ARA Tours

What ARA Tours does

ARA Tours is a Costa Rica-based destination management company (DMC) founded in 1993 by Swiss entrepreneurs Daniel Küng and Roland Ayer, designing and operating customized travel itineraries across Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. The company serves primarily European tour operators, travel agencies, and wholesalers through a B2B2C distribution model, with end-consumer reach via an affiliate program and direct inquiries. Its portfolio spans tailor-made itineraries alongside specialized niche products — ARA Xperiences cultural immersion, bike and e-bike tours, birdwatching, hiking, premium round trips, and golf packages — complemented by hotel bookings, car rentals, certified private guides, airport transfers, and domestic flights.

The technology stack is service-oriented rather than platform-native: an in-house custom reservation system developed early in the company's history, the Latinconnect digital product platform (co-founded 1999 as a cross-border DMC alliance), a dedicated B2B partner portal, and an integrated brochure generator that produces branded PDFs for trade partners. Revenue is generated through transaction-based package sales plus affiliate commissions of up to 8% on tours and car rentals and 5% on hotels, transfers, and excursions. The company is differentiated by CST Elite sustainability certification continuously held since 2010, an official ICT operating license (Lic ICT OT 294), memberships in IAGTO, CANAECO, ACOT, and the Essential Costa Rica country brand, multilingual 24/7 support, and a reported 96% customer satisfaction rate on trip organization.

Since 2023, ARA Tours has operated as part of Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group, retaining its brand while gaining access to a specialized luxury team and expedition cruise development capabilities for Central America. Leadership transitioned in 2023 to Sandra Haun (Commercial Director and A&K General Manager, DMC Costa Rica) with Marco Thomas Crawford as Deputy Manager. The company had approximately 80 employees as of 2022 and is incorporated in Costa Rica as ARA Agencia de Viajes Internacional S.A.

Name

ARA Tours

Legal name

ARA AGENCIA DE VIAJES INTERNACIONAL SOCIEDAD ANONIMA

Website

https://aratours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ARA Tours is a Costa Rica-based destination management company (DMC) founded in 1993, designing customized itineraries across Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama for European tour operators, travel agencies, and individual travelers. Now part of Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group since 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Management Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Activity & Expedition Packages (Guided Adventure Trips) (THAJABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adventure & Expedition Travel Agencies (THAKAFAB), Culture, Heritage & Arts Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAK), Eco-Adventure Multi-Day Expeditions (Trekking, Hut-to-Hut, Pack Trips) (THAAAEAJ), Safari & Overland Wildlife Adventures (4x4/Jeep) (THAJABAD)

Keywords

• Destination management services
• Customized travel itineraries
• Costa Rica inbound tourism
• Sustainable tourism services
• Incentive travel programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San José

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Travel Package Sales: Revenue from designing and operating customized travel itineraries including hotels, tours, transportation, domestic flights, and guides throughout Costa Rica and neighboring countries
2. Affiliate/Referral Commissions: Commissions paid to affiliates (individuals who recommend ARA Tours) up to 8% on packaged tours and car rentals, 5% on hotels, transfers, and excursions when paid via bank transfer

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ARA Tours is a Costa Rica destination management company that designs, sells, and operates customized travel itineraries for international tour operators, travel agencies, and individual travelers. The core offering combines tailor-made multi-destination trips covering Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama with on-the-ground services including hotel bookings, car rentals, certified guides, airport transfers, and domestic flights. It is complemented by specialized niche products such as ARA Xperiences (cultural immersion), birdwatching, hiking, bike/e-bike, premium round trips, and golf packages.

Product overview

ARA Tours offers a comprehensive portfolio of travel services centered on customized Costa Rica travel experiences. The core offering consists of tailor-made travel itineraries complemented by specialized niche products including ARA Xperiences (cultural immersion), Bike/E-Bike tours, birdwatching, hiking trips, premium round trips, and golf packages. Additional services encompass hotel bookings, car rentals, private certified guides, airport transfers, and domestic flights. The company operates a B2B partner portal for distribution partners and provides 24/7 customer support throughout the travel experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ARA Xperiences: Authentic cultural experiences including homestays, indigenous cultural immersion, cooking classes, and community interactions in Costa Rica.

