The Challenge
In 2024, Costa Rica faced a 7% drop in tourist visits, significantly affecting local communities and the economy, which depends heavily on tourism. Simultaneously, Spain was experiencing anti-tourism protests, with locals voicing frustration through slogans like “Tourists Go Home.” Costa Rica needed tourists, while Spain’s protests created an opportunity to engage people in a conversation about tourism from a different angle. The challenge was to create a campaign that not only addressed Costa Rica’s tourism decline but also resonated culturally with the growing discontent toward tourism in Spain, offering a solution that would drive positive action for both.
The Solution
Meridianos, Costa Rica’s largest tour operator, seized this opportunity by transforming the negative protest slogans in Spain into positive invitations to visit Costa Rica. The campaign creatively hijacked anti-tourism messages and repurposed them in Out-Of-Home media in Madrid and Barcelona. The use of billboards and wild posting in protest zones, paired with a QR code linking to exclusive offers, directly engaged potential tourists, turning negativity into a welcoming call to action. This culturally relevant and creative approach helped shift perceptions, drive traffic, and boost tourism to Costa Rica.
