Founded in 1993, ARA Tours stands for reliable and high-quality Destination Management in Costa Rica. More than 100 tour operators mainly from European source markets trust in the services of our company. Over 60 motivated staff members located in our central office in San José work with state-of-the-art technology and software, which guarantees fast, efficient and flexible services. Our Incentive and Luxury Travel division, led by our multilingual and very competent sales team, knows the needs of your clients and can deliver tailor-made itineraries in English, German, French, and Spanish. More than 30 top professional guides are converting every programme into extraordinary experiences. In 1999, ARA Tours founded Latincoming Destination Management Group, an alliance of quality leading incoming agencies in Central America, Mexico, and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. Together we offer a reliable regional solution with centralised processes and interesting cross-national itineraries. We developed Latinconnect, the umbrella brand of these leading independent DMCs from Latin America and the Caribbean, all specialised in outstanding FIT and group programmes.

Thanks to our multimedia online platform with Latinconnect, tour operators and travel agents gain direct access to the complete product range of our DMC partners from Latin America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. After registration, you will find the most detailed product and itinerary descriptions, maps for better orientation, downloadable photos in high resolution, videos, and of course our net rates and conditions. Our modular product includes a huge variety of hotels in all categories, short round-trips, excursions, rental cars, different transfer options, and domestic flights, as well as complete travel itineraries for your inspiration. In this way, you can create tailored FIT programmes for your clients in record time! Latinconnect pairs technology with personal service directly from the destination area. Over the years, we have developed Incentive and Luxury Travel programmes that combine Costa Rican products with our partners’ services in Central America and the Caribbean. In 2006, ARA Tours in cooperation with the partners of Latincoming, founded the brand Selected Moments which focuses on the experience-oriented incentive and luxury segment. Under this brand, we offer a selection of the most spectacular hotels, lodges and haciendas, in combination with outstanding services of incoming agencies and fancy, exclusive programme content.

ARA Tours considers our environmental impact in the present as well as the future. We take steps to lower our use of resources in order to reduce unwanted impact on our operations and service providers. The Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) oversees a sustainable tourism certification programme, called CST, which assesses a company’s commitment in the areas of environmental protection, nature and cultural conservation, and sustainable tourism. Certificates are awarded according to levels of commitment and implementation of the directives, ranging from 1 Green Leaf to 5 Green Leaves at the highest level.

The Tourism Board ICT pursues a certification program (CST) which assesses the commitment in the areas of environmental protection, nature and cultural conservation as well as sustainability of tourism companies. Certificates with 1 green leaf to 5 green leaves for commitment and implementation of the directives are awarded.

In 2015, ARA Tours was awarded the maximum of 5 green Leaves, and we work continuously to keep up this high standard.

As part of our policy, we’ve developed a “good practice manual” for our office, which includes recommendations and implementations in areas such as waste management, use of power, management and consumption of water, and use of material resources.

In addition ARA Tours is fully committed with important national laws (Spanish version only):

• Law 6703 National Archaeological Heritage
• Law 7317 Wildlife Conservation
• Law 7554 Organic Environment
• Law 7600 Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
• Law 7899 Against the Sexual Exploitation of Minors
• Law 8805 Sexual Harassment in Employment and Teaching, its reforms of April 28, 2010

Our guides and drivers apply excellence and professionalism in client care, for which our company has developed a best practices manual specifically for these team members.

We are aware that our actions have an impact, both on the environment and on the people around us. Therefore, in order to improve our environmental, social and economic performance, we have implemented the necessary mechanisms in Sustainable Management, which we review periodically. With this, we aim to: adopt the necessary measures to avoid or minimize any negative environmental and social impacts of our activities; and manage our organization in a sustainable way, so that it is respectful both with humans and the environment. Would you like to include a sustainable, social, or environmental activity in your incentive program? We are experts in providing you with unique local experiences with the community during your stay.