Costa Rica, Real Estate, News, Travel

Palmar Sur Airport Update Oct 18 2018

2018-10-24T10:08:00.001-06:00

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Was Recreational Ziplining Really Invented In Costa Rica?

2015-08-06T12:00:00.001-06:00

Was Recreational Ziplining Really Invented In Costa Rica?:

It started with the field work of a California grad student who pioneered new methods for climbing into and moving around the rain forest canopy, the world’s most complex living community.

It led to the invention of the canopy tour — a billion-dollar industry that would delight, thrill and terrify millions of tourists worldwide for decades to come.

And it all started in Costa Rica.

I give you … the zipline.

It’s a simple concept: You string a cable (or in the old days, a rope) from one tree to another, at an angle, and you can slide things and/or people down the cable on a pulley. Variants of this technology have been used for centuries to transport cargo across rivers or ravines in places as far away as China and Australia.

Costa Rica did not invent the technology that allows a heavy thing to slide down a rope. But Costa Rica figured out how to make it fun.

So I set out to discover the origins of recreational ziplining in Costa Rica, and the outcome of all the litigation about who invented it.

And therein lies a tale.

‘Hombre Mono’

Donald Perry, a graduate student at California State University, Northridge, climbed his first

tree in Costa Rica in 1974, using a crossbow to shoot a rope into the branches of a 120-foot espavel in the Osa Peninsula, and then climbing it using mountaineering ascenders.

Read whole article from The Tico Times

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Raiders of the lost tribe: The ruins of Guayabo

2015-05-25T12:27:00.001-06:00

Raiders of the lost tribe: The ruins of Guayabo - Travel - Costa Rica - Hotels - Flights - Tours - Tico Times:

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The Mysterious Spheres of Costa Rica

2015-05-25T12:22:00.001-06:00

The Mysterious Spheres of Costa Rica | Earth. We are one:

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Frog discovered in Costa Rica resembles Kermit

2015-05-25T11:33:00.001-06:00

Frog discovered in Costa Rica resembles Kermit - Trending - CBC News:

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Wanted: 550 employees for two outsourcing firms in Costa Rica

2015-05-25T11:31:00.001-06:00

Wanted: 550 employees for two outsourcing firms in Costa Rica - The Tico TimesThe Tico Times:

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According to the latest report from Costa Rica’s Foreign Trade Ministry (COMEX), the service sector is showing a slight but steady recovery this year. And following that trend, two outsourcing service companies announced expansions of their operations here this week, including plans to hire 550 new employees in the coming months.

Between May and August, business services company Concentrix will hire 400 new employees in its customer service, technical support, human resources and administrative departments.

The company’s human resources manager for Latin America, Mónica Obando, said “new hirings reflect confidence in the Costa Rican talent and the strength of the local operation.”

Concentrix’s operation in Costa Rica offers pre-sales services, technical support and customer service for most of its business partners across North and South America and in some European countries. It offers services in seven languages, including Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, German, Dutch and Italian.

The full list of available jobs is on the company’s website under the Careers section.

On Monday, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) also announced an expansion of its business in Costa Rica, which will now provide services for its U.S. operations. The expansion means the company will hire 150 new employees over the next 18 months.

GSK recruiters will seek professionals in the areas of business administration, accounting, information technology and various engineering specialties.

Esteban Coronado, director of GSK’s service center, said the company’s Costa Rica operation has grown 300 percent in the past two years. Local staff provides support in financial and accounting services to most of the company’s offices in Latin America.

The expansion will allow GSK to offer global services in information technologies and in its Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing department.

“Our plan is to gradually increase the number of services provided and the geographic scope of them,” Coronado said.

Those interested in applying for vacant posts can submit their applications through GSK’swebsite.

Service exports from Costa Rica showed an increase of 4.8 percent in 2014 over the previous year, reaching a record figure of $6.3 billion, COMEX reported Monday. The figure exceeds by 15 percent the average value of service exports for the previous three years.

Financial services showed the best performance during the last quarter of 2014, with a 47 percent increase. Business services and tourism grew 18.9 and 9.8 percent, respectively, during the last three months of 2014.

Alaska Airlines to open two routes between Los Angeles and Costa Rica

2015-05-25T11:28:00.001-06:00

Alaska Airlines to open two routes between Los Angeles and Costa Rica - The Tico TimesThe Tico Times:

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Alaska Airlines will begin flying between Los Angeles, Calif. and Costa Rica’s two major international airports starting in October, the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) said Thursday.

