Costa Rica, Real Estate, News, Travel

International Terminal at Atlanta Airport Remodel LEED Complete

2012-05-20T11:33:00.000-06:00

The Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal is now open at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). This state-of-the-art, LEED-certified terminal will accommodate more passengers and make international travel a breeze.

Before you hop onboard, please note the following:

Departures

Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta recently upgraded their
International terminal and renamed it the Maynard H. Jackson
Jr. International Terminal.

If the first destination on your itinerary is not a U.S. city, then you will check in and clear security in the new international terminal. Otherwise, you will check in and clear security in the domestic terminal.
The international terminal is accessible from Interstate 75, but you'll continue to access the domestic terminal via Interstate 85.
Three new, convenient parking options are available at the international terminal.

Arrivals

Most international flights will arrive at Concourses E or F, although some international flights from "pre-cleared" countries will arrive on Concourses T through D.
If Atlanta is your final destination, please note:

You will proceed through Passport Control and claim your baggage at the new international terminal.
You will no longer need to recheck your baggage upon exiting Customs.
There is a passenger pickup area and ground transportation center at the new international terminal.
From the international terminal, complimentary shuttles are available to both the domestic terminal which includes MARTA, as well as to the rental car center.

And don't forget to take advantage of comfort, convenience and cocktails at any of our 9 Delta Sky Club® locations in Atlanta - including our newly expanded and renovated Club on Concourse E and our new Club on Concourse F.

Please visit delta.com for more information about the international terminal.

We look forward to serving you soon.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

World Travel Awards: Costa Rica's Leading Golf Resorts

2012-05-18T15:05:00.000-06:00

World Travel Awards: Costa Rica's Leading Golf Resorts - National Costa Rica | Examiner.com

Lynn Farris

Costa Rica Examiner

Graham E. Cook established the World Travel Awards in 1993 to acknowledge and celebrate excellence in 1993 to acknowledge and celebrate excellence in all sectors of the travel and tourism industry.

The Wall Street Journal called the World Travel Awards the Oscars of the Travel business. It is now considered the most prestigious, comprehensive and south-after awards program for global travel and tourism. The first awards were held in 1994. Over 5,000 travel companies, destinations and organizations are nominated every year.

Judging takes into account every aspect of the business including overall performance, product development, innovation, creativity and customer satisfaction.

The public can participate in the voting process. For Costa Rica you can cast your vote up until August 24 2012. Go tohttp://www.worldtravelawards.com/vote and register to vote.

This year there were four major categories of awards given for hotels in Costa Rica and I will address each in separate articles:

Leading Golf Resort
Leading Hotel
Leading Resort and
Leading Spa Resort.

Casa De Golf

Casa de Golf is located south of Tamarindo at Hacienda Pinilla on the Nicoya Peninsula. The resort boasts 8 luxury suites and two large common areas as well as a private pool. Nearby you can partake in a wide variety of activities.

This is an 18 hole, 7,334-yard, par 72 masterpiece golf course is the creation of Mike Young, who is responsible for some of the finest courses in the southern United States. El Corral Turn House is the Pro Shop here.

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo

The Four Seasons is located on the Pagagayo isthmus on the Northern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. The Resort offers 155 guest rooms, suites and residences. They boast two unspoiled beaches, an indigenous spa and a rare dry tropical forest.

The 19 hole, par 72 championship Golf Course was designed by Arnold Palmer. Golf Digest ranks this course as among the “Best 100 Courses Outside of the United States. The Golf Club at Four Seasons is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. You will see spectacular birds, colorful plants, trees and animals. The favorites are the howler and capuchin monkeys.

Hotel La Posada at Hacienda Pinilla

Like Casa de Golf, Hotel La Posada at Hacienda Pinilla is located south of Tamarindo at Hacienda Pinilla on the Nicoya Peninsula and they both access the same Mike Young designed 18 hole, 7,334-yard, par 72 masterpiece golf course.

Hotel La Posada boasts a 4,500 acre resort with six options in lodging from a standard room to a master suite. They also feature tennis and horseback riding.

Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort

This resort is located on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. It is a large resort with 191 rooms, 120 suites and 11 meeting rooms. It also offers an amazing spa and a casino.

The Golf Course was designed by Ted Robinson and is an 18 hole 72 par course. The golf course winds around the rainforest and monkeys and brightly hued macaws may be your spectators.

Tango Mar Hotel Beach, Spa & Golf Resort

Located at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula in a secluded area, Tango Mar boasts two private beaches with over a mile of sand for walking and sunbathing. You can enjoy a game of tennis on the illuminated courts and swim in the spring fed swimming pool. You can go sport or deep-sea fishing. Tango Mar also offers quality horses and stables. You can ride into the jungle, on the beach or visit local communities.

The resort boasts a 9 hole par 3 and 4 Executive Golf Course. Due to the limited number of people with access to play, you can play as many holes as you like and practice to your heart’s content here.

The Westin Resort and Spa Playa Conchal

The Westin Resort and Spa Playa Conchal is located on the Nicoya Peninsula, on the Pacific Ocean in the region known as the Gold Coast of Costa Rica. This hotel was formerly The Paradisus Playa Conchal All Suite, Beach and Golf Resort. Starwood purchased it as their first all-inclusive resort. In addition to golf, the resort features a spa, gym and the Westin Kid’s Club.

