Costa Rica will reopen on November 1 its borders to international tourism, closed since March due to the pandemic, the government announced on Friday.
The country bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea began a process of reopening with the six other Central American countries in mid-October.
From November 1, visitors from all over the world will be able to enjoy the country’s beaches, volcanoes and remarkable biodiversity.
“Every tourist who visits the country activates a series of production chains in agriculture, fishing, commerce, transport, tourist guides, hotels, restaurants, operators and artisans”, which helps to reactivate the country’s declining economy, Tourism Minister Gustavo Segura told a press conference.
Opening it up to tourists from the United States alone will make it possible to regain some 80,000 jobs lost due to the restrictive measures taken to contain the pandemic, and generate $ 1.5 billion by 2021, according to the government.
Tourism, a key sector of Costa Rica’s economy which before the pandemic received more than three million visitors each year, contributes 8% of GDP, the equivalent of some $ 4 billion, and generates 600,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to official data.