In the tourism sector, the protests and roadblocks postponed 50% of the reservations planned past weekend. It’s a major blow at a time when the sector is recovering gradually, as per a telephone survey conducted by the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels.
The northern zone (Huetar Norte) and the Caribbean reported the maximum blow of the virus outbreak.
Flora Ayub, the executive director of the CCH, mentioned that businessmen developed strategies to help the tourists reach there, but in some areas it was not possible.
Tadeo Morales, president of the Arenal Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, stated that in the area there are about 12,500 beds and only about 50 people arrived on the weekend.
Because of this factor in that region, the expected cancellations are calculated to reach almost 100%. As a result of the permanent and intermittent roadblocks, practically all road access to that region, from the central valley were blocked in the past weekend.
Morales approved with Orean Marciano, the general manager of the Los Altos Resort hotel, in Manuel Antonio, Quepos, in favor of the protest as the country cannot take more tax related pressure, at the same time they want to make the most of the little visitation in the slow reactivation in the middle of the pandemic.
In the southern Caribbean region, in the meantime, between 50% and 60% of reservations were annulled, as a result of the inability to transit, due to roadblocks.
