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ICT becomes Google Trusted Verifier

 

  • Tourism sector business leaders can use this certification to validate the location of their businesses using Google Maps Costa Rica.
  • This possibility has come about through a collaboration with Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs).

A collaboration between the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) and the multinational company Google has resulted in ICT becoming a Google Trusted Verifier. This means that the institution can validate the accuracy of tourism businesses that want to be included in Google Maps.

This authentication will allow companies to enjoy certain advantages on the platform, including:  

  • A certified business can upload photos of its facilities as well as information and events it will organize, which will be seen by tourists on the platform.
  • A certified business is the owner of its listing, meaning that no one can modify it. If it is not verified, anyone can modify information about your business on Google Maps.Google’s Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) collaboration program formed the framework for the two organizations to work together. This program seeks to integrate new content and precise information on local points of interest and businesses into Google Maps, as well as to improve their online presence using panoramic streetview images.“There are over a billion monthly users of Google Maps, and we know through Google that consumers use mapping products over 44% of the time when they initially look for places to visit”, Wang continued. “Taking a further step to help our local businesses and attractions to be visible on this platform will help each one individually, while also ensuring that our destination as a whole looks vibrant and attractive to potential visitors, students, residents and even private investors”. What is the process for a business to become certified?
  • The Google DMO partnership program was announced at the 2017 Annual Convention of Destinations International and was recently opened to all DMOs.
  • “We want to support destination marketing organizations to add the best and most relevant localizations to Google Maps and to fill out city information”, added Wendy Wang from Google.
  • “At ICT, we recommend that tourism sector businesspeople take advantage of this opportunity, which is free of charge, useful and very functional in terms of business marketing”, noted Rafael Quesada, Head of Publicity at ICT.
  1. Sign up at: https://www.google.com/intl/es_cr/business/

Registration is completely free, though you will not yet be certified.

  1. To become certified, you will need to send the QR code that the platform gives you by e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">carlos.umañThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

* If the business has a Tourism Declaration, you will only need to send the QR code. If you don’t have a certification, you will also need to attach documentation to validate the business and that it is up to date with all the legal requirements, as well as photographs of the location