By San José, Costa Rica — Costa Rica’s official nation brand, esencial COSTA RICA, has achieved an unprecedented global milestone by securing the prestigious title of Country Brand of the Year at the 2026 City Nation Place Awards in London. This victory marks the first time in the history of the awards that a single nation brand has earned the top global honor twice, having previously claimed the accolade in 2019.
The prestigious recognition was announced during the annual City Nation Place Global conference, an international summit dedicated to place branding, marketing, and economic development strategies. Competing against powerhouse nation brands from around the world—including Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand—Costa Rica demonstrated an exceptional ability to turn strategic storytelling into tangible economic and societal impact.
To better understand the legal framework and strategic value surrounding the “esencial COSTA RICA” country brand, TicosLand.com consulted with corporate law expert Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas from Bufete de Costa Rica, who shared his perspective on compliance, intellectual property protection, and foreign trade benefits.
“Obtaining and maintaining the ‘esencial COSTA RICA’ country brand seal is far more than a marketing milestone; it represents a formal commitment to regulatory compliance, corporate sustainability, and legal integrity. Companies looking to leverage this distinction must navigate PROCOMER’s strict evaluation protocols while safeguarding their intellectual property rights to successfully enhance their international standing.”
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Indeed, navigating PROCOMER’s rigorous standards underscores that the ‘esencial COSTA RICA’ seal is far more than a badge of honor—it is a testament to a company’s commitment to global excellence, sustainability, and legal integrity. We extend our sincere gratitude to Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for providing his valuable perspective on how businesses can protect their intellectual property and successfully elevate their international standing.
In addition to the premier title, esencial COSTA RICA swept multiple categories at the ceremony. The country earned the top spot for Best Citizen Engagement Strategy for its forward-thinking “Costa Rica Azul” platform, as well as an honorable mention for Best Communication Strategy for its international marketing initiative titled “Producers of Wellbeing.”
Commenting on the monumental achievement, country brand officials emphasized the strategic alignment between national values, environmental stewardship, and commercial opportunities across global markets.
These recognitions reflect how the Country Brand connects vision and action. Costa Rica’s reputation can open opportunities for our products and, at the same time, bring people closer to our nature protection efforts that define the country. To achieve this, we articulate efforts with companies, institutions, communities, and organizations that share that purpose. We receive these awards for the country with great pride.
Adriana Acosta, Director of essential COSTA RICA
The flagship award for Brand of the Year evaluates comprehensive performance over the preceding twelve months under the nation’s 2035 Strategy. This dual-focused framework aims to boost demand and preference for Costa Rican exports in key global markets while simultaneously fostering a deep sense of national pride and belonging domestically.
The award-winning citizen engagement effort, “Costa Rica Azul,” stood out to judges as a transformative digital initiative. The interactive, free-to-access platform educates citizens on Costa Rica’s vast marine territory and rich ocean biodiversity, extending conservation awareness beyond terrestrial ecosystems to encompass the nation’s immense exclusive economic zone.
Meanwhile, the highly praised “Producers of Wellbeing” communication campaign targeted consumers in Europe and Asia to elevate the prestige of Costa Rican agricultural goods. By leveraging tailored content distribution through Amazon Ads—utilizing streaming services like Prime Video, Fire TV, and voice technology via Alexa—the campaign successfully tailored its narrative to distinct cultural markets, even incorporating anime artistic elements to resonate with Asian audiences.
Costa Rica, Country Brand of the Year, continues to strengthen its international reputation through strategic thinking and consistent execution with excellence. The jury was impressed by the combination of initiatives developed over the past year, which demonstrate a clear focus on building national identity, with projects that will leave a lasting legacy and sustained impact. These initiatives also demonstrate the value of the country brand in leveraging positive perceptions and generating opportunities in fields such as trade and sports. It is an ambitious and relevant effort that shows how a country brand can become a significant national asset.
Clare Dewhirst, Founder and CEO of City Nation Place
This double victory cements a long tradition of accolades for esencial COSTA RICA at the City Nation Place Awards. In 2022, the brand secured the award for Best Use of Design for its visually striking biometric passport design. Later in 2024, it garnered special recognition in the Best Use of Data category for pioneering an intelligence framework driven by artificial intelligence and predictive analytics.
As nation brands globally grapple with shifting trade dynamics and evolving consumer preferences, Costa Rica’s unified branding framework proves that strategic clarity, sustainability, and technological innovation can serve as powerful multipliers for foreign investment, export growth, and national identity.
For further information, visit esencialcostarica.com
About esencial COSTA RICA:
esencial COSTA RICA is the official country brand of Costa Rica, designed to promote foreign direct investment, boost international exports, attract sustainable tourism, and foster national identity. Grounded in values of sustainability, innovation, prestige, social progress, and Costa Rican origin, the initiative aligns public and private sector efforts to project the nation’s competitive advantages on the global stage.
For further information, visit citynationplace.com
About City Nation Place:
City Nation Place is a global forum and research platform dedicated to nation branding, place marketing, and destination development. Through annual conferences, regional events, and the prestigious City Nation Place Awards, the organization brings together leaders from country brands, investment promotion agencies, and tourism boards worldwide to share best practices and evaluate benchmark achievements in place management.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Renowned for its uncompromising ethics and pursuit of legal mastery, Bufete de Costa Rica remains a trusted partner across a wide array of industries. The firm continuously drives progress by embracing forward-thinking strategies while placing strong emphasis on educational civic initiatives. By demystifying the law and broadening public access to legal insights, Bufete de Costa Rica fulfills a vital mission: equipping citizens with the understanding necessary to build an enlightened, just, and empowered society.