ICT said the carrier plans to offer four flights a week from Los Angeles to San José (Juan Santamaría International Airport), starting October 31, and four flights a week from Los Angeles to Liberia (Daniel Oduber International Airport), starting November 1.

Hermes Navarro del Valle, who’s in charge of recruiting new airlines on the part of ICT, said negotiations took more than three years and that they were able to close the agreement in October during a visit to the U.S. to promote the country as an ideal destination from Los Angeles.

“Alaska Airlines is a company of great reputation and service in the U.S., and Costa Rica will be one of its first destinations outside that country,” Navarro said.

The carrier is the seventh largest airline in the U.S. and currently has routes abroad only to Canada and Mexico.

ICT research has found that California offers the best tourism prospects for Costa Rica in terms of potential visitors. Fifteen percent of California residents say they have a high interest in visiting or revisiting the country.

“California residents are seasoned travelers, committed to sustainability, with high income and education levels, so these new routes will benefit our two international terminals and bring us closer to our main tourism market,” ICT’s General Manager Alberto López Chaves said Thursday.

According to ICT, Alaska will use Boeing 737 aircrafts with capacities of between 124 and 181 seats.

U.S. carrier Southwest Airlines began offering service from Baltimore, Maryland to San José in March. It plans to start offering flights from Houston to San José in October.

See the Most Beautifully Designed Currencies From Around the World

2015-04-19T16:23:00.001-06:00

See the Most Beautifully Designed Currencies From Around the World | TIME:

Costa Rica makes another Top 10 list. This one is from Time Magazine who rated their currency one of the most beautiful in the world. Even spending money down here can have a beautiful side to it.

Pura vida!

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The rain is here in the southern zone

2015-04-11T22:13:00.001-06:00

The rains this year are a little behind schedule, but that seems to be ending today.

Here in San Buenas, Palmar Norte, and Cortez it's been lightly raining a few hours now! The good news is we no longer have to water the gardens in the mornings. As you can see the flowers are smiling all ready

APM Terminals to break ground on new $1 billion deep-water port

2015-03-29T11:08:00.000-06:00

APM Terminals to break ground on new $1 billion deep-water port — The Tico Times:

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Initial construction is set to begin on Costa Rica’s largest infrastructure project, the $1 billion Moín container terminal, after years of delays.

Sunday, President Luis Guillermo Solís and representatives from the Netherlands-basedAPM Terminals, which owns the port concession, will meet in the Caribbean town of Moín, just outside Limón, for a groundbreaking ceremony. The project promises to create hundreds of jobs and revitalize the long-depressed region.

The first of the project’s three phases is set for completion in three years and involves the construction of an artificial island west of the existing port of Moín. The new container terminal will be 3-km long and span out to cover roughly 100 hectares — nearly 50 football fields.

The new terminal is set to quadruple the port of Moín’s current capacity, allowing for an estimated 2.5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually by 2030, according to the project’s master plan. The Port of Seattle, for example, handled more than 3.4 million TEUs in 2014. The terminal will include specialized berths for container and refrigerated cargo, as well as traditional cargo.

Foreign Minister Alexander Mora told The Tico Times that the port would be the largest of its kind in Central America. It’s designed to receive so-called Post Panamax ships — cargo vessels that are too big to fit through the existing Panama Canal.

Mora noted that Moín’s proximity to the Panama Canal also make it an attractive option for transshipment traffic, where vessels traveling through the canal can unload their cargo onto ships headed for European ports.

Despite the fact that 80 percent of Costa Rica’s exports pass through Limón, the country’s Caribbean ports have been long neglected. Costa Rica ranks as the world’s largest single exporter of pineapples and the second largest exporter of bananas after Ecuador. Yet, the country has some of the worst port infrastructure in Latin America.

The last major infrastructure investment by the Atlantic Port Authority was the construction of the 450-meter Limón container terminal, the “muelle alemán,” which opened in 1981. Another dock half as large was built at the Moín facility in 2004.

“Costa Rica has never made a significant investment in the ports in Limón,” Foreign Trade Minister Mora told The Tico Times, noting that many past projects relied on foreign financing.

The port project involves the complicated construction of an artificial island to be built atop the sandy soil of the Caribbean Basin. Mora said there was no way the government could finance the $1 billion project on its own. So it opted to grant a 33-year concession to APM Terminals to design, build and operate the new terminal.

After that period, the project returns to the government of Costa Rica and the Port Authority.

Besides the new terminal, there are additional projects in the works for Moín. America’s Gateway Development Corp. (AMEGA), a Canadian firm, has its own $900 millionterminal project waiting in the wings.

