Chinese tourists enjoy 'extreme' Spring Festival in Costa Rica

In 2014, a total of 7,395 Chinese tourists visited Costa Rica. The number surged by 29 percent to 9,552 in 2015, according to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute.

During the first years of formal relations between the two countries, the majority of Chinese people who travelled to Costa Rica were government employees and exchange students, but this has changed in recent years, Isabel Yung, managing director of Orientul travel agency in Costa Rica, told Xinhua.

Now many Chinese visitors come with their family and in general they leave very satisfied with their experience in Costa Rica, according to Yung.

Costa Rica is a destination that offers multiple possibilities for tourists. For example, tourists can swiftly shift between beaches, mountains and tropical rain forests. This offers a wide range of experiences.

Efforts are now being made to attract more young tourists, as they are interested in extreme sports the country is being able to offer, according to Yung.

"Chinese going to Costa Rica are usually experienced tourists that have already travelled to other parts of the world like the United States and Europe. However, they want to get to know this destination because it is famous all over the world for its conservation efforts," added Yung.