The Japanese Embassy has donated ¢50 million ($89,000) to help remodel PoásVolcanoNational Park.
The funds, which were received by the non-governmental organization Foundation for the Development of the Central Volcanic Cordillera (FUNDECOR), will help upgrade the park’s visitors center, with new exhibitions on the region’s volcanic history, as well as safety information regarding earthquakes and seismic activity.
Organizers and administrators hope the renovations will help stimulate tourism at the national park, which has slumped since the Jan. 8 earthquake closed the park and roads throughout the region for weeks.
Historically, Poás Volcano has been the most-visited national park in the country, receiving on average around 300,000 tourists per year.
Construction will begin this month, Murillo said, and will be completed by the start of next year’s high season.
–Patrick Fitzgerald
