Air France announced today that thanks to the successful operation of its existing Costa Rica-France route, the airline will be expanding to three flights a week for its 2017-2018 season starting at the end of October.

Its 2016-2017 season surpassed 32,000 reservations for an average flight occupancy of over 80 percent. The Air France flights have increased French tourism to Costa Rica by an estimated 14 percent, and the new plans should drive it up further, said the Costa Rica Tourism Institute in a statement.

In response to the announcement, the ICT attributed the airline’s news in part to the institute’s recently implemented marketing strategy to better position Costa Rica as a tourist destination for Europeans. Air France is one of five direct flights linking the European continent with Costa Rica.

Tourism Minister Mauricio Ventura said the decision was a great achievement: “Historically we have depended on the United States as our natural market; however, it is essential that Costa Rica take advantage of its potential and image to strengthen its position in Europe. We must put the accelerator on if we are to compete in the world in tourism.”

The airline will continue to use a Boeing 777-300, with a capacity of 468 seats, which is the largest aircraft that has arrived in Costa Rica, said the ICT. Flights depart from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and arrive at the Juan Santamaría International Airport in Alajuela, outside of San José, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

According to Hermes Navarro, airline marketer for the ICT, this increase in Air France’s operations also includes an extension of the season dates. The flights will operate from October 28, 2017 until April 30, 2018. These increases considerably boost the seat availability on the Costa Rica-France route.

Ventura said that the additional Air France flights, besides stimulating tourism and promoting cultural exchange, will also benefit foreign trade.

He added that for the first time Costa Rica has a public relations agency in the European market which allows the ICT to research techniques for improving their presence in Costa Rica’s four main European tourism markets – France, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom.