Table of Contents

The Mission ......................................... 3

History ................................................... 4

Getting There .................................... 6

The Green Airline ............................ 8

Redefining Air Travel .................... 9

Nature Vacations ........................... 10

Nature Kids ...................................... 11

Membership Organizations and Awards ..................................... 12

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To create memorable experiences for passengers in a reliable, innovative and fun airline during their travels in Central America

Based in San Jose, Costa Rica, Nature Air has always considered itself to be more than an airline, more like a travel company with wings. The company is seriously commitment to minimizing any kind of negative impact their operations might have on the environment and local communities.

Nature Air voluntarily compensates 100% of its carbon emissions, through the preservation of tropical forests. The company offsets more than 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually and uses carbon credits to help conserve Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, one of the most biologically diverse regions in the country. Since 2004, Nature Air has helped protect more than 300 hectares of privately owned bio-corridors in the region. In addition, Nature Air keeps their carbon output down by revising their operations, scheduling and flight plans.

The company is committed to opening up new destinations to tourism and offering both international travel-ers and local residents the opportunity to travel quickly and safely between 15 exciting destinations in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama.

The Mission

History

More than ten years ago, no reliable airlines existed in Costa Rica or Central America serving adventure travel destinations. Service was often slow, chaotic and inconvenient for international and regional tourists. Whole communities were essentially cut off from the world in certain seasons due to flooding and road disrepair. Many of these communities housed beautiful ecosystems and natural wonders, making them the perfect beneficiaries for sustainable tourism projects. The conditions were ripe for a new airline.

Travel Air was founded by two Alaskan bush pilots in 1990. The original owners had a handful of routes to se-lect tourist destinations in Costa Rica. Meanwhile, a consulting company called Naturegate out of San Francisco frequently found itself working on sustainable tourism projects in the region. The Naturegate team knew from personal experience that road travel was long, arduous and even dangerous. They also struggled with the viability of tourism projects in beautiful destinations that lacked adequate transportation infrastructure.

before...

History

... and after

In 2000, when working on one of these projects, the CEO of Naturegate Alex Khajav, discovered Travel Air was for sale. With more than 25 years in tourism, the Khajavi family sold their homes, packed their bags and moved to Costa Rica permanently to run the newly named – Nature Air.

Since the first year they have gone from flying 18,000 passengers annually to more than 110,000 in 2010. The fleet has grown from one plane to six – and remains to be the only all twin engine airline in Costa Rica with both scheduled and chartered flights. Growth has been at more than 35% annually compounded, and one of the fast-est growth rates in Latin America.

With Nature Air at the lead, the NatureGroup has grown to include an eco-tourism consulting firm that worked on projects like the Desarollo Papagayo, the oldest Flight Academy in Latin America, the largest travel magazine in the region, the NatureKids Foundation that gives families the tools they need to better their futures, and Na-ture Vacations, the group’s travel division that features personalized travel itineraries to the region.

Nature Air offers 74 daily flights to 15 exciting destina-tion in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. As an in-novative airline with strong ties to the tourism industry, Nature Air is always adding new routes to their roster. In May 2005, Nature Air began operating daily flights to the Arenal Volcano, the most visited destination in Costa Rica. This flight was a watershed moment in tourism for the Arenal region. In December 2010, they launched a new inter-destination route connecting the beach town of Quepos directly to Arenal.

In keeping with the adage, “The journey is half the fun,” planes are painted in vivid colors reflecting tropi-cal destinations. Nature Air’s planes are roomy, climate controlled and deliver a smoother ride than smaller aircrafts. Their large, flat, panoramic windows allow un-obstructed views of active volcanoes, tropical waterfalls and even simultaneous views of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

In March 2011, the airline launched its second interna-tional route connecting Liberia and Managua, Nicara-gua

Getting There

Getting There

The Green Airline

Nature Air’s participation in the government sponsored carbon sequestration program, FONAFIFO, made them the first carbon neutral airline in the world. The airline keeps its carbon output down by improvements made in their operations, scheduling and flight plans. Their fleet includes 5 DeHaviland Twin Otters, a sturdy, sight-seeing aircraft perfect for the rough conditions of some of the more remote landing strips, which provides the least intrusive way to journey through environmen-tally sensitive areas. Studies show Nature Air outputs as much carbon dioxide in a year compared to what one commercial flight outputs in 10 days flying between New York and London.

100% of Nature Air’s carbon emissions are compensated through the protection and reforestation of essential bio-corridors in southern Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Nature Air pays for 3rd party audits to be conducted of the land to ensure that these forests are being conserved and protected. In addition, Nature Air has met with and encouraged other airlines to participate in this program as a way of using tourism and transportation to protect the destinations to which they serve and benefit from.