Products and services

• ARA Xperiences (Cultural Immersion) Authentic cultural experiences enabling travelers to engage with local communities, traditions, and lifestyles in Costa Rica, including visits to indigenous communities, local schools, homestays, and participation in traditional activities such as cooking, farming, and reforestation. Targeted at individual travelers and B2B partner clients seeking differentiated, high-authenticity excursions.
• Customized Travel Itineraries Tailor-made travel packages designed to meet individual customer needs, covering destinations across Costa Rica including national parks, beaches, mountains, and the Central Valley, Caribbean coast, Northern lowlands, North Pacific, Monteverde, Central Pacific, and South Pacific regions. Targeted at individual travelers, small groups, and B2B partner clients.
• ARA B2B Partner Portal Secure B2B platform enabling distribution partners to access information, bookings, and services provided by ARA Tours, available in multiple languages. Targeted at European tour operators, travel agencies, and wholesale partners.
• Bike and E-Bike Tours Cycling and electric biking tours through Costa Rica's diverse landscapes, offered as part of the niche product portfolio. Targeted at adventure-seeking individual travelers and small groups, and resold via B2B partners.
• Birdwatching Tours Specialized birdwatching excursions to observe Costa Rica's biodiversity, including the Quetzal and other colorful bird species. Targeted at nature-focused individual travelers and small groups.
• Hiking Trips Hiking and trekking experiences through Costa Rica's national parks, cloud forests, and natural reserves. Targeted at active individual travelers and small groups.
• Premium Round Trips High-end curated travel packages offering luxury accommodations and exclusive experiences throughout Costa Rica. Targeted at premium individual travelers, luxury travelers, and corporate incentive clients.
• Golf Packages Golf tourism packages featuring multiple courses across Costa Rica including Cariari Country Club, Ocean Course at Four Seasons, Hacienda Pinilla, La Iguana, Los Delfines, Los Reyes, Osa Golf, Reserva Conchal, and Valle del Sol. Targeted at golf travelers, particularly through IAGTO member networks.
• Hotel Bookings Hotel accommodation arrangements leveraging extensive knowledge of Costa Rica's hotel offerings to match customer preferences, integrated within customized travel itineraries. Targeted at individual travelers and B2B partner clients.
• Car Rental Services Vehicle rental solutions for independent travel throughout Costa Rica, including Fly & Drive packages. Targeted at self-drive individual travelers.
• Private Guides Certified, experienced German-speaking and multilingual tour guides for personalized guided experiences. Targeted at individual travelers and small groups (especially European visitors).
• Airport Transfers Transportation services including airport pickups, meet & greet with multilingual guides, and private transfer solutions. Targeted at individual travelers and B2B partner clients as part of broader itineraries.
• Pre-Designed Itineraries Pre-packaged travel routes including 7-night, 10-night, 14-night, and 21-night itineraries covering Costa Rica's volcanoes, beaches, cloud forests, and wildlife destinations. Targeted at individual travelers and B2B partner clients seeking ready-made trip templates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of customers rate their trip organization as 'good' or 'very good'
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Abercrombie & Kent Travel GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Since 2023, ARA Tours has been part of Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group, maintaining the ARA Tours brand while gaining access to luxury travel expertise and global network. The integration brings specialized luxury team and expedition cruise development capabilities for Central America.
• LatinconnectcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1999Latinconnect is a transborder alliance of destination management companies across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1999, it provides ARA Tours with cross-border operational synergies and a digital product platform for partner access.
• Essential Costa RicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEssential Costa Rica is Costa Rica's country brand promoting tourism, investment, and exports. ARA Tours obtained licensing since 2018 as part of this national brand differentiation program.
• Abercrombie & Kent PhilanthropycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe philanthropic arm of A&K operates as a non-profit generating positive impact through tourism. In Costa Rica, focuses on education, health, entrepreneurship, and environmental conservation. Supports 70+ projects across 25+ countries with approximately USD 2.7 million in donations in 2024.
• Edelweiss AirminorOthersEuropean airline providing direct routes from Europe to Costa Rica, supporting tourism connectivity.
• LufthansaminorOthersEuropean airline with direct connections from Europe to Costa Rica, expanding market access.
• Local Transportation ProviderscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSelected transportation companies and certified local guides ensure smooth operations and high level of professionalism throughout tours.
• Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial licensing and sustainability certification body. ARA Tours holds CST Elite certification and official tourism operator license (Lic ICT OT 294).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• G Adventures: G Adventures offers small-group adventure tours in Costa Rica with a sustainability-led positioning comparable to ARA's CST-certified niche products, though it operates B2C retail departures rather than B2B DMC services.
• Natural Habitat Adventures: Natural Habitat Adventures designs small-group and private nature-focused trips worldwide, including Costa Rica. It overlaps with ARA's birdwatching and eco-tourism niche but sells direct-to-consumer rather than through B2B wholesale.
• Intrepid Travel: Intrepid Travel operates small-group adventure tours across Latin America, including Costa Rica. It overlaps with ARA's adventure/niche product portfolio but uses a fixed-departure group model rather than fully customized DMC services.

Broad incumbents

• Abercrombie & Kent: Abercrombie & Kent is the global luxury travel conglomerate that owns ARA Tours since 2023. It offers broader, multi-destination luxury itineraries that include Central America, sharing customer base and luxury positioning but operating at global scale rather than as a Costa Rica specialist.
• Kuoni / DER Touristik Costa Rica Program: Kuoni (part of DER Touristik Group) is a major European tour operator offering long-haul luxury and tailor-made holidays including Costa Rica, sourcing DMC services from local partners such as ARA Tours but covering many competing destinations.

Direct peers

• Audley Travel: Audley Travel is a UK specialist tour operator creating customized, expert-led trips worldwide including Costa Rica, with a country-specialist model that mirrors ARA's customized DMC approach for European premium travelers.
• Costa Rica DMC: Costa Rica DMC is a destination management company specializing in custom itineraries, group travel, and FIT services for European and North American tour operators — a direct competitor in the same DMC intermediation layer as ARA Tours.
• Destination Costa Rica: Destination Costa Rica is a Costa Rica-based DMC providing customized itineraries, hotels, tours, and transfers for international tour operators and travelers — directly comparable to ARA Tours in product scope, geography, and B2B wholesale distribution model.
• Travel Excellence: Travel Excellence is an ICT-licensed Costa Rica DMC offering tailored packages, hotel reservations, and ground services to international travel agencies and tour operators, competing head-to-head with ARA Tours in the European wholesale channel.
• Journey Latin America: UK-based specialist tour operator designing bespoke Latin American holidays including Costa Rica, with deep destination expertise and a similar custom-itinerary model targeting European travelers — directly comparable to ARA's B2B and FIT offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aratourscostarica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ara-tours

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ARA Tours