They feature a Robert Trent II designed 18 hole par 71 golf course which they recommend both for avid golfer and curious beginners.

______________________________________

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I love to hear from my readers. Let me know about your favorite place in Costa Rica. My e-mail address isLynnFarris@ymail.com

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Bob Dylan lives up to his legend at historic Costa Rica concert

2012-05-16T14:02:00.000-06:00

Bob Dylan lives up to his legend at historic Costa Rica concert / News Briefs / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

The famous folk-pop balladeer and Presidential Medal of Freedom winner wows a crowd of some 4,500 people in Heredia’s Palacio de los Deportes on May 5.

Bob Dylan performs “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” during his first appearance in Central America. Courtesy of Daniel Foulkes

Anticipation was high Saturday night for legendary singer Bob Dylan’s first appearance in Central America.

Organizers worried they wouldn’t sell enough tickets to fill the Palacio de los Deportes, a 4,500-seat, 1980s-era basketball arena in Heredia, north of the capital. Concertgoers – who paid up to $150 for tickets – worried the sound would be muddled given the venue’s penchant for bad acoustics. And just before doors opened, Dylan barred news media from photographing the show.

But anxiety turned to euphoria when the 70-year-old poet-singer, smiling slyly, walked on stage dressed in his trademark brown porkpie hat. He settled into his role as musical barker with the opening chords of “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat.”

Thousands of fans, who descended on the Central Valley from all corners of Costa Rica and other parts of Central America, rose to their feet in a collective roar of adoration. Yes, that was Bob Dylan on stage.

The crowd’s diversity ran the gamut from gray-haired hippies to teenagers, musicians, writers, bankers, all linked by a rare opportunity to see a man who’s been transcribing life into song for half a century.

In a set that lasted just under two hours, Dylan performed 18 songs from his 600-song repertoire, spending most of the night behind a Korg organ and filling in interludes with an array of harmonicas that drove fans into a frenzy with every note.

As expected, Dylan’s traveling band is well-versed in the different genres that characterize his music – swing, blues, jazz, country and rock – and with two guitars, electric and upright bass, drums and lap steel guitar, they provided a flamboyant sound that was well-suited to Dylan’s aging, gravely voice.

Playing with the legend requires one to be on his toes. There is an unmistakably impromptu approach to Dylan’s live performances, which don’t sound like earlier recordings or the classic hits we grew up listening to on the radio. He sometimes forgets lyrics. He sets up a guitar solo only to launch into another verse. He gives orders on the run. And sometimes the music takes a back seat to smartly worded lyrics.

But the band seems to take it in stride. They’ve done this before.

On his second song, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” fans responded to each lyric with hoots and hollers, and the band brought it home in grand style.

Dylan’s strange phrasing on “Tangled Up in Blue” didn’t seem to bother anyone, and the set’s fifth song, “Summer Days,” a swinging number from Dylan’s 31st studio album “Love and Theft,” had everyone dancing in the aisles.

One of the evening’s prettiest songs, “Not Dark Yet,” from 1997’s “Time Out of Mind, ” is also one of Dylan’s most existentialist: “Feel like my soul has turned into steel. I’ve still got the scars that the sun didn’t heal. … I was born here and I’ll die here against my will. I know it looks like I’m moving, but I’m standing still.”

When you’re blue, turn to the blues, and Dylan did on his next two songs, “Jolene” and “Ballad Of Hollis Brown,” a 1964 song about a poverty-stricken South Dakota man who kills his family and himself.

The classic “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” came off flat, with rushed lyrics, uncomfortable pauses and a band struggling to follow their leader. But he’s Dylan, these are his songs, he’ll do what he wants.

Next was another of the night’s highlights, “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll,” a well-known early track that showcases Dylan’s incredible storytelling ability: “Oh, but you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears, bury the rag deep in your face, for now’s the time for your tears.” A slow fade out added a haunting beauty to the troubling subject of the song.

By this time in the show, most folks, enthralled, had taken their seats. But “Highway 61 Revisited” brought everyone to his and her feet again, and the energy in the room was as electric as the 1965 album of the same name.

Fans also appreciated Dylan’s choice of popular tunes to end out the historic evening, including “Like a Rolling Stone,” “All Along the Watchtower” and “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” (although with no alcohol sales at the venue and no smoking allowed, no one was getting stoned).

At the curtain call, Dylan noticed a particularly euphoric group of young concertgoers in the balcony to his left. During an encore performance of “Blowin’ in the Wind,” he walked to stage left and delivered a personalized harmonica solo for the group of ecstatic fans, providing them an unforgettable moment from an unforgettable night.

And he left the stage as he entered it, smiling slyly.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Costa Rica to have 8 new KFC and 7 new Quizno's Sub shops

2012-05-16T07:20:00.001-06:00

QSR abrirá 8 nuevos locales de KFC y 7 de Quizno’s Sub - Negocios - elfinancierocr.com

QSR will open 8 new KFC and Quizno's Sub 7

Also reopen three of its stores in the country icon

05/15/2012 24:59

Brenes Cesar Quiros

A QSR International, which owns the KFC fast food franchises and Quizno's Sub in the region, we expect several months of hard work on its expansion strategy.

