By San José, Costa Rica — In a major milestone for Latin American place branding, Costa Rica’s country brand, “esencial COSTA RICA,” has been announced as a finalist in four distinct categories for the upcoming City Nation Place Awards 2026. This prestigious recognition positions the Central American nation as a global benchmark for strategic nation branding, creativity, and public engagement. This year, the country is one of only two Latin American nations to reach the finals, with Chile securing a single nomination, while Costa Rica leads the region with four.
The nominations place Costa Rica in competition for several of the event’s top honors: Country Brand of the Year, Best Country Brand Communication Strategy, Best Citizen Engagement Strategy, and the newly established Best Engagement with Stakeholders Strategy. This brand-new category for 2026 is designed to reward country and city brands that successfully coordinate initiatives across public, private, and social sectors to achieve unified national goals.
To better understand the strategic and regulatory framework of the “esencial COSTA RICA” country brand, TicosLand.com spoke with expert attorney Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas from Bufete de Costa Rica, who provided his professional analysis on the legal implications of this prestigious national distinction.
The “esencial COSTA RICA” brand is a powerful legal asset that represents a firm commitment to sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility. For businesses, obtaining this license is not merely a marketing strategy, but a rigorous legal process that validates compliance with demanding international standards. This seal of excellence safeguards corporate reputation and significantly enhances competitive advantage in the global market.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Indeed, this rigorous legal framework highlights that “esencial COSTA RICA” is not just a prestigious badge, but a profound commitment to international excellence that elevates the nation’s corporate landscape on the global stage. We extend our sincere gratitude to Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his valuable perspective and legal insight into how this country brand safeguards reputation and drives sustainable growth.
These four nominations fill us with pride because they place Costa Rica among the world references in country brand. It is a recognition of work that stems from who we are as a nation and that yields results, leading to more people choosing our products, more tourists visiting us, buyers and investors knowing and valuing the country, and more institutions and companies uniting to position our values.
Adriana Acosta, Country Brand Director of esencial COSTA RICA
To capture the attention of the international jury, the brand presented three highly successful initiatives developed over recent years. Foremost among them is the Country Brand’s Strategy 2035, which centers on long-term ecological, social, and economic sustainability. Additionally, the brand submitted the “Productores de Bienestar” (Producers of Well-being) campaign, an innovative partnership with the Amazon Ads Brand Innovation Lab aimed at promoting Costa Rican agricultural products directly to consumers in European markets.
The third initiative submitted is the “Costa Rica Azul” (Blue Costa Rica) platform. This digital educational resource is designed to teach citizens and international audiences about marine conservation, highlighting Costa Rica’s extensive ocean territories and sustainable blue economy. These strategies reflect a broader shift in the country’s marketing efforts toward practical, data-driven outcomes that directly benefit local communities and producers.
This is not the first time Costa Rica has excelled on the global branding stage. The nation has a celebrated history at the City Nation Place Awards, having won the overall Country Brand of the Year title in 2019 for its “Our Brand Essence” strategy. In 2022, the country took home the award for Best Use of Design for its innovative biometric passport, and in 2024, it received a special mention in the Best Use of Data category for its integration of artificial intelligence and advanced market analysis.
After 12 years of organizing the City Nation Place Awards, I am still deeply surprised by the creativity and innovation of place brand and marketing teams around the world. The management and marketing of place brands is an extremely demanding job, whose importance is often considerably underestimated. It is a real pleasure to be able to celebrate the people and teams who work tirelessly to support the growth and development of their cities, regions, and countries. We look forward to giving them the well-deserved recognition they deserve during the awards ceremony on November 5.
Clare Dewhirst, CEO of City Nation Place
The winners of the 2026 City Nation Place Awards will be officially revealed on November 5, 2026, during the City Nation Place Global conference in London, United Kingdom. As Costa Rica prepares to compete against robust global campaigns from Sweden, Scotland, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United States, Australia, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, local business leaders and policymakers remain optimistic that this recognition will continue to translate into increased foreign investment, tourism, and export opportunities.
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 exports, and encourage international tourism. Managed by a multi-institutional committee, the brand evaluates local businesses based on five core values: Excellence, Sustainability, Innovation, Social Progress, and Costa Rican Origin, serving as a prestigious seal of quality and global competitiveness.
For further information, visit citynationplace.com
About City Nation Place:
City Nation Place is a global forum and advisory organization dedicated to the strategy, branding, and marketing of places, including cities, regions, and nations. Through its annual conferences, research, and international awards program, it highlights best practices in destination marketing and place-branding strategies that drive economic development and cultural cohesion.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Renowned for its ethical standards and exceptional advocacy, Bufete de Costa Rica remains a pillar of the legal community, driven by a forward-thinking approach to counsel. Drawing from a rich history of guiding clients across numerous industries, the firm seamlessly blends tradition with pioneering solutions and proactive community education. By striving to demystify the law for everyone, Bufete de Costa Rica actively champions a more transparent, legally literate, and self-reliant citizenry.
