QCOSTARICA – Despite the improvement in tourist arrivals reported in May, with more than 72,000 visitors, both the Cámara Nacional de Turismo (Canatur) and the Cámara de Hoteles (CCH) – Chamber of Tourism and the Chamber of Hotels – stated that the activity is far from reaching its recovery and still the dangers business closures and job losses are latent.
So far in 2021, the arrival of tourists to the country is 73% lower than the figures registered in the same period of 2019.
“We must recognize that it is very encouraging to know that the country is recovering, however, despite these small signs of improvement, there is still a long way to go to recover from the worst times of the crisis,” said Rubén Acón, president of Canatur.
On the other hand, the lack of financing continues to be a concern for several tourist businesses that have failed in their attempt to reactivate.
“Of course the figures are positive, however, we are still in the middle of a pandemic and the recovery will be in the medium and long term. The hotel sector and tourism, in general, urgently need financial support to get out of the crisis, it is vitally important to have different mechanisms that allow small, medium and large companies to access working capital, long-term debt restructuring and reduction of interest rates,” said Javier Pacheco, president of the CCH.
For tourism entrepreneurs, it is also urgent that the government give priority to the Fondo de Avales (Endorsement Fund) and digital nomads bills, which would favor the attraction of new market niches and the diversification of demand.
On Tuesday, June 8, Congress approved the rentier pensioners legislation that would increase consumption and would generate jobs.