Tatiana Rodriguez, QSR development manager, told EF that for this year are already scheduled eight starts of KFC chicken restaurant and seven sales of sandwiches Quizno's Sub.

White Street (Plaza San Gabriel), Carthage (near Ruins and the new mall Paseo Metropolis ), theAirport Juan Santamaria International (SJIA), Limon , San Rafael de Desamparados, Moravia (Lincoln Square ) and Alajuela will be the new locations of KFC.

Also, for this chain the company will develop reopenings (remodeling and expansion of space) in three of its outlets icon: in front of Plaza del Sol in Curridabat in Paseo Colon and Heredia.

In fact, the site of Plaza del Sol will begin operating under the new concept from morning when the announcement is official.

With respect to Quizno's Sub , Rodriguez said that in the coming months will offer new business on White Street (Plaza San Gabriel), Moravia (Lincoln Plaza), Carthage (Walk Metropolis), Alajuela and three more stores in the SJIA.

The airport terminal expansion that responds to that, a couple of weeks, the franchise won the bid to operate the dining area of the airport for the next eight years. Only in this project, is investing $ 4 million.

As for other restaurants, the manager said that investments vary by franchise and location.

For example, if it is a KFC in a mall the amount is $ 500,000 , but when the room is independent and triples the amount reaches $ 1.5 million.

For Quizno's investment is between $ 150,000 and $ 250,000.

If it comes to job creation, an independent store opened 50 new parking spaces and shopping centers in need about 15 additional employees.

QSR also owns the brand Teriyaki and the new fast-food chain Smashburger casual . The first point of the latter, whose investment ranges between $ 600,000 and $ 1 million, will open at the airport.

Rodriguez said they are still in search of the ideal space for what would be the second location of Smashburger in the metropolitan area. In previous months, QSR said to be looking for points in Curridabat, Santa Ana and Escazú.

Along with QSR, Subway, McDonald's , Wendy's, Burger King and Taco Bell are among the fast food chains that follow a rapid expansion.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Central Valley has the best coffee in Costa Rica

2012-05-16T07:08:00.001-06:00

Valle Central tiene el mejor café de Costa Rica - Negocios - elfinancierocr.com

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information

Central Valley has the best coffee in Costa Rica

05/15/2012 02:39 PM

Leticia Vindas

The farm Zamora in San Isidro de Heredia grown coffee this year was the best rating in the national Cup of Excellence competition.

The coffee producer Juan Ramon Alvarado scored 93.47 points (100 being the highest possible), the National Association of Fine Coffees, organizer of the event.

Noelia Villalobos, executive director of the Association, explained that this year they received 96 samples and during March and April made the shortlist of 38 that participated in the national contest.

Of these 27 were chosen to participate in the international auction on 3 July, including grain farm Zamora.

For this auction, the 27 coffees ranked 300 grams samples sent to potential buyers around the world, those who will roast and tasting of their businesses to bid on them during the conduct of the auction. The Cup of Excellence event can be followed live on the pagewww.cupofexcellence.org.

-----------------

La finca Zamora en San Isidro de Heredia cultivó el café que este año se llevó la mejor calificación en la competencia nacional Taza de Excelencia.

El café del productor Juan Ramón Alvarado obtuvo 93,47 puntos (siendo 100 la mayor posible), informó la Asociación Nacional de Cafés Finos, organizadora del evento.

Noelia Villalobos, directora ejecutiva de la Asociación, explicó que este año recibieron 96 muestras y en el transcurso de marzo y abril se hizo la preselección de las 38 que participaron en el certamen nacional.

De ellas se eligieron 27 que participarán de la subasta internacional el 3 de julio próximo,incluido el grano de la finca Zamora.

Para esta subasta, los 27 cafés clasificados enviarán muestras de 300 gramos a potenciales compradores en todo el mundo, quienes las tostarán y catarán en sus empresas para pujar por ellas durante la realización de la subasta. El evento Taza de la Excelencia podrá ser seguido en vivo en la página www.cupofexcellence.org.

Costa Rican postal service to process ID renewal for foreigners

2012-05-16T06:27:00.001-06:00

Costa Rican postal service to process ID renewal for foreigners / News Briefs / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

Costa Rica mail offices can now be
used to renew cedulas for foreigners

On June 1, Correos de Costa Rica, the company that manages the country’s postal service, will take over the renewal process for cédulas (Costa Rican IDs) for foreigners.

The new service follows an agreement signed Monday by the company, the Immigration Administration and the Digital Government Project.

Kattia Rodríguez, director of immigration, said the service initially will be available in 11 post offices, and gradually will be extended to a total of 60 offices by the end of the year. Correos de Costa Rica has a total of 117 branches across the country.

“This service aims to improve efficiency, but we also hope that providing people with better mechanisms will help to regularize their immigration status,” she said.

In addition to Correos de Costa Rica’s main office downtown, folks will be able to renew their IDs at branches in Zapote, Escazú, Tibás, Desamparados, Y Griega, Guadalupe, Pavas, Curridabat, Santa Ana, Grecia and Alajuela.

Rodríguez also confirmed that by early 2013, passport processing will be available through the agreement.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

National arts and science awards honor national achievements

2012-05-16T06:23:00.001-06:00

National arts and science awards honor national achievements / News Briefs / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

President Laura Chinchilla delivered the Science and Technology Awards 2011 Monday night. A second ceremony awarded dozens of Costa Ricans for contributing to national culture.

