With the announcement by Costa Rica President Alvarado that restrictions due to Covid-19 are being removed the tourism sector is optimistic that travel numbers to the country will improve dramatically.
The National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) highlighted that the lifting of restrictions such as vehicle restrictions, the elimination of the health pass as a requirement to enter the country, the increase in the capacity of establishments without the need to present the QR code and the extension of opening hours operation, will help advance the tourism recovery process and mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on this activity.
CANATUR is hopeful about what it considers to be the beginning of a new phase of recovery in the tourist sector.
“We are pleased to learn that, finally, the health measures are adjusted to the current pandemic reality. It was essential that this happen to give a new impetus to companies and it was necessary to send this sign of confidence to national and international tourism”, declared the president of Canatur, Rubén Acón.
“We must remember that tourism is the sector hardest hit by the economic and social crisis caused bycovid-19, it is a sector in which many companies are lagging behind, without a doubt, these changes produce better conditions to develop the activity and put us on the right path to recovery”, indicated Acón.
While the number of tourists traveling to Costa Rica has increased significantly it is still far less than pre-pandemic levels.
Vaccination levels continue to improve in Costa Rica and the number of new Covid-19 cases continues to decline.
While the lifting of restrictions now comes towards the end of the traditional high season for tourism in Costa Rica, many in the sector remark, better late than never.