Rico’s Digest – As of now, borders are restricted until June 15. In today’s announcements, neither President Carlos Alvarado nor Health Minister Daniel Salas talked about the borders, a date when tourists are allowed to return.
Monday’s announcement was all about what businesses and activities can begin reopening and to what degree, surfers can surf, beaches open for a few hours each morning, some parks will allow visitors, small hotels hosting guests and the expected relaxing of the vehicular restrictions.
Many of the activities are OK during the week, on weekends not so much. Read more Costa Rica announces schedule for reopening.
As emphatically pointed out both by the President and the Minister, if we behave, follow the rules, we can move to through the progressive phases and get back to normal, whatever the new normal is.
Perhaps, another way of looking at it, as a people, we know our future, as in our recent past, depends on tourists. Thousands of jobs and families, our way of life, depends on tourist dollars coming into our economy.
If we behave by maintaining social distancing, washing our hands, being responsible in our interactions with others, we can see tourists coming back soon. Maybe as soon as July. Or August.
This is a “we will see” approach, a reasonable approach, in my opinion.
If we keep our numbers in check, there is no spike in the curve, there will be more relaxing of restrictions, borders start to re-open, at least the air, sea and southern border, for I am really concerned about what is going on to the north of us by an administration that lives in denial and prefers to cover up and bury rather than admit it was wrong and work on fixing it.
But it doesn’t only depend on us, on “Team Costa Rica” as President Alvarado said Monday, but on what happens beyond our borders, Europe and the United States, mainly, and their progress with the pandemic.
I don’t see a big bang happening, but a slow, gradual return of tourists. We can write off the low or green or rainy season we are just coming into, but we could be in good shape for high or dry season that is six months away.
So, when will tourists return? It’s anyone’s guess, but I do believe by October or November we can start to feel the rewards we’ve all put in during this time of coronavirus and move forward.
Thanks for listening.
Stay at home. Stay safe. Stay healthy.
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