Carlos Santamaría (L) and Pablo Sobrado took Costa Rica’s top science and technology awards. Courtesy of MICIT

Microbiologist Carlos Santamaría and biochemist Pablo Sobrado on Monday night were awarded the Clodomiro Picado Twight National Science and Technology Awards for 2011.

Santamaría, 34, studies the genetics of different types of leukemia (blood cancer) and was previously acknowledged in Spain for a doctoral thesis, in which he discovered which genes were most aggressive in acute myeloid leukemia, the most common type of blood cancer in adults and the second-most common in children.

Santamaría is head of the Molecular Biology Laboratory at the National Children's Hospital in San José. He received a National Science Award for developing the best types of individual treatments for patients.

Pablo Sobrado, 37, a biochemist and biologist, received the National Technology Award for his work on finding drug cures for tropical diseases such as tuberculosis, leishmaniasis, chagas’ disease and lung infections by a fungus called aspergillus.

Sobrado leads a Lab at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, U.S., where scientists seek cures for tropical diseases that attack up to 20 million people per year around the world.

“Your work claims the best of the national soul. This is a tribute from your motherland to you as creators,” President Laura Chinchilla said at the ceremony, which was held in the National Theater.

The Clodomiro Picado Twight National Science and Technology Awards are awarded annually by the ministries of science and technology, and culture and youth, since the program began in 1976.

At the same ceremony, Culture Ministry officials presented the 2011 National Awards in Literature, Fine Arts and Journalism. The highest culture honor, or Magón Award, for outstanding achievements in art and culture, was awarded to two people simultaneously for the first time.

Dancer and choreographer Rogelio López and scientist Rodrigo Gámez, director of the National Biodiversity Institute, won the award, named as a tribute to Costa Rican writer Manuel González Zeledón, who used that nickname.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Costa Rica is region’s best country to raise children, study says

2012-05-14T13:25:00.001-06:00

Costa Rica is region’s best country to raise children, study says / News Briefs / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

A study released on Tuesday by nonprofit group Save the Children ranks Costa Rica 13th among a list of 80 countries based on conditions for raising children.

Following Costa Rica in the region is Panama (24th), El Salvador (37th), Belize (42th), Nicaragua (49th), Honduras (60th) and Guatemala (68th).

The list divided 165 countries into three categories: more-developed (43 countries), less-developed (80) and least-developed (42). Costa Rica appears on the less-developed countries list.

Norway, Iceland and Sweden top the more-developed list, while the United States ranks 25th. Cuba, Israel and Barbados are the top three among less-developed countries.

Rwanda, Bhutan and Malawi headed the least-developed list, while Yemen, Afghanistan and Niger ranked at the bottom.

The study also ranked factors such as mothers' health, education and economic status, as well as child indicators such as health and nutrition.

Save the Children called for more global action to tackle the cycle of maternal and child malnutrition when G8 leaders gather in Camp David, in the U.S., at the end of the month.

Read the full report at:"Save the Children"

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Seventh Costa Rican qualifies for 2012 Summer Olympics

2012-05-14T13:21:00.001-06:00

Seventh Costa Rican qualifies for 2012 Summer Olympics / News Briefs / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

Osman Murillo, 27, became the seventh Costa Rican to qualify for the upcoming 2012 Olympics Games in London.

Murillo discovered Wednesday morning on the website of the International Judo Federation that his ranking qualified him for a spot in the upcoming summer games, which begin July 27.

Osman Murillo of Costa
Rica has qualified for
the 2012 Olympic Games
in London

“When I was confirmed I started to cry,” Murillo told the daily La Nación. “It's something I've wanted since I was 6 years old. I thought about my family, my dad is my coach, and all I had to leave out. We have made great strides economically and emotionally.”

Murillo competes in the 73 kilogram weight class, where he is ranked 267th in the world. The Tico will train for four weeks in Costa Rica before going to Europe for six months of preparation for the Olympics.

Other national athletes who have qualified for the Olympics are triathlete Leonardo Chacón, marathon runners Gabriela Traña and César Lizano, Nery Brenes for the 400 meter race, Heiner Oviedo for Taekwondo and Andrey Amador in men’s road cycling.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Convention Center Awarded For Second Time

2012-05-14T09:53:00.001-06:00

Convention Center Awarded For Second Time - CentralAmericaData :: The Regional Business Portal

Convention Center Awarded For Second Time

The ICT has awarded to the consortium International Design Group the contract for the design and construction of a new convention center in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The confirmation was made Juan Carlos Borbon, general manager of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), who said the decision must be countersigned by the Controller General's Office, reported Nacion.com.

The aforementioned institution objected to the first award made by the ICT to the firm HKS & Associates in Costa Rica, and therefore called for a new contest.

The work will be built in Barreal Heredia and will seat 10,000 people, have just over 1,000 parking spaces and will use an investment of $30 million.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

US security aid to Costa Rica tops USD6 million

2012-05-14T09:20:00.001-06:00

U.S. security aid tops $6 million / Top Story / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

In 2011, the United States government donated almost $6.6 million in cash, equipment and training to Costa Rican public security forces, according to data released by the Public Security Ministry.

