The US government decreased from 4 to 3 the level of the travel alert it issues for its citizens to evaluate the possibility of traveling to Costa Rica.
The US Government Administration improved this October 12 the recommendation for travel to Costa Rica from level 4 (no travel) to level 3 (reconsider travel due to Covid-19). The measure is effective immediately, informed the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).
In the context of the economic reopening, it was announced that as of October 15, Costa Rican air terminals will begin to receive flights carrying citizens from Central America and Panama.
Due to the covid-19 outbreak, air transport between Costa Rica and the other countries in the region has been interrupted since March.
As of October 1st, citizens and residents of Mexico may enter Costa Rican territory by air, under the condition that they comply with the sanitary requirements imposed by the authorities to contain the outbreak of covid-19.
As part of the process of reactivating air connectivity, Jamaican tourists will also be able to enter and the authorization for California residents will be reconfirmed. In addition, Ohio was added to the list of states in the United States of America authorized to visit the country as of October.
Starting October 17th, JetBlue will gradually restart operations with the flight between San Jose and Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and from October 25th it will start operating the route between the Costa Rican capital and New York.
From October 28th the airline plans to reactivate the flight between Orlando and San Jose.
When restrictions were decreed due to the covid-19 outbreak in the region, interest in travel agency services collapsed, but by mid-May the decline was reversed and all markets are already experiencing increases in interactions related to the issue.
Through a system that monitors changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries in real time, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long-term demand trends for the different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
As of September 1, the authorities will allow the entry of U.S. residents from the states of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, and as of September 15, tourists from Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Colorado will also be able to arrive.
The current scenario of reactivation of commercial flights and tourist activities, are an opportunity for insurers to increase their sales, since the hiring of a policy is a mandatory requirement for tourists to be allowed to travel.
Products that offer a refund in the event of having to cancel the trip due to illness, as well as coverage at the destination if the person becomes ill, both for medical expenses and for lodging in case a quarantine is needed, constitute a great opportunity in this context of the spread of covid-19.
As of September 1st, Costa Rica's tourist marinas will be authorized to receive foreign visitors, who must comply with all the requirements established by local authorities.
As a result of the covid-19 outbreak and the closing of the borders decreed by the government, the arrival of foreign tourists to Costa Rican marinas was restricted for more than five months.
Because the Costa Rican Assembly is discussing a bill that seeks to give municipalities the power to declare a dry law in their jurisdiction due to a national emergency, hotels, restaurants and tourist establishments are asking to be exempted from the rule.
The Legislative Plenary approved in first debate the file 21,281 Law to restrict the commercialization of drinks with alcohol content in sports activities and shows, this after the initiative had to be taken back to first debate to amend some details that the deputies considered necessary, informed the Assembly on July 16.
Attracting executives, pensioners and people willing to work remotely from Costa Rica, who extend their stay in the country for long periods, are some of the business opportunities that businessmen have detected in the current commercial scenario.
Although the sector is practically in the zero season, since the outbreak of covid-19 Costa Rica closed the borders to tourism, and during April and May there were practically no visitors to the country, the businessmen are beginning to prepare themselves to face the new commercial reality that arose from this abrupt change in the ways that people relate to each other on a global level.
As a result of the covid19 outbreak, Costa Rica closed its borders to tourism and during April and May practically no visitors entered the country, a situation that will persist in the coming months due to the slow reactivation of the sector.
In order to mitigate the advance of the virus, by means of a government decree the authorities ordered that as of March 18 only Costa Ricans and residents could enter the country.
Since restrictions began to be imposed due to the outbreak of covid-19 in the countries of the region, interest in travel agency services collapsed, but in mid-May the decline was halted and most countries are already seeing rebounds.
Through a system that monitors in real time changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long term demand trends for different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
Arguing that they will be able to maintain social distance in the common areas, the hotel guild in Costa Rica is asking the government to authorize them to operate at 100% of their capacity, and not at 50% as they are currently allowed.
According to the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels (CCH) the total use of hotel rooms does not represent a disadvantage since these spaces are used in family, social bubbles or individually.
Refinancing the debts of tourism companies, reviewing the exchange rate policy so that the country is not a very expensive destination and recovering the category of aviation security are some of the actions that the government should focus on to prevent the bankruptcy of this sector.
In addition to the millions of investments that have been made in this sector, it is very important for the country because according to official figures for 2019, its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product amounts to about 7%.
Because of the restriction measures decreed in the country due to the covid-19 outbreak, between March and April of this year the average hotel rate for two people decreased from $160 to $120.
According to the "Monetary Policy Report" prepared by the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR), in the face of the health crisis, hotel occupancy in the country has plummeted in the first four months of the year, from 90% in January to 15% in April.
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