Essential Costa Rica

For many brands, sustainability is just a buzzword. Not for Costa Rica. Even with the country’s impressive green credentials, Visit Costa Rica’s destination website lacked the modernization of its vision. So when they reached out to us to redo their website, we proposed a bold, untested idea: embed an AI travel planning tool that would advance the brand’s sustainability goals while providing users with an easy-to-use trip planning resource. Partnering with Mindtrip for Business, we sought to boost engagement and retention, drive referrals to tourism partners, and capture real-time behavioral data to optimize the brand’s digital strategy in real time.

Built for trip planning, booking and finding in-destination activities, Mindtrip allowed us to transform the site from a source of inspiration into a full-service travel planner. Guided by the country’s values of sustainability and inclusivity, we trained the AI chatbot to prioritize sustainability-certified lodging options and support various languages. Intuitive placement of the AI throughout the site gave users a frictionless experience. And by displaying trusted Google and Tripadvisor reviews, it ensured users felt confident enough to book without fact-checking across tabs.

The AI’s personalized recommendations and seamless integration emboldened travelers to feel supported and informed, spending more time on the website engaging deeply with its content. While most AI tools average a 1% engagement rate, we set a goal of 2% and surpassed it – reaching 3% in just three months across more than 4,000 sessions. Over 295,000 tourism partner mentions resulted in over 1,000 direct referrals to Costa Rican businesses. And overall website engagement increased 53% YOY, clearly signaling that advanced technology and human values can provide deeper, more meaningful digital experiences.