Costa Rica will fully open its borders to American tourists, its main market, from November 1, for the start of the high tourist season, Costa Rican Tourism Minister Gustavo Segura announced on Friday.
The small Central American country of five million inhabitants, known for its green tourism, has for the moment restricted access to American tourists coming from the states least affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Until the start of the pandemic, the United States weighed between 45 and 50 percent of the more than three million foreign tourists who visited Costa Rica each year.
“The opening of the United States market will allow tourism to be reactivated throughout the country,” assured the minister. “This means the possibility of recovering at least 80,000 jobs and of generating 1.5 billion dollars in 2021”, estimated the minister, citing projections from the Ministry of Planning.
Tourism, which represents 620,000 direct and indirect jobs for Costa Rica, was hit hard by the total closure of Costa Rica’s borders in March, at the start of the pandemic.
The country has gradually reopened its borders since August, in particular to visitors from the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada, to which were added in September those from certain Asian countries, as well as Uruguay. for Latin America, and the American states least affected by the epidemic.
Upon arrival, tourists must present a negative PCR test carried out less than 72 hours before departure, as well as insurance covering their health and accommodation costs in the event of contagion.