This additional terminal would be dedicated solely to international transshipment coming out of the Panama Canal. It could eventually anchor one end of a trans-isthmus railroad, according to José Dengo, the company’s representative in Costa Rica.

Solís is traveling to several sites in the province of Limón this weekend to announce additional development plans for the region.

New Roads in Las Villas de San Buenas Costa Rica

2015-03-24T22:08:00.001-06:00

Recently regraded public roads in San Buenaventura.

There's some great news and I'm very excited about all our new roads here in San Buenaventura de Osa and Las Villas de San Buenas.

A couple of great things that the new roads allow are:
a) It is no longer necessary to rent a 4x4 to get to any lot within the property (saving many colones/dollars)

b) It is now its only 2 minutes to the main Costanara Hwy (Hwy 34) in the Southern zone of Costa Rica .

c) It is now only a 10 min drive to Playa Ventanas One other the best beaches in Costa Rica

Costa Rica Central Bank Removes Currency Band on US Dollar

2015-02-12T13:37:00.001-06:00

Original article from TheTicoTimes
Costa Rica announced that it would remove the country’s nine-year-old currency band system in floating exchange against the U.S. dollar, according to a statement from the Central Bank (BCCR) Saturday.

favor of a
The BCCR had not taken any measures to adjust the value of the colón, Costa Rica’s currency, outside the band since Dec. 12, 2013, arguing that the currency had been in a “de facto” float since then.
On Oct. 17, 2006, the BCCR announced that it would implement the currency band, which established a floor and ceiling price between which the colón could float before the Central Bank would take steps to adjust its value. The band system was implemented as a way to gradually move the country from a fixed exchange to a floating one.
The colón has depreciated roughly 8 percent against the U.S. dollar since February 2014, selling at 543 on Saturday, according to Monex. The BCCR said that Costa Rica had more than $7.3 billion in reserves.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Costa Rica tourism minister calls cruise ship industry a ‘cornerstone’ for economic recovery

2014-10-01T14:01:00.001-06:00

Costa Rica tourism minister calls cruise ship industry a ‘cornerstone’ for economic recovery — The Tico Times:

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The cruise ship season began on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast last Sunday with the arrival of the Carnival Legend in Puntarenas. At the same time, Tourism Minister Wilhelm von Breymann said his ministry would increase efforts to promote more cruise ship tourism in the country as a way to boost the economy.

“The arrival of this prestigious ship coincides with the start of efforts to guarantee the country’s position as a quality cruise destination,” the minister said.

Among the actions Von Breymann cited the creation of a commission that would work to boost cruise ship tourism so that “it becomes a cornerstone for the country’s economic recovery.” He said officials would work to improve training for tour operators, transportation businesses and artisans, as well as

improving infrastructure in Puntarenas.

The Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) announced it would promote an increase in the number of exhibitions and fairs to display crafts, food, folk dancing and other cultural activities to attract cruise tourists and help them spend more time in the province.

The Pacific province currently receives little benefit from cruise ship tourists because most are transported by local tour operators to destinations in other provinces to visit volcanoes and rain forests and to take part in outdoor adventure trips and city tours.

Government officials hope to reverse a trend highlighted by the ICT’s Statistical Yearbook that shows cruise ship arrivals from 2008-2013 have dropped by 30 percent. Officials from the past administration said changes in cruise line routes to reduce costs were to blame for the decrease in arrivals to the country.

Cruise ship tourists are an attractive market for local businesses. A survey conducted by ICT during the 2012-2013 high season indicates that nearly 80 percent of cruise tourists arriving in Puntarenas spent an average of $63 per person, per day. They visit mainly from the United States and Canada, and say they most enjoy local tours, the country’s nature and the attention they received from Ticos.

Costa Rica is newest international destination for Southwest Airlines

2014-10-01T13:52:00.001-06:00

Southwest: Costa Rica is newest international destination:

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Southwest Airlines will begin flying to Costa Rica, giving the carrier its first international destination beyond Mexico and the Caribbean.

Southwest announced on Friday that nonstop service to the Costa Rican capital of San Jose will launch March 7, with one daily round-trip flight from Baltimore/Washington International.

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Southwest only began flying its own planes outside the USA this past July, when it converted some routes flown by subsidiary AirTran into Southwest-operated service. Until the Costa Rica announcement, Southwest's existing or planned international routes were all to Mexico or to island nations in the Caribbean.

"We're ready to add the adventure and beauty of Costa Rica to a growing horizon of international possibility available to the more than 100 million customers who fly with us each year," Southwest CEO Gary Kelly says in a statement. "Our people and policies bring unique value to the travel experience and we have big plans to extend that value to international destinations where our customers want to go. Our substantial presence in Baltimore/Washington is a natural place to do that by bringing nonstop access to new, international markets."