A Coast Guard base, two new patrol boats, bulletproof vests, radios, boat and helicopter parts, trucks, generators, office supplies, language learning materials and cash are some of the donations made by the U.S. government last year to help Costa Rica meet security challenges.

The single largest donation was the newly built $3.5 million Coast Guard station in Caldera, Puntarenas, on the central Pacific coast, inaugurated in March of last year.

“The U.S. government has a strategic plan to partner with Costa Rica to strengthen the capacity of its Coast Guard,” U.S. Ambassador Anne S. Andrew told The Tico Times at the time (TT, March 31, 2011).

That strategic plan is evident in the breakdown of U.S. donations among different Public Security Ministry agencies: Of 31 donations received by the ministry from the U.S., the Costa Rican Coast Guard received approximately $5.5 million, or about 84 percent of the total. That figure includes the new base and two interceptor boats with a $1.8 million price tag.

Uncle Sam also shelled out $48,000 “to support marine operations,” according to the ministry report. Additionally, the Coast Guard also received $60,000 for generators for patrol boats, $19,000 for parts for patrol boats and $11,000 for trucks and $120,000 in training for Coast Guard personnel, including eight weeks of diesel maintenance training for three individuals to the tune of about $50,000.

The National Air Vigilance Service also did well, receiving $371,000. The National Police received $78,400 for training, including $40,000 for 25 Costa Rican and Nicaraguan police who learned how to detect hidden compartments in vehicles. The U.S. also financed the attendance of three National Police representatives at the International Drug Enforcement Conference in Cancún, Mexico, to the tune of $12,000.

Other donations listed by the Public Security Ministry include just under $10,000 for “jungle commando” training for two agents, $15,000 for a three-week course on national defense strategies for one person and $15,000 for “reinforcement and development of new capabilities for the approach and control of disturbances,” among other programs.

The Judicial Investigation Police and Presidency Ministry received a donation of bulletproof vests valued at $289,208

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Coffee Growers in Costa Rica Unable to Meet Starbucks’ Appetite

2012-05-11T06:55:00.000-06:00

Coffee Growers in Costa Rica Unable to Meet Starbucks’ Appetite

Posted by Jaime Lopez on May 10, 2012 in Business

Despite early rains and an optimistic forecast for the next two coffee harvests in Costa Rica, Tico growers are concerned that demand will outpace supply and may not be able to meet orders from retail coffee shop Goliath Starbucks.

In an article by Sergio Arce of national newspaper La Nacion, the president of the Coffee Institute of Costa Rica (iCafe) explained that Starbucks is not the only buyer affected. Green Mountain, a staunch rival of Starbucks in the household coffee arena, is another prominent buyer of high-quality beans from Costa Rica. The German coffee brand Hochland Kaffee is another fan of our coffees, as are Nespresso and Peet’s Coffee and Tea from the United States.

Starbucks is the most active buyer of CoopeDota’s coffee, one of Costa Rica’s premier growers and roasters. Twenty percent of CoopeDota’s production is snapped up by Starbucks as soon as it is offered, according to Director Roberto Mata. Ronald Peters, president of iCafe, stated to La Nacion that Starbucks purchases ten percent of the national coffee production.

Importing Coffee Could be the Answer

A previous article in The Costa Rica Star explained how Tico growers recently traveled to Brazil and looked at their crops with the intention to import coffee from the South American giant in order to meet demand.

Two representatives from Starbucks in Costa Rica spoke to La Nacion about their purchasing practices. Carlos Mario Rodriguez, director of agricultural affairs for the American retail chain in Costa Rica, explained that the purchasing patterns of the company around the world vary according to production and demand. Barbara Schmidt, director of Coffee and Farm Equity (CAFE) Practices indicated that purchasing is not solely based on low prices, but also on best production practices.

It is not clear whether Starbucks would purchase coffee from roasters in Costa Rica knowing that it has been imported from other countries. What is clear, however, is that Starbucks sells our coffee at premium prices. A pack of three 12 ounce bags (about a kilogram) of Starbucks-brand Tarrazu medium roast goes for about $30 on Amazon -when supplies are available.

Opening Soon

The first Starbucks in Costa Rica will open later this month at the upscale Avenida Escazu. The company has been busy setting up the coffee shop and hiring employees.

The company recently score a courtroom victory in a United States federal appeals court related to its labor practices. The court sided with Starbucks with regard to its policy prohibiting employees from wearing pro-labor union pins. According to a recent article on MSNBC, none of the company’s 7,000 stores in the United States are unionized.

Starbucks has not commented on whether Tico employees will be allowed membership in labor unions or employee solidarity associations.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Airfare for 5USD on Nature Air in Costa Rica

2012-05-09T14:25:00.000-06:00

One of Costa Rica's regional airlines, Nature Air, is offering $5 domestic airfare. Talk about cheap airfare in Costa Rica!!

The catch? You must purchase by tomorrow, May 10th. Hurry up to save on this affordable Costa Rica airfare.

The fine print from Nature Air:

*Promotion is subject to availability, and is only available for purchase through www.natureair.com using the promo code 5DEMAYO. Price per person for domestic flights from/to San Jose (taxes and fuel surcharge not included: $25). "Locos" rate restrictions apply. Must purchase before 2:00 a.m. EST on May 10, 2012. Travel dates: from June 1st to June 30th 2012. Photo used for illustrative purposes. For more information about our international awards and recognitions: click here. For more information regarding our terms and conditions: click here

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Airfare starting at $5 from Nature Air in Costa Rica

Fare available for purchase for five days only via www.natureair.com using promo code: 5DEMAYO

Las Villas de San Buenas Morning Sounds

2012-05-09T13:25:00.001-06:00

Morning sounds at Las Villas de San Buenas, Osa, Costa Rica.