Nature Air’s sustainable projects are ongoing. The airline’s ground transportation is all fueled from recycled veg-etable oil and the company is currently researching alternative fuel sources for their company, including ethanol and pig waste.

Redefining Air Travel

NatureAir’s commitment to quality of service is clearly demonstrated by the way they have structured their programs; not from the perspective of a business owner, but from that of a traveler.

• In 2004 Alex Khajavi and his family turned Nature Air 100% carbon neutral. They also vowed to maintain the only all two-engine fleet in Central America, placing safety, reliability and the comfort of passengers as their top priority.

• Every year the company works to improve its flight plans in order to optimize fuel usage by nearly 9% since 2004. Their strong dedication to service has resulted in a 94 percent on-time performance, which is unheard of in the region.

• Nature Air also opened more destinations to adventure travelers than ever before. Destinations that used to take eight hours to drive to, can now be reached via Nature Air in only 45 minutes! This allows travelers to have more fun, add more destinations to their itinerary, and spend more valuable time at the destinations instead of on the road.

Nature Air offers a truly unique experience to their travelers. Not only do their over-sized Vistaliner windows and low flying-altitude offer breathtaking views of the region’s varied landscapes, they also get clients to iden-tify with the brand by knowing they aren’t leaving a Carbon footprint on their journey. Emissions from ground transportation are also compensated, while offices enjoy energy-saver light bulbs, systems to avoid paper waste and recycling. The company’s efforts prove that an airline can help the environment rather than harm it.

Costa Rica has been named one of the world’s most popular travel hot spots. To better serve tourists in the re-gions it serves, Nature Air formed its own eco-focused vacations department – Nature Vacations. (www.nature-vacations.com). Nature Vacations guides and educates travelers about all the natural wonders and eco-lodges in Costa Rica awaiting their discovery. The travel designers live, work and play in Costa Rica! They can share first-hand experience and local advice. Let them recreate the sounds made by Macaws or howler monkeys overhead, or the colors of the setting sun that can be seen from your hotel balcony overlooking the canopy rainforest as it touches the Pacific.

Nature Vacations creates unique itineraries to help you best uncover the wonders of the region, including a 100% carbon neutral itinerary that includes offsets for all carbon emitted during your stay. The package includes guid-ed nature walks, jungle tours, sustainable accommodations at some of the most unique boutique hotels in Costa Rica, domestic airfare by Nature Air, and all transfers in the biodiesel-run Nature Van.

Nature Vacations

Nature Kids

Nature Air places equal emphasis on commer-cial success and social responsibility. Studies in-dicate that English speakers in Costa Rica earn on average 40 percent more income across all industries. In 2003 Nature Air created Nature Kids – a non-profit foundation that provides low-income children and families the tools they need to adapt to the ever-changing economic climate.

Nature Kids currently operates an English language school in Drake Bay on the Osa Pen-insula. More than 60 students receive twice-weekly English and computing courses as well as targeted educational workshops.

In 2007, the Nature Kids Foundation initiated efforts to clean up water in smaller communities and collect and recycle garbage. Environmental lessons are also given to the children to help install sustainable practices in the younger generations.

NatureAir is a member of several environmental organizations through which it also educates both travelers and industry of its program, these include:

• International Ecotourism Society• Rainforest Alliance• World Heritage Alliance• IATA• American Society of Travel Agent• International Civil Aviation Organization• ICT Tourism Association• CANATUR• ACOPROT

In November 2007 Nature Air was given a highly commended recognition as the “best mode of low-carbon transportation and technology” at the 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards at the World Travel Market. In June 2007 Nature Air was recognized by the International Community for Ecotourism for being the first airline to voluntarily compensate 100% of its carbon emissions, through the conservation of tropical forests. In May 2008 Nature Air become the first airline in 20 years to be honored at the Rainforest Alliance annual Sustainable Innovator Awards in the Corporate Sustainable Standard-Setters category. The airline won National Geographic’s Geotoursim Award in 2009 and was deemed top airline in all categories in Conde Nast Traveler’s World Savers Awards in 2010.

Membership Organizations and Awards

Media Contacts

North America Costa Rica

Hailey McDonaldInternatoional Specialist Account Manager

Adventure Mediawww.adventuremedianews.com

(O) 970-568-7423(C) 970-379-9363

hailey@adventuremedianews.com

Claire SaylorMarketing DirectorNature Airwww.natureair.com(O) +506-2299-6079(Toll free) 1-800-235-9272csaylor@naturegroup.net