El nuevo negocio en Costa Rica: los mirones de ballenas

2014-10-01T13:50:00.001-06:00

El nuevo negocio en Costa Rica: los mirones de ballenas | Sociedad | EL PAÍS:

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Dicen que son aguas tibias y seguras, de poca profundidad, protegidas por golfos y ensenadas. Los depredadores no amenazan aquí a las crías que estiran músculos mientras otros machos adultos emiten cantos de hasta 15 minutos para atraer a otras hembras. Muestran las colas y el dorso, a veces la cabeza. Saltan y colean. Y copulan y cantan.

Esta es la descripción que hacen los científicos y visitantes del Parque Nacional Marino Ballenas, en Bahía Ballena, en la costa pacífica del sur de Costa Rica, imán del nuevo auge turístico orientado al avistamiento de los cetáceos, con acento especial en esta época del año.

Esta zona, donde todos los pescadores fueron transformándose en operadores turísticos para observar ballenas, es poco menos que una gran sala de seducción de la ballena jorobada y al mismo tiempo un recinto de maternidad y crianza. Las aguas cálidas de más de 25 grados centígrados resultan agradables para poblaciones que vienen desde California y desde la Antártida, ambas con un silbido específico que permite a los científicos identificar su procedencia.

El avistamiento de ballenas es la nueva apuesta del país centroamericano que atrae en promedio dos millones de turistas por año, interesados sobre todo en las bondades naturales de un país cubierto por bosque en más del 50% de su territorio, pero con una limitada mirada hacia sus mares, tanto en la vertiente pacífica como en el Caribe. Las playas funcionaban como una frontera que poco a poco se ha ido derribando y ahora el negocio está en los mares.

Fueron 6 millones de dólares los que quedaron en las comunidades locales playeras del cantón de Osa, una zona que a fuerza de la observación de ballenas ha encadenado negocios con beneficios a pequeña escala, pero bien distribuidos, según Fernando Guerrero, miembro y director de la asociación de empresarios turísticos locales. “Se beneficia desde las personas que antes eran pescadores hasta el que vende agua de coco o el que tiene un hotel en esta zona”, asegura Guerrero sobre una región sin franquicias hoteleras, a pesar de la llegada de unos 144.000 turistas locales y foráneos en el año 2013.

Atrás quedaron los tiempos en que los pescadores artesanales cobraban el equivalente a un dólar por un breve pase en los ratos de baja pesca. Las ballenas jorobadas eran vistas como obstáculos porque dificultaban el uso de trasmallos. Además se impide la explotación pesquera en el Parque Nacional, creado hace 25 años sobre 5.546 hectáreas de superficie (95% marina) para proteger cetáceos y corales, conocido porque cada día, en un momento de la marea, se dibuja en la playa la forma de una enorme cola de ballena. Todo cambió hace unos 8 años, cuando descubrieron que la conservación resultó ser un buen negocio por el interés de los turistas en esos animales de hasta 18 metros de longitud y 40 toneladas de peso que llegan a aparearse, parir y criar antes de volver a las aguas frías y asediadas por las orcas.

Las ballenas jorobadas eran vistas como obstáculos por los pescadores porque dificultaban el uso de trasmallos

“Las aguas tibias evitan a los ballenatos gastar energía en mantener su temperatura y los mantienen lejos de los depredadores. Es como una gran área de crianza”, explicó el biólogo Frank Garita, de la asociación ambientalista Vida, especialista en cetáceos y colaborador de la sostenibilidad del negocio de avistamiento de ballenas en Osa.

Así la zona se fue desarrollando y ahora hay 19 empresarios certificados, una capacidad hotelera de 250 camas, control de las autoridades y una organización que lleva a celebrar cada mes de setiembre el Festival de Ballenas y Delfines, pues también estos mamíferos son parte del espectáculo. Es el mayor punto de avistamiento de cetáceos de la costa pacífica costarricense, como también ocurre en Colombia, Ecuador y en la Patagonia argentina.

Es la nueva apuesta ecoturística costarricense. En 2013, 131.000 extranjeros incluyeron el avistamiento de ballenas en su itinerario en Costa Rica, según estadísticas del Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT). Esta cifra triplica la que se registra para el 2010. La mayoría de ellos llegó al Parque Marino, aunque en toda la Península de Osa se ha extendido el negocio, lo que también genera preocupación en grupos ambientales por el efecto que las embarcaciones tengan sobre el hábitat de las ballenas jorobadas. Ninguna querrá aparearse ni parir rodeada de motores fuera de borda roncando y compitiendo con el “canto” de otros adultos. Ni siquiera los machos estarán dispuestos a sus peleas competitivas con los humanos al lado.