For more information visit the website or Like us on Facebook
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Grainger invests $1 millón in new Costa Rica distribution center

2012-05-09T12:17:00.003-06:00

Empresa norteamericana Grainger invierte $1 millón en nueva sucursal - Negocios - elfinancierocr.com

Grainger is opening a new distribution center in Costa Ric

Grainger offers a large variety of industrial products.

The U.S. company of industrial supplies, Grainger, announced Tuesday the opening of a new branch in La Uruca and hiring 10 employees to strengthen its local operation.

According to a press release, the company is investing just over $ 1 million in setting upa distribution center of approximately 1,000 square meters.

So far, Grainger sells its products in Costa Rica through its export business. But Edward Sauma, general manager of the local operation, said his customers and required the presence of a physical branch.

Grainger's inventory includes more than one million products such as electricity lines, hand tools, lighting, motors, plumbing, testing, cleaning and painting, material handling and safety, among others.

In Latin America, Grainger has physical operations in Colombia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico and Trinidad & Tobago.

In 2011, reported sales of $ 8.1 billion. The transnational serves two million businesses and institutions in 157 countries and employs more than 21,500 employees.

Here's a link to their website: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/static/int_costarica.html

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Bill Clinton to give keynote address in Costa Rica sustainability

2012-05-09T12:01:00.001-06:00

Bill Clinton to give keynote address in Costa Rica sustainability forum May 9 / News Briefs / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

AFP

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton will speak in Costa Rica on May 9.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton will speak at an environmental forum on May 9 in Escazú, filling the role performed by Clinton's vice president, Al Gore, last year.
For information about that meeting click here

Javier del Campo, director of forum organizer Terra Partners, announced the ex-president as the keynote speaker of the second annual Sustainability and Environment Business Forum during a press conference Tuesday morning at Hotel InterContinental in Escazú, in west San José.

Clinton, who was the U.S. president from 1993 to 2001, highlights a forum that takes place May 8 and 9. Brazil's ex-Environment Minister and former presidential candidate Marina Silva will speak at the end of the first night. Bhutan's Director of the Center for Bhutanese Studies Dasho Karma Ura will speak the morning of May 9, and several other speakers will talk throughout the day before Clinton's speech at 7 p.m.

The presentation called "Embracing our Common Humanity" will go for an hour to an hour and 20 minutes.

Del Campo said the goal for the forum was to bring in "high level" speakers "to represent different zones, cultures, and ideas of the world."

"I think we succeeded," he said.

Registration for the two-day summit costs $750 (discounts for groups), which takes place at the Hotel InterContinental. Capacity for Clinton's forum is 650 guests. For more information go to www.forosostenibilidadcostarica.com.

NOTE: Last year's event with Al Gore cost $300-$600.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Bill Clinton to meet with Costa Rica’s president

2012-05-09T11:59:00.001-06:00

Bill Clinton to meet with Costa Rica’s president / News Briefs / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

Bill Clinton is going to speak in Costa Rica

Ex-U.S. president Bill Clinton will meet Laura Chinchilla at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9th, at the official headquarters of the presidency in Zapote, a district in southeastern San José

Clinton is coming to Costa Rica to speak at an environmental forum in Escazú. Chinchilla will accompany Clinton, who was the U.S. president from 1993-2001, to the Sustainability and Environment Business Forum later that evening.

While president, Clinton visited Costa Rica in May 1997, during the presidency of José María Figueres.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Costa Rican astronaut becomes first Hispanic member of U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame

2012-05-07T20:48:00.000-06:00

Costa Rican astronaut becomes first Hispanic member of U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame / News Briefs / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

Franklin Chang, who holds the record for most space flights, was inducted into the hall of fame during a ceremony Saturday afternoon at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

AFP

Costa Rican astronaut Franklin Chang.

Costa Rican astronaut Franklin Chang was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame on Saturday afternoon. Chang, 62, is the first Hispanic astronaut to enter the hall of fame.

“To be recognized by those who you admire is even more powerful than just to be recognized at all,” Chang said, at his induction ceremony.

The Costa Rican-born astronaut began training at NASA in 1980, and partook in his first space flight in 1986. He would finish his career with seven space flights, tied for the most ever.

Astronaut George Nelson introduced Chang at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Nelson told the audience about how the Costa Rican came to the U.S. without knowing how to speak English. Chang later earned a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a plasma physicist before joining NASA and being launched into space.

Nelson said Chang “seemed to be the most comfortable astronaut, seemed to fit up there.” Chang spent more than 1,600 hours in space.

In 2005, Chang left NASA to start his own business, Ad Astra Rocket. The technology company is working to create a plasma engine, which could revolutionize space travel and make it easier to travel to far off places like Mars.

During his induction speech, Chang thanked in Spanish his mother, who was in attendance, and his wife, Peggy, among others. He showed his appreciation for Costa Rica and the United States for supporting his dreams.

“I am the product of two cultures,” Chang said.

