Costa Rica Staff
Costa Rica Sun Tours Staff Costa Rica Sun Tours is our ground tour operator and representative in Costa Rica. Should you require any assistance while traveling please contact them.
Arlene Sandi, General Manager
 Arlene was the first employee of Costa Rica Sun Tours 17 years ago. Today she oversees a staff of over 25 employees and coordinates Costa Rica Sun Tours operations in Costa Rica. Attention to details, team leadership and ensuring each client has an unforgettable travel experience while in Costa Rica are key aspects to her day to day duties. She has taken the lead staff role to develop our policy vision for the coming years. For those of you who speak some Spanish: Costa Rica Sun Tours Mission Statement: " Somos una empresa sólida e innovadora de turismo receptivo, que se ajusta a las necesidades de cada cliente, con el fin de brindar una experiencia..PURA VIDA!!! con profesionalismo y calidad, que respeta los recursos naturales y culturales, gracias a la calidez, la capacidad y compromiso de nuestro talento humano". Guests are supported 7 days a week, 24 hours a day through our 24 hours Emergency Plan, put together by Arlene and Head Guide Leo Chavez, to help ensure the safety of our clients. Arlene and Leo also run an aggressive training and information program to keep all of our guides and driver-guides up to the minute on every Costa Rica attraction our guests might be interested in. Costa Rica Sun Tours would not be where it is today where it not for Arlene's dedication to the company.
Marco Thomas, General Sales Manager
 Marco Thomas has been working for the tourism industry in Costa Rica since 1989. He joined Costa Rica Sun Tours in 1999 as General Sales Manager after working in various roles in other travel businesses.
Marco leads a sales department of Account Executives with a strong commitment to team work across all divisions of the company. His program goes extra length to make sure every staff member in sales gets out into the country and talks to our guides to ensure they know the Costa Rica tour opportunities first hand.
Liz Salas, Assistant to the Sales Manager
 The most senior member of the Sales Team, Liz is in charge of training the new Sales Staff as well as supervising the Sales Assistants. Her group keeps all the complicated itineraries and reservations of our Guests in order to guarantee that they can focus on their Costa Rica vacation package, not the details of transportation and lodging quality. As part of the Sales Team we also have a person in charge of the database, keeping the information of hotels and services up to date and loading it into SIGA, our in-house computer software used for quotes and reservations
Operations Department
 The Operations Department is headed by General Manager Arlene Sandi and a team of four travel professionals. Operations handles all the logistics of coordinating the transportation and guides services for both individual travelers and groups, reconfirming hotel reservations as well as tours and activities. They ensure that guides we employ are all licensed or in the process of getting licensed, all vehicles sub-contracted are inspected to ensure they are up to standards and have all necessary permits and insurance coverage. Together with Head Guide Leo Chavez Operations conducts a guide training seminar each year. They meet with each driver and guide prior to each trip outing to make sure they have all necessary information and specific details regarding each of our client's itineraries. All of our clients are treated as VIP clients and the attention to details is what makes the difference between a good trip and a trip of a lifetime. The Operations department is staffed 7 days of week and someone from department is always on call and can be reached 24/7 in case of an emergency. They assist clients with changes in country, storing excess luggage, reconfirming departure flights.
Leo Chavez, Head Guide
 Leo has been a field guide for Costa Rica Sun Tours for 13 years. Two years ago he was given the added responsibility of Head Guide in order to act as a spokesperson for all of our field staff. He helps conduct the ever important Guide Training Sessions every year,and helps organize sales, operations and guide inspection trips. He received a prestigious award from Natural Habitat last year in recognition of his outstanding guiding expertise. Leo is invaluable in helping bridge the gap between "office staff" and " field staff". He is often consulted as to the best logistics of getting around the country, what works and what doesn't at the time of planning a Costa Rica trip, whether for a student, family or Costa Rica nature tour.
Marco Fallas, Naturalist Guide
 If we could clone Marco - Tex - we would. Marco exemplifies the meaning of Pura Vida. He puts an unbelievable amount of time and energy into all of his tours- leaving his customers with unforgettable memories.(often with tears in their eyes). His energy and enthusiasm is contagious. He has worked his way up from washing vans and doing yard work to a driver, driver/guide and now is considered one of the best guides in the country. Marco provides a lot of helpful tips to the Operations Department on how to run a tour.
Harry Castro, Driver/Guide
 Harry has recently completed the Guide Training Course at the INBIO ( Biodiversitry Institute) and is a certified guide by the ICT ( Costa Rica's Ministry of Tourism) . Harry is a very experienced driver. He used to participate in rallies and drive cars in speed-ways! But don't worry, he doesn't use his racing skills with clients. With a good sense of humor and good eyes for spotting animals, Harry prefers to guide small groups of families, friends and couples.
Alexander Araya, Drive/Guide
Affectionately known as Alexillo, native of Monteverde is in the process of completing his Guide Training Course. In the two years that he has been with the company he has learned about the flora and fauna of the country by accompanying senior guides on excursions around the country as well as perfected his English. He is always willing to please his clients.
Alex Arias, Computer Department
Alex has been with our company for over 10 years. Alex is part of the Executive Team and has been instrumental in designing our in-house computer system that integrates Sales, Operations and Accounting. It allows us to focus on the execution and attention to details rather than duplicating a lot of paperwork. He also supervises Esteban Rodriguez, an assistant programmer. Alex for the past 8 years has been leading our Mountain Biking Trips helping scout out various routes as well as maintaining equipment in optimum conditions. This past year he also took the guide certification course at INBIO and enjoys combining office work with guiding. In addition to mountain biking he also now leads trips to Arenal and Monteverde.
Edgar Rojas, Accounting Director
 Edgar has shown excellent leadership skills not only in his department but in the company. He conducts weekly meetings with his staff and has very good rapport with office in general. Our suppliers all love working with him as payments always go out as scheduled. This will often help our Sales Team secure a hard-to-get room reservation during the peak season since Costa Rica Connection / Costa Rica Sun Tours has a good reputation in the Costa Rica tourism industry.
Support Team
 Every office has it support team. As they are not in contact with the travel agents or with tourists in country they are often not known but work they do is essential to the running of the company.
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