In the ever-evolving world of marketing and tourism, many countries are starting to create an official “country brand” for marketing themselves abroad. In 2013, Costa Rica created the official brand “Esencial Costa Rica” (Essential Costa Rica) to promote itself to the world. Together with the Costa Rican Tourism board (ICT), Esencial Costa Rica “aims to increase the nation’s positive reputation through tourism, foreign direct investments and exports.”
Recently, I have collaborated with Esencial Costa Rica on a few projects promoting Costa Rica to the world focused on my hummingbird photography and videography. In September of 2023 three of my images and videos were used to feature some endemic hummingbirds to Costa Rica.
In February 2024, Costa Rica voted to declare two endemic species of hummingbirds, the Mangrove Hummingbird and Coppery-headed Emerald, as national symbols. My photos of both species were selected by Esencial Costa Rica to use in official marketing and communications announcing the new national symbols!