Para ello se aplica un manual de buenas prácticas, para que ninguna embarcación pueda acercarse a menos de 100 metros de una ballena adulta o de 150 si se trata de una mamá con su cría, explica el biólogo Garita. “Los animales deben estar tranquilitos. Le aseguro que nadie en este pueblo quiere que las ballenas se vayan de aquí”. La asociación trata de coordinar las salidas de las embarcaciones para tener horarios escalonados y no saturar el área marina, añade Fernando Guerrero. Esta zona, a fin de cuentas, debe funcionar como un salón de maternidad.

Cuban airline to restart San José – Havana route in November

2014-10-01T13:22:00.001-06:00

Cuban airline to restart San José – Havana route in November — The Tico Times:

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Cuban airline company Cubana de Aviación will offer nonstop flights between Cuba and Costa Rica starting on Nov. 16, the airline confirmed to Cuban media this week.

The carrier dropped the route in August 2008. But the airline will reopen the flight as part of an objective to boost tourism between the two countries.

“We will offer two weekly flights on Thursday and Sunday departing from Havana in the mornings. [The flights will] last two hours and thirty minutes,” said Walfredo Riverón Rodríguez, corporate communications director.

Flights will have a capacity of 85 passengers. Tickets for the route are already available at travel agencies and on the airline’s website, Riverón said.

“The route will offer a great opportunity to expand ties between Central American and Caribbean countries and for developing multi-destination routes in the area,” he added.

Data from the Costa Rican Tourism Board showed that only 3,372 travelers visited from Cuba last year.

Several new routes to Costa Rica have been added recently by major international carriers:

-Delta added routes from Minneapolis and Los Angeles.

-Southwest will add a direct flight from Baltimore.

-United announced nonstop flights from Houston and New York during Christmas time.

-And just this week, JetBlue unveiled a nonstop route between Boston and Liberia.

JetBlue announces new flight to Costa Rica from Boston starting in November

2014-10-01T13:20:00.001-06:00

JetBlue announces new flight to Costa Rica from Boston starting in November — The Tico Times:

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Representatives of U.S. carrier JetBlue on Tuesday confirmed to Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solís plans to expand operations with a new Boston-Liberia route beginning Nov. 1. The announcement was made during a meeting in New York also attended by Costa Rican Tourism Minister Wilhelm von Breymann.

“Today, JetBlue airlines delivered good news by confirming a new flight to Costa Rica. We applaud the move, which confirms we remain a favorite travel and tourism destination. Undoubtedly we are a competitive country in the tourism business, and JetBlue recognizes Costa Rica as a safe place for investment,” Solís said.

Von Breymann noted that in a short period of time the country has negotiated the opening of key routes from JetBlue, including New York to the northwestern provincial capital of Liberia, in Guanacaste, Orlando to San José, and Fort Lauderdale to San José.

“This is a result of our efforts … to promote the arrival of more flights to Costa Rica,” Von Breymann said.

The United States is the source of most of Costa Rica’s tourists, accounting for 80 percent of international arrivals during the first half of this year.

Costa Rican Tourism Board data indicate that U.S. tourists entering the country via air in 2013 stayed an average of 10 nights and spent $1,231.

This month, carriers Delta, Southwest and United also confirmed new routes to Costa Rica.

The president’s meeting with JetBlue was part of his agenda ahead of the U.N. General Assembly meeting this week in New York.

Southwest Airlines confirms nonstop flight from Baltimore to Costa Rica in 2015

2014-09-17T10:41:00.001-06:00

Southwest Airlines confirms nonstop flight from Baltimore to Costa Rica in 2015 — The Tico Times:

Southwest will begin operating its new route to Costa Rica from March 7, 2015, pending approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation. (Courtesy of Southwest Airlines)

Southwest Airlines announced Friday that it plans to add a route from Baltimore to San José. The carrier, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation to add its first destination in Central America. The airline would offer daily roundtrip service between Baltimore-Washington International Airport and Juan Santamaria International Airport.

The route would begin operations on March 7, 2015, pending the Department of Transportation’s approval.

“We’re ready to add the adventure and beauty of Costa Rica to a growing horizon of international possibility available,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines president, in a press release.

