also a unique culinary identity that undoubtedly add value, authenticity, uniqueness and cultural connection to any MICE experience.

Link 
https://en.travel2latam.com/news-99038-costa-rica-local-flavors-to-enrich-mice-experiences