On the morning just hours before the official inauguration of Costa Rica's EXPOTUR 2006, Carlos Ricardo
Benavides, Costa Rica's
new Minister of Tourism, outlined his agenda for the country. Costa Rica transitioned to a new
government on May 8, and Benavides, a former congressman, was sworn in a day
later. Benavides pledged to make a concerted effort to attract more airlines
offering scheduled flights to Costa
Rica. "There can never be too much
lift," he said. "But our first concern is to focus on improving the
infrastructure at our airport (JuanSantamariaInternationalAirport, in San Jose)."Benavides will also devote
additional dollars to promote the country in the U.S. Part of this plan
includes shifting the three percent hotel tax visitors pay to a $15 tax
included in the airline ticket. The taxes will be approximately the same amount
as that previously collected on the hotel bill, but it will make the tax easier
to collect, said Benavides. "ICT (the Costa Rica Tourist Board) will
advocate investment in security, infrastructure, as well as making efforts to
cut the amount of red tape for investment and development of the country,"
said Benavides. "We will also demand that the country's major cruise companies,
JAPDEVA on the Caribbean coast, and INCOP on
the Pacific side, coordinate their efforts." Benavides also noted that the
country will continue its initiatives to promote sustainable and responsible
tourism, as well as rural tourism. "These are the target markets we are
trying to reach," he said. "We are reaching out to the tourist who is
more educated, aware of global problems, and who is interested in cultural
tourism." He also noted that over the next four years, Costa Rica will
see 20,000 new jobs as a result of tourism growth. Benavides was forthright
about the importance of the country's relationship with travel agents.
"They were the ones who made the biggest effort," he said. "They
were pioneers in their enthusiasm for Costa Rica-without them we couldn't
have been successful." Additionally, Luis Fernando Yglesias, CEO, Costa
Rican Land Development commented on the country's marina development, saying,
"By 2008, we should have five new marinas; all of them will include hotel
development." The marinas will be located in Golfito, two in the Central
Pacific, and two in northern Guanacaste. The marinas will have from 200 to 300
slips.
