QCOSTARICA – Maintaining the legislation moving holidays to create long weekends is an important impulse to economic reactivation in the tourist sector is what the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) – Costa Rica’s Tourism Board – is asking of legislators.
The 2018-2022 legislative assembly enacted legislation that moves a number of holidays that fall in the week, 16 in all between 2020 and 2024, to the nearest Monday, in order to promote internal visits and tourism.
One of the holidays generating a lot of controversy this year, though it still months away, is the mother of holidays, Mother’s Day, which is on August 15.
Read more: The long weekends in Costa Rica in 2023
Last year, Mother’s Day fell on a Monday, making a natural long weekend. This year, the day falls on a Tuesday, to which legislation moves to Monday the 14th.
Previous attempts to move Mother’s Day to a Monday have failed, with many celebrating both days, the ‘holiday Monday” and Mother’s Day on the 15th.
It is a tradition.
Given that, the current legislative bunch (2022 – 2026), are considering a reform to the law creating the long weekend.
According to the ICT, the long weekends have been key to economic recovery in the tourism sector. Supporting the ICT is the tourism sector who is united to defend the long weekend holidays.
The sector emphasizes that the measure has promoted visits to the different tourist destinations in the country, the main objective of said regulation.
Read more: Workers will enjoy 16 long weekends between 2020 and 2024, but at a lower cost for companies.