Tourism Minister Wilhelm von Breymann welcomed the announcement and said “Ticos share an essence of friendliness and hospitality for which Southwest Airlines is also known. We look forward to offering the nature, culture, history, cuisine, adventure, peace and prosperity of Costa Rica to even more visitors from the United States.”

The U.S. is Costa Rica’s main source of tourists and more than 90 percent of them entered the country by air. Last year alone some 870,000 U.S. citizens arrived in the country with a tourist visa according to the Immigration Administration.

The airline currently flies internationally to Dominican Republic, Mexico, Aruba, Bahamas and Jamaica.

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Costa Rica unveils $35 million program to improve small business competitiveness

2014-09-10T15:17:00.001-06:00

Costa Rica unveils $35 million program to improve small business competitiveness — The Tico Times:

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Costa Rica unveiled this week $35 million in training and educational assistance to improve the competitiveness of small and medium-sized businesses. Science and Technology Minister Gisela Kooper made the announcement Tuesday at Casa Presidencial, adding that the first $1 million would be distributed this year. The news came on the heels of a Hanes Brand Clothing subsidiary closing its operations in Cartago, east of the capital, and laying off 1,250 workers because of more favorable conditions in Vietnam.

The Innovation and Human Capital Program for Competitiveness (PINN) will distribute resources during the next five years, offering small businesses the means to invest in local talent and financing for research and development. PINN will offer grants for postgraduate training in specifics areas including planetary science, new material development and nanotechnology, and biotechnology, among other topics. The program also will offer job training, entrepreneurship mentoring and financing for small businesses to access technology and international certifications.

As the government rolled out its plans to improve Costa Rica’s small-business sector, a large one announced it was leaving the country because of subpar conditions. On Monday, the daily La Nación reported that Cartex Manufactura, a Hanes subsidiary, was closing its operations in Cartago and heading to Vietnam.

Despite Hanes’ exit from Costa Rica, Labor Minister Victor Morales said the PINN program was an example of the next step in the country’s economic development. The minister said that Costa Rica had passed through the textile industry as a phase, and the industry had been trickling out of Costa Rica for years. La Nación reported that 10,000 jobs in the textile industry left the country in the last six years.

“They’ve been leaving gradually for other countries with other conditions. I believe that the [PINN] presentation we’ve seen today is what we should be striving for, more businesses like these. This is our future,” Morales said.

Obviously, the minister said, the government would prefer that no businesses left Costa Rica.

“Our promise to the private sector is to do everything we can to keep jobs here that are already here and create new ones while reducing informality,” he said.

President Luis Guillermo Solís’ administration has highlighted investment in small and medium-sized businesses a a key part of the government’s plan to build up the domestic economy. On Sept. 3, the World Economic Forum ranked Costa Rica the third most “competitive” country in Latin America, after Chile and Panama. The country came in at 51st out of the 144 surveyed in the annual assessment.

United Airlines announces more nonstop flights to Houston and New York during Christmas season

2014-09-06T07:08:00.001-06:00

United Airlines announces more nonstop flights to Houston and New York during Christmas season — The Tico Times:

U.S. carrier United Airlines on Monday confirmed it will increase the number of nonstop flights between Juan Santamaría International Airport in Costa Rica and hubs at George Bush International Airport in Houston and Newark Liberty in New York, both in the United States.

The increase in flights will coincide with the year-end holiday season, from Dec. 19 to Jan. 4, the company stated in a press relase.

On those dates the airline will add four weekly flights from San José to Houston on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, and two San José-Newark flights on Saturdays and Sundays. All flights will be operated by Boeing 737-800 aircraft with a 152-seat capacity.

“These additional flights will allow us to respond to the strong demand of flights to Costa Rica from travelers from the U.S., Europe and Asia during the holidays,” said Salvador Marrero, United’s executive director for Central America.

Costa Rican Tourism Minister Wilhelm von Breymann said in a press release that the increase in flights demonstrates the country’s continuous efforts to increase the number of visits from major tourism markets.

“The U.S. is the biggest source of tourists to Costa Rica. Last year alone we recorded 1,617,442 international arrivals in the country by air, and almost 54 percent of those people came from that country. The increase in the number of flights will help attract more tourists from those U.S. cities,” von Breymann said.

Rafael Mencia, CEO of Aeris — the company that manages the Juan Santamaría International Airport outside San José — said they are pleased with United’s decision to respond to the high demand during the holidays.

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Costa Rica's South Pacific Whale Festival Starts This Weekend

2014-09-05T12:43:00.001-06:00

Costa Rica's South Pacific Whale Festival Starts This Weekend | The Costa Rica News:

The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – This week marks the start of the VI Festival of Whales and Dolphins in the South Pacific of Costa Rica, an activity that has boosted the economy in the area.

