No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaCosta Rica will open its borders to tourists on August 1

Costa Rica will open its borders to tourists on August 1

Costa Rica will open its borders to foreign tourists on August 1, Health Minister Daniel Salas announced Friday.

At that time, the country will allow flights from countries that have controlled the spread of the coronavirus.

Salas did not immediately detail what countries could be included on that list, though the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) has proposed allowing visitors from the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada.

“We will announce that with more detail in an appropriate moment,” Salas said Friday regarding the list of countries.

“It will go hand-in-hand with what other countries, such as European ones, are managing.”

Salas also said Friday that the country has nearly finalized its protocols for arriving tourists. The country’s international airports have previewed some of those measures, which could include visitors presenting an epidemiological form created by the Health Ministry.

That protocol will be announced in July, Salas said.

The August 1 date applies to both Juan Santamaría International Airport, near San José, and Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste.

“We are completely ready for a prompt return,” said Aeris, which operates the San José-area airport, Costa Rica’s busiest. “We have prepared with the goal to apply health protocols under the supervision of respective authorities that guarantee the security and protection of passengers.”

Repatriation and cargo flights can continue throughout July, Aeris said.

Costa Rica’s borders have been closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. During that time, Costa Rica has allowed only citizens and residents (with some exceptions) to enter the country.

Tourism comprises an estimated 8.2% of Costa Rica’s GDP.

In 2019, more than 1.3 million tourists came to Costa Rica from the United States, more than any other single country by far.

Popular Articles

Brazilian Photographer Sebastião Salgado Dies at 81

Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado, known for his powerful black-and-white images of the Amazon and global conflicts, died on Friday at the age of 81,...

Critics Warn New Water Law in Costa Rica Threatens Biodiversity & Aquifers

Costa Rica’s push to modernize its water management with a new Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) law has hit a rough patch. Environmental groups,...

Costa Rica Presses U.S. to Lift 10% Export Tariff in High-Stakes Talks

Costa Rica has launched urgent negotiations with the United States to overturn a 10% tariff on its exports, imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait

Latest Articles