The 11th class of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame also included Kevin Chilton, the military’s highest-ranking astronaut, and Charles Precourt, former chief of the NASA astronaut corps. Chang, Chilton and Precourt all logged hours on the Russian Mir space station.

The hall of fame counts 82 astronauts among its inductees including Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Alan Shepard.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Popeye’s invierte $1,5 millones en nuevo local en Curridabat

2012-05-07T20:40:00.001-06:00

Popeye’s invierte $1,5 millones en nuevo local en Curridabat - Negocios - elfinancierocr.com

From Friday April 13 , Curridabat will become the place of operation of the first restaurant outside a mall fast food franchise Popeye's Louisiana Chicken.

As with last year EF nuncio , the new facility will operate diagonally Indoor Club and represents an investment of $ 1.5 million.

Popeyes is opening in Costa Rica

According to a press release, the point of sale of two plants have capacity to serve 180 guests seated.

It also has parking for more than 40 vehicles, self-service, express service, playground, youth area with electronic games, WiFi and a terrace.

This is the third local Popeye's after opening the first Avenida Escazú in 2010 and the second in the San Pedro mall in 2011.

The opening comes amid the announcement of the arrival of some seven new casual dining concepts in the country.

A partir del próximo viernes 13 de abril , Curridabat se convertirá en el lugar de operación delprimer restaurante ubicado fuera de un mall de la franquicia de comida rápida Popeye’s Lousiana Chicken.

Tal como lo a nunció EF el año pasado , el nuevo local operará diagonal al Indoor Club y representa una inversión de $1,5 millones.

De acuerdo con un comunicado de prensa, el punto de venta de dos plantas tiene capacidad para atender a 180 clientes sentados.

Además, cuenta con parqueo para más de 40 vehículos, autoservicio, servicio express, área infantil, área juvenil con juegos electrónicos, Wifi y una terraza.

Este es el tercer local de Popeye’s luego de que abriera el primero en Avenida Escazú en 2010 y el segundo en el mall San Pedro en el 2011.

La apertura se da en medio del anuncio de la llegada de unos siete nuevos conceptos de comida casual al país.

Pizza Hut invierte $2 millones en aperturas y remodelaciones - Negocios - elfinancierocr.com

2012-05-07T20:38:00.001-06:00

Pizza Hut invierte $2 millones en aperturas y remodelaciones - Negocios - elfinancierocr.com

Mientras más conceptos de comida casual y rápida anuncian su llegada al país, la cadena de restaurantes Pizza Hut no da tregua y prepara al menos cinco aperturas para este año.

De acuerdo con Jorge Nils Gutiérrez, director general de la empresa que maneja la franquicia, Comidas Centroamericanas S.A., la marca abrirá dos restaurantes en los food court de los nuevos malls Paseo Metrópoli en Cartago y Lincoln Plaza en Moravia.

Además, operará tres nuevos locales de servicio a domicilio con área de sillas y mesas para los clientes que deseen comer en el mismo lugar.

Guápiles, San Isidro del General y Santo Domingo de Heredia son las locaciones escogidas para este tipo de punto de venta.

“Es un nuevo concepto que se ha desarrollado para poblaciones más pequeñas y de zonas rurales, pues requieren una menor inversión, son de menor tamaño y tienen un menú especial”, comentó el director.

De la misma forma, la cadena está en proceso de remodelar sus restaurantes de Tibás y Los Colegios en Moravia.

Entre las aperturas y las remodelaciones, Pizza Hut está invirtiendo cerca de $2 millones y creando unos 100 puestos adicionales.

Aparte de esto, su marca hermana, China Wok, abrió recientemente un local en el MallInternacional en Alajuela.

Pizza Hutdeberá enfrentar no solo expansiones de restaurantes como Bagelmen’s, Chichi’s y Tacontento sino a siete nuevas franquicias que abrirán este 2012.

Spoleto, Chili’s, Cosí, Moe’s, Mo Joe’s, Pollo Tropical y Smash Burger destacan entre los competidores.

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The more casual dining concepts and quickly announce their arrival in the country, the restaurant chain Pizza Hut does not let up and prepare at least five starts this year.

According to Nils Jorge Gutierrez, CEO of the company that owns the franchise, SA Central American foods, the brand will open two restaurants in the food court of the new malls Walk Metropolis in Carthage and Lincoln Plaza in Moravia.

Also, will operate three new local service area home with chairs and tables for customers who wish to eat in the same place.

Guápiles, San Isidro del General and Santo Domingo de Heredia are the locations chosen for this type of point of sale.

"It's a new concept that has been developed for smaller towns and rural areas, they require less investment, are smaller and have a special menu," said the director.

Likewise, the chain is in the process of remodeling its restaurants Tibás and Colleges in Moravia.

Among the openings and renovations, Pizza Hut is investing nearly $ 2 million and creating about 100 additional positions.

Apart from this, its sister brand, China Wok, recently opened a store in the Mall International Alajuela.

Pizza Hutdeberá face not only expansions of restaurants like Bagelmen's, Chi-Chi's and Tacontento but seven new franchises opening this 2012.

Spoleto, Chili's, Cosi, Moe's, Mo Joe's, Pollo Tropical and Smash Burger stand out among competitors.