Humpback whales, spotted and bottlenose dolphins, and sea turtles are some of the species that can be observed in Bahia Ballena area for the festival, which will begin on Friday and run for the next two weeks.

“The Marino Ballena National Park at this time of year becomes a natural sanctuary that protects whales during reproduction, giving an impressive show,” said the Costa Rican Tourism Minister, Wilhelm von Breymann, at a press conference.

According to the minister, whale and dolphin watching has exploded in Costa Rica in recent years, which is reflected in the number of foreign tourists, tripling from 43,302 in 2010 to 131,373 in 2013.

Southern Pacific zone whale festival starts this weekend.

“Visitation has been increasing in recent years. There are also many Costa Ricans who join in the sightseeing, which amounts to about 9,000 people,” said Von Breymann.

Humpback whales visit Costa Rican waters between July and October, however, the next two weeks is when you will see the most.

The whales come to breed in the South Pacific due to the ideal shallow depths and warm temperature that they require.

This species is considered one of the largest animals in the world, which, as adults, have a length ranging from 14 to 17 meters and can weigh up to 45 tons.

“These whales are found in all parts of the world, but the difference is that in Costa Rica populations from both North America and South America come to the same area to breed,” said the representative of the Costa Rican Coalition for the Whales, Frank Garita.

In addition to the whale and dolphins, tourists can enjoy special activities like sand sculptures, mountain biking, and photo exhibits, among others.

The Costa Rica News (TCRN)

San Jose, Costa Rica

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Now Is the Perfect Time to Go to Costa Rica

2014-08-19T09:31:00.001-06:00

Now Is the Perfect Time to Go to Costa Rica | Chicago magazine | Travel & Visitor’s Guide August 2014:

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I agree 100% with this article. The rainy season is overrated on the internet about how travelers should not visit during that time of year. This article from ChicagoMag.com helps set the record straight.

I'm often asked, "When is the best time to visit Costa Rica?"
My reply is always the same, regardless of the month: "Right now."

Pura vida!
Nick Halverson
------
August marks the heart of Costa Rica’s green (AKA rainy) season, which runs from May to

The rainy season in Costa Rica is a great time to visit.
Photo (c) Nick Halverson

November—this is when tourists typically steer clear, holding out instead for the dry season from December to April.

But don’t let the green season scare you off. It’s actually the right time to visit. Here’s why.

1. More Rain Equals More Life
Frequent showers and high humidity are a given during the country’s rainy season, but so are cooler temperatures, an explosion of vibrant flora and fauna, and an abundance of emerging wildlife. In August, the remote Osa Peninsula, home to the fantastic Corcovado National Park (where jaguars and pumas roam), sees nesting turtles and their hatchlings on the beaches. Humpback whales are in the Sweet Gulf, just beginning to arrive in late July to have their calves. In the rainforest, now more lush and exuberant than at any other time of year, you can see exotic beauties like the red-eyed tree frog and cat-eyed snake (who you may spy eating said frog eggs).

2. A Few Showers Might Even Make Your Trip
Keep in mind that while rain is more frequent in the green season, it often comes and goes quickly, and there can be days at a time where it doesn’t rain at all. Mornings are usually sunny and warm, with plenty of time to hit the beaches and pools. Still, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to experience the magic of being in a rainforest during a rainstorm, with massive leaves glistening around you and everything buzzing. Near San Jose (which you can reach by direct flight from Chicago on United Airlines), check out the sprawling Atlantic park at Rainforest Adventures (from $114 for adults, $65 for children), which is next to Braulio Carrillo National Park. After ziplining through canopies, over streams, and mountains of treetops, pray for rain. It’s fantastic during a quiet aerial tram ride over the forest or within the park’s massive butterfly and frog garden.

3. Lower Rates and Lighter Crowds
From coffee estate tours to zipline adventures, Costa Rica’s most popular activities are more private in green season, when crowds are lighter than in the dry, high season. You’ll also spend a good deal less on air, tours, and accommodations, with many hotels discounting rates by 30 percent or more. Stay at the remote Lapa Rios Ecolodge on the Osa Peninsula, where you sleep in beautiful, screened-in bungalows at the edge of the rainforest and the Sweet Gulf; spend $380 a person, a night (verses $540 in high season). Closer to San Jose in Santa Barbara, book a room at the charming Finca Rosa Blanca, set on a sweeping organic coffee estate with views of the Central Valley, for $260 a night (verses $320 in high season).

