La Fortuna has launched a new destination brand aimed at strengthening its position in the wellness travel market, TicosLand reported on July 29.
The Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), working with regional business leaders, presented the Integrated Destination Management Plan for the Arenal Fortuna region this week. The plan includes a new visual identity for the area, which serves as the main gateway to Arenal Volcano in Alajuela province.
The brand followed a two-year process involving municipal authorities, local business owners, national travel agencies and visitors, who took part in workshops intended to shape an identity reflecting the community while appealing to modern travellers.
“We at the ICT are deeply satisfied to be part of this process, built through joint work with local actors and decision-makers, to strengthen the positioning of one of the country’s most appreciated destinations,” said Oscar Saborío, marketing director of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute. “Its natural landscapes, hot springs, and wide range of outdoor and cultural activities continue to surprise national and international tourists and provide an exceptional base for specialising the offer in segments such as wellness tourism.”
More than 100 tourism entrepreneurs, hoteliers and operators attended the launch event, which also included seminars on free trade zones for the tourism sector and positioning strategies for the region.
Legal specialists have pointed to the importance of protecting the new brand as it enters wider use. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, an attorney at Bufete de Costa Rica, said trademark registration and clear usage policies for local businesses would be needed to preserve the brand over time, according to TicosLand.
The move comes after La Fortuna was named Costa Rica’s top wellness destination by Travel + Leisure earlier this year, with the publication highlighting its hot springs, waterfalls and eco-resorts, The Tico Times reported on February 10. Costa Rica separately received the award for best international healthy destination at the Healthy Places 2025 awards in January.
Costa Rica recorded more than one million international arrivals in the first quarter of 2026, with La Fortuna among the destinations, alongside Manuel Antonio and Monteverde, that continued to draw wildlife and outdoor tourism demand during the period, Travel And Tour World reported on May 17.
The ICT said the wellness segment typically involves longer stays and higher spending per visitor than traditional leisure travel, making it a priority area under the country’s broader strategy of prioritising visitor quality over volume.