Tourism transportation operators plan to demonstrate outside Casa Presidencial tomorrow over a possible change to legislation that could allow Uber-type ride-hailing services to operate at Costa Rica’s airports. The protest is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Zapote. Organizers said participants will gather on foot rather than bring tourism vans or buses, in an effort to avoid creating additional traffic problems for the public.
At the center of the dispute is legislation that would create a legal framework for transportation services offered through digital platforms such as Uber and DiDi. The current version of the bill would keep platform drivers from picking up or dropping off passengers at airports, ports, docks and certain other terminals unless the appropriate authority specifically authorizes the service.
That restriction, however, could change before lawmakers vote on the legislation. It’s been reported that discussions surrounding the bill produced an informal agreement to remove the airport restriction and stressed that the proposed change has not yet been incorporated into the official updated text, meaning airport access for ride-hailing platforms has not been approved.
That distinction is important since for now at least, there is no newly approved rule allowing ride-hailing platforms to freely operate at Juan Santamaría International Airport or Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia under this legislation. Tourism transport operators say their concern is not simply competition but they argue that allowing platform drivers to work at airports without facing the same requirements imposed on licensed tourism transportation companies would create an uneven playing field.
Organizers said they have sought meetings with government officials to explain their concerns and want to be heard before lawmakers make any change affecting airport transportation. They maintain that formal tourism transportation companies have spent years operating under government licensing and other regulatory requirements.
The dispute comes as Costa Rica moves closer than it has in years to creating formal rules for app-based transportation. The bill was originally introduced in May 2023. In late July, the Legislative Assembly’s Government and Administration Committee finished considering 282 proposed amendments to the legislation, approving nine of them before sending the updated bill back to the full legislature for further debate.
Among other provisions, the proposal would establish requirements for digital transportation companies, drivers and vehicles. Platforms would have to register in Costa Rica, comply with tax requirements and obtain authorization to operate. Drivers would also face registration, insurance, vehicle inspection and other requirements.
The airport issue has become particularly sensitive within our tourism industry. Earlier this year, tourism organizations objected after the Esencial Costa Rica brand announced a promotional arrangement involving Uber. The initiative was withdrawn following complaints from tourism transportation companies, while the National Tourism Chamber, Canatur, called for greater coordination with established tourism businesses when working with ride-hailing platforms.
For visitors, airport transportation has long included authorized airport taxis, private tourism transfers, rental cars and other prearranged services. Ride-hailing platforms are widely used elsewhere in Costa Rica, making the question of whether they should receive clearly defined access to airport passengers one of the more visible issues in the broader debate over regulating the industry.
Tomorrow’s demonstration is intended to pressure the government before any airport provision changes. For the moment, the most important point for travelers is that nothing has changed yet. The legislation remains under discussion, and the language that would potentially open airports more broadly to ride-hailing platforms has not been formally added to the bill