Costa Rica to sign loan with Japan for expansion of geothermal energy projects

2014-08-19T08:07:00.001-06:00

Costa Rica to sign loan with Japan for expansion of geothermal energy projects — The Tico Times:

"A delegation led by President Luis Guillermo Solís on Monday will meet with representatives of the Japanese government to sign a $550 million loan to finance the construction of three geothermal power plants in the northwestern province of Guanacaste.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Akihiko Tanaka will meet with Solís at the event, along with Finance Minister Helio Fallas, Foreign Minister Manuel González, Environment Minister Edgar Gutiérrez, Planning Minister Olga Sánchez and Costa Rican Electricy Institute (ICE) Executive President Carlos Obregón.

The projects – Pailas II and Borinquen I and II – are expected to generate 55 megawatts each and will be developed by ICE in an area near the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park.

The projects will have generation capacity similar to ICE’s Miravalles I and II plants, which together currently supply 4 percent of the country’s electricity consumption. ICE expects all three new projects to be fully operational by 2020.

The Japanese loan will cover 75 percent of the project’s total costs, estimated at some $900 million. The remainder will be covered by ICE and a $70 million loan from the European Investment Bank, approved last November.

The Japanese loan was unanimously approved by the Legislative Assembly in April, and granted under favorable conditions for ICE, including a 40-year term with a 10-year grace period at 0.6 percent interest.

On Tuesday Tanaka will visit a biodiversity conservation project JICA is developing jointly with the Costa Rican National System of Conservation Areas at Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge in the northern Caribbean. Later that day the Japanese official will travel to El Salvador.

Public sector companies generate 74 percent of the electricity needs in Costa Rica. Private generators provide 17 percent and other distributors supply the remaining 9 percent, ICE reported in April.

More than 90 percent of the energy consumed in the country comes from renewable sources: 71.9 percent is generated at hydroelectric plants; 13.9 percent at geothermal plants; 5.2 percent at wind farms and 0.8 percent is generated from biomass, according to the agency."

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Intel confirms opening of new Costa Rican lab in 2015

2014-08-18T16:10:00.001-06:00

Intel confirms opening of new Costa Rican lab in 2015 — The Tico Times:

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Technology giant Intel this week confirmed that a new product testing and research mega-lab will begin operating in Costa Rica in mid-2015.

Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solis and Intel CEO
Brian Krzanich meeting in Santa Clara, California
Photo: Casa Presiencial

The new facilities initially will staff 80 workers, who the company already has begun hiring. At full capacity, the operation will employ 200, bringing the total number of Intel employees in Costa Rica to 1,600.

President Luis Guillermo Solís announced the opening of the new lab during a visit to the United States in June while traveling to court new investors.

At the time, Solís met in California with Intel CEO Brian Krzanich. The total investment in the new lab has not yet been disclosed.

That meeting followed Intel’s announcement in April that it would close its microprocessors assembly plant in Costa Rica, which meant the dismissal of 1,500 workers.

Layoffs have been gradually implemented and will be completed in December, but the company does not rule out hiring some of those workers back.

“We left the manufacturing world to enter an exciting world of engineering. At our mega-lab we will be in contact with every single product Intel manufactures, and we will take advantage of Costa Rican talent to achieve it,” Intel Costa Rica General Manager Vince Guglielmetti told the weekly El Financiero last month.

Intel has operated in Costa Rica since 1997. It was the largest exporter in the country, with over $2 billion in annual exports, a figure that represents 15 percent of total exported goods in the country.

Matt Damon Spotted Boxing and Surfing During His Costa Rica Vacation

2014-08-18T12:16:00.000-06:00

Matt Damon Spotted Boxing During His Costa Rica Vacation:

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Matt Damon, the Good Will Hunting and Bourne star, apparently is having a vacation in Costa Rica.

He was seen practicing boxing with black gloves.

The Daily Mail also posted photos of him surfing a couple days ago.

Damon will appear in Interstellar, a Christopher Nolan-directed film, on Nov. 7.

On Monday, fellow Good Will Hunting star Robin Williams died, according to reports.

Damon has yet to issue a statement about Williams’ death.

According to IMDB, the movie is about “a group of explorers [who] make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.”

A few weeks ago, Ben Affleck and Damon said they took submissions for Project Greenlight on HBO. The show will be about aspiring filmmakers “just documenting what’s happening when people try to make a movie together,” they said.

“Thanks for visiting Project Greenlight! Submissions are now closed, but peer judging is open until August 22, 2014. Become a judge by clicking on ‘PARTICIPATE’ above. Good luck, and make sure to keep checking this site for updates on the contest and beyond,” reads an update on the website.