The beach town of Tamarindo, will usher in the high tourist season this December with enhanced safety and security provisions courtesy of a strategic initiative between the Ministry of Public Security (MSP) and Tamarindo Chamber of Commerce and Tourism (CCTT).
Kattia Chavarría, Director of the MSP Tourist Police division, announced the December dispatch of a specialized task force comprising 26 recently graduated bilingual police officers to Playa Tamarindo. Having undergone rigorous 180-hour training over five weeks, the officers are proficient in English and equipped to handle incidents involving both domestic and foreign tourists.
The task force will be stationed in Tamarindo from December 25th through January 2nd with the primary objective of promptly assisting visitors and reacting to any eventualities, from on-site complaints to guiding individuals to secure locations if necessary.
Chavarría emphasized that the officers received instruction tailored to the needs of Playa Tamarindo and other prominent Guanacaste beach towns that attract large tourist populations. The task force represents one of several set to deploy across Guanacaste’s coastal resort communities in the coming weeks as part of a coordinated effort between regional chambers of commerce and the MSP to reinforce security ahead of peak season.
Hernán Imhoff, President of the CCTT, praised the MSP’s efforts in responding to the organization’s active participation in preliminary meetings and effective coordination across jurisdictions. As tourism constitutes over 90 percent of Tamarindo’s local economy, adequate visitor protection and town surveillance not only ensures tourist safety but also facilitates increased commerce, formal job creation, tax revenue, and the town’s overall stability as one of Guanacaste’s most frequented destinations.
While once a small fishing village, Tamarindo has cemented itself as one of Costa Rica’s most developed beach resorts thanks to idyllic geography and climate ideal for surfing, aquatic sports and eco-tourism. Situated in the Santa Cruz canton’s ninth district, the town has undergone rapid transformation in lockstep with the nation’s boom in foreign visitors and emergence of Guanacaste as a beach lover’s paradise.
As the high season launches in earnest, Tamarindo wants to solidify its hard-won reputation among Costa Rica vacationers as not only picturesque but secure—an attribute that will hopefully encourage tourist promotion and travel article coverage lauding the town’s emphasis on visitor protection initiatives in partnership with the MSP security team.
