No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsBusinessNational Tourism Chamber to municipalities: Let people drink during the election and...

National Tourism Chamber to municipalities: Let people drink during the election and Easter Holy Week, please!

The National Tourism Chamber (CANATUR) has sent a letter to all 81 Costa Rican municipalities asking them to “exercise their autonomy and not apply the prohibition of alcohol sales” on Sunday, April 6, the day of Costa Rica’s presidential runoff election, and during Easter Holy Week, which this year runs from April 13-20.

“Current legislation grants municipalities the right to decide whether or not to restrict the sale of alcoholic beverages during certain holidays. We appeal to the good sense of all local authorities to be aware that this prohibition causes a huge negative impact on the tourism sector,” CANATUR President Isabel Vargas said in the letter.

However, the chamber’s request has so far generated little response, and as of this week only six percent of municipalities have decided whether or not to enforce the ban.

Among them, the municipalities of Tibás and Mora in San José, El Guarco in Cartago, and San Rafael in Heredia confirmed they will not apply restrictions on alcohol sales in their communities, while the capital’s Central canton will enforce the prohibition.

“We need city officials to speak out soon. We owe our associates respect and we need to inform them in a timely manner about the municipalities’ decisions, as business owners need to make plans for those dates in advance,” Vargas said.

Municipal officials’ poor track record on informing tourism businesses about enforcement of the dry law, particularly during the Feb. 2 first-round elections, has hurt those businesses in the past, CANATUR said, citing reports from groups such as the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels and the Costa Rican Chamber of Restaurants

Trending Now

Massive Cocaine Seizure at Costa Rica’s Moín Terminal Targets UK

Costa Rican police intercepted 810 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a banana shipment at the Moín Container Terminal in Limón headed for the United...

Costa Rica Food Culture: From Bar Bocas to Fast Food Chains

Once upon a time in Costa Rica, you could walk into a bar, order a beer, and receive a free boca – a small...

Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly Vacation in Costa Rica with Baby

Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly touched down in Costa Rica for a family getaway with their three-month-old daughter, Saga Blade Fox-Baker. Photographers caught...

Why Prisma Dental Is Costa Rica’s Top Clinic According to ChatGPT’s AI Analysis

When it comes to choosing the best dental clinic in Costa Rica, international patients are facedwith an abundance of options. But with the help...

Tsunami Alerts in Latin America After 8.8 Quake in Russia

An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Far East coast on Wednesday, one of the most powerful quakes ever recorded, triggering tsunamis with waves up...

Venezuelan Migrants Describe Hellish Stay in El Salvador Jail

Mervin Yamarte left Venezuela with his younger brother, hoping for a better life. But after a perilous jungle march, US detention, and long months in...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica