Reminder: How to enter for an all-expenses-paid vacation to Costa Rica

Costa Rica is offering all-expenses-paid vacations for U.S. and Canadian residents who found life’s essentials during what has been a difficult pandemic year.

The Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) last November announced the “Who is essential to you?” campaign. The promotion will award the 15 “most inspiring stories” with a weeklong trip to Costa Rica for their authors and a loved one.

People interested in submitting their stories can do so at this link. Entries are accepted until January 31, and the winners can travel between February 2021 and February 2022.

“Since March, we have heard a lot about essential jobs: who is essential and what is essential,” said Carolina Trejos, marketing director for ICT.

”Costa Rica, known for its Pura Vida, values ​​the family and the community and that is why our desire during these challenging times is to keep in mind that we are all essential to someone.”

When the promotion launched in November, it coincided with the beginning of Costa Rica’s tourism high season. In December, Costa Rica received 75,000 arrivals, the most since April 2020 but still a significant decrease compared to non-pandemic years.

The Tourism Board says 20 airlines have resumed flights to Costa Rica since the country reopened its air borders in context of the pandemic. However, new testing policies enacted by other countries have led to more route suspensions.