Surf Games Held In Costa Rica

This year the International Surfing Association (ISA) is hosting the World Surfing Games for the first time in Playa Hermosa in Jacó, Costa Rica. Costa Rica was honored this year to hold these games, beating out Brazil and South Africa.

The world’s best surfers will be attending this competition so tensions will be high once they hit the waters. The convenient location of Jacó will allow surfers, fans, and passing tourists to enjoy the festivities while being comfortably lodged at neighboring hotels.

Not only was Playa Hermosa chosen for the games because of it’s beautiful waters, the beach also provides surfing talent that placed eigthth among 40 participating countries in Huntington Beach, CA during the competition last year.

“Being the the World Open [Competition] venue is the best that can happen to a country on the level of surf and tourism promotion, because of the millions of people around the world who are paying attention to this competition,” said José Ureña, president of the Costa Rica Surf Federation. “It will be very important to take advantage [of this event] and promote the country during the competition so that surfers from around the world will get to know the wonderful things that Costa Rica offers and one of the top 10 surfing destinations on the globe.”

With the announcement of this competition, the ISA also announced it’s participation with a surf tourism campaign entitled “Jacó: Land of Adventures and City of Surf.” With this campaign the city will invest more money in important surf issues such as safety, the well-being of tourists, the creation of a pedestrian and cyclist boulevard, and more.

The city of Jacó is one of Costa Rica’s fastest developing cities in the country home to rapid construction as well. With the big surfing event coming up, Jacó is hoping to make enough profit to contribute to investments helping provide future surfers with clean waters for their favorite pastime.