Tourism Ministry officials on Thursday reported that revenues from Costa Rica's travel sector last year totaled $2.6 billion, an 8.3 percent increase over the $2.4 billion registered in 2013, according to figures from the Central Bank.
Beach hotel owners were the most optimistic in the survey, reporting that they expect at least 91 percent occupancy in the Central Pacific, 89 percent occupancy in the Northern Pacific (Guanacaste), 85 percent in the Southern Pacific and 69 percent in the Caribbean.
Some 200 representatives of tourism chambers and associations, entrepreneurs and professionals are meeting this week at the 18th National Tourism Congress to discuss key issues to improve Costa Rica's status as a popular tourist destination.
In an ongoing row between tourism business chambers and the administration of President Luis Guillermo Solís, tourism sector leaders on Tuesday evening had the opportunity to voice their complaints in a meeting at Casa Presidencial.
The cruise ship season began on Costa Rica's Pacific coast last Sunday with the arrival of the Carnival Legend in Puntarenas. At the same time, Tourism Minister Wilhelm von Breymann said his ministry would increase efforts to promote more cruise ship tourism in the country as a way to boost the economy.
Leaders of the National Tourism Chamber sent President Luis Guillermo Solís a letter asking him to block a Finance Ministry decree ordering tourism businesses to collect sales tax on several tourism activities that were previously exempt.
The Costa Rican Tourism Board on Thursday will relaunch a promotion campaign titled “¡Vamos a turistear!” (Let's go sightseeing!) to encourage local tourists to take advantage of green season deals.
Last Friday, President Luis Guillermo Solís and Environment Minister Edgar Gutiérrez signed a decree eliminating a 15 percent sales tax on national park entrance fees. The act reverses a controversial decree that went into effect last week, angering business owners in the tourism sector.
Just over half of hotel rooms in Costa Rica were occupied during the first two weeks of this month, when most Ticos enjoyed mid-year vacations. Average occupancy was 57.56 percent, which was far from the 67.64 percent expected by hotel owners in a previous survey, according to the National Tourism Chamber.
Tourism business owners on Wednesday voiced total opposition to a new Environment Ministry (MINAE) decree extending the collection of a 15 percent sales tax to several activities that were previously exempt.
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