Despite a significant downturn for the tourism industry in Costa Rica from 2009 to 2012, the theme parks in the province of Guanacaste have proven very resilient. According to a recent analysis by business reporter Leticia Vindas Quiros of financial weekly El Financiero, the theme parks of Costa Rica’s gold coast have managed to weather the economic storm and also prepared for the ongoing recovery.

The Board of Tourism in Costa Rica (Spanish initials: ICT) currently lists 32 theme parks in Costa Rica. The themes range from jungle adventure to rural tourism and from wildlife rescue to sustainable agriculture. The province of Guanacaste is home to the most successful theme parks, which include Africa Mia and Megafauna. The former is a large zoological garden that offers a safari-like experience; the latter is a paleontogical theme park that borrows from the late novelist Michael Chrichton and his Jurassic Park fictional universe (which was aptly based in Costa Rica).

Theme Parks Adjust to the Crisis

Despite offering a quality experience and getting excellent marks on major online review sites such as TripAdvisor, Africa Mia almost did not make it through the tourism slump in Costa Rica. Other theme parks such as Vida Aventura in Bagaces did not have a problem due to the wide range of activities offered; from ecotourism to really epic horseback riding and from exciting canopy tours to swimming pools heated by natural warm springs.

El Financiero also reports that theme parks outside of Guanacaste had to make some major adjustments. Zoo Ave in La Garita, province of Alajuela, is one example. This former zoo shifted the focus of its efforts on wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, which resulted in a sharp increase in visitors. Wildlife menageries and rescue centers in Costa Rica are very successful in attracting locals while adventure parks are more likely to attract tourists from abroad. Now that Costa Rica will phase out its state-funded zoos and liberate the animals, wildlife theme parks are set to become more popular since visitors enjoy seeing animal species that are comfortable and well-taken care of.

Future Theme Parks in Guanacaste

Now that the Guanacaste province has become Costa Rica’s prime tourist destination, its next two theme park openings will compliment the region’s new and enviable status. Liberia’s future Sun Ranch theme park intends to go beyond entertainment; it actually aims to offer an upscale resort atmosphere for long-term visitors and permanent residents with luxury housing, first-rate health care facilities, golf, movie theaters, performance spaces, swimming pools, nature preserves, schools, commercial districts, and more. In essence, a high-quality lifestyle is the theme at Sun Ranch, and this is not limited to Guanacaste.

The Water Kingdom aquatic theme park is another future project in Guanacaste that is attracting a lot of attention. This family-friendly water park will include a scuba diving academy, mini golf, restaurants, and even a wave pool. Not all future theme parks in Guanacaste, however, will be as grand and spectacular as Sun Ranch and Water Kingdom. Recent statistics compiled by ICT indicate that foreign tourists who arrive in Costa Rica are actually spending less than before, and local tourists are spending more. To this end, smaller theme parks that focus on rural tourism and cater to Tico families are also expected to open in Guanacaste.