Visas hacia Estados Unidos costarán $160

2012-05-07T20:36:00.001-06:00

Visas hacia Estados Unidos costarán $160 - Economía y Política - elfinancierocr.com

A partir de mañana, viernes 13 de abril, el precio del proceso de solicitud de visa de turismo y negocios para viajar a Estados Unidos pasará de costar $140 a $160.

Este fue uno de los cambios, ajustes en precios y procedimientos, dados a conocer hoy por la Embajada de los Estados Unidos.

“Este cambio es un reajuste que se da a nivel mundial, con el principal propósito de unificar sistemas, procesos y cargos, cubrir los costos reales del proceso y hacer el proceso más fácil y conveniente para los interesados”, cita la embajada en un comunicado oficial.

Otros tipos de visa para viajar a Estados Unidos, como las de trabajo, también sufrieron un incremento , al pasar de de los $150 a los $190 en su tarifa actual.

Por otra parte, visas para prometidos o inmigrantes (Solicitudes de familiar inmediato) sufrieron una reducción en sus costos, como se muestra en la tabla adjunta

Como parte de los cambios, la Embajada anunció que a partir del próximo 20 de abril , toda persona que desee solicitar una visa puede hacerlo de manera electrónica, como se hace a la fecha, o por medio del centro de llamadas 4000-1976.

En ambos casos los solicitantes deben llenar de manera electrónica el formulario de solicitud de visa DS-160.

La forma de pago para cancelar la tarifa del proceso puede hacerse de forma electrónica con una tarjeta de crédito (Visa o Mastercard) o de forma personal en las sucursales bancarias de Citi Bank o el Banco Nacional.

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Starting tomorrow, Friday April 13, the price of the visa application process for tourism and business travel to the United States will have cost $ 140 to $ 160.

This was one of the changes, adjustments in prices and procedures, released today by the Embassy of the United States.

"This change is an adjustment that occurs worldwide, with the main purpose to unify systems, processes and charges cover the actual costs of the process and make the process easier and more convenient for those interested," quotes the embassy said in a statement officer.

Other types of visa to travel to the U.S., such as work, were also increased , from the $ 150 to $ 190 at its current rate.

On the other hand, promised or immigrant visas (Requests for immediate family) had a reduction in costs, as shown in the table below

As part of the changes, the Embassy announced that from next April 20, any person wishing to apply for a visa may do so electronically, as to the date, or through the call center from 4000 to 1976.

In both cases, applicants must complete the electronic visa application form DS-160.

The form of payment to pay the processing fee can be done electronically with a credit card (Visa or Mastercard) or personally at the bank branches in Citi Bank or National Bank.

Turismo de convenciones: tema principal de Expotur 2012

2012-05-07T20:33:00.001-06:00

Turismo de convenciones: tema principal de Expotur 2012 - Negocios - elfinancierocr.com

Cerca de 215 empresas internacionales, de 33 países, estarán presentes en la XXVIII edición de Expotur, a celebrarse del 9 al 11 de mayo en el Hotel Ramada Plaza Herradura.

Para este año, el tema de los congresos y convenciones será el foco principal de la feria, durante la cual se impartirán seminarios y charlas de formación tanto a compradores como a vendedores.

La Asociación Costarricense de Profesionales en Turismo (Acoprot), organizadores del evento, explicaron que como novedad se contará con uno de los grandes operadores mundiales, proveniente de Rusia , así como nueve nuevas empresas de ese país.

“A ello se suman 13 nuevas compañías de Brasil, una de India y una empresa de Lituania”, señaló la Asociación en un comunicado.

Según datos de Acoprot, a la fecha, se han recibido 3.840 solicitudes de citas de los mayoristas con vendedores nacionales, 300 empresarios para esta edición.

Expotur genera en promedio unos 70.000 turistas nuevos cada año para el país.

Convention Tourism: main theme of Expotur 2012

18/04/2012 11:46 a.m.

Andrea Rodriguez Valverde

About 215 international companies from 33 countries will attend the XXVIII edition of Expotur, to be held from 9 to 11 May at the Hotel Ramada Plaza Herradura.

This year, the theme of the congress and convention will be the main focus of the show, during which he taught training seminars and lectures to both buyers and sellers.

The Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals (Acoprot), organizers of the event, explained that the novelty will have one of the major operators worldwide, from Russia , and nine new companies in that country.

"To this are added 13 new companies in Brazil, one from India and a company of Lithuania", said the Association in a statement.

According to Acoprot, to date, there have been 3,840 requests for quotations from wholesalers with national vendors, 300 employers for this edition.

Expotur generates on average about 70,000 new tourists each year for the country.

El Salvador Ratifies Regional Mortgages

2012-05-07T20:31:00.001-06:00

El Salvador Ratifies Regional Mortgages - CentralAmericaData :: The Regional Business Portal

The Legislative Assembly has ratified with 71 votes, the Treaty for the Establishment and Implementation of Central American Mortgagessigned between the Republics of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic.

This instrument will provide greater legal certainty for investment in the region, stimulating the market for Central American investments, facilitating and expanding access to credit, by backing mortgage securities in any country where it operates and the procedures and costs are standardized.

It will also promote the securitization of regional mortgage portfolios by having homogeneous instruments, which will allow the development of a secondary mortgage market and with this more capital will be raised for investment.

The ratification of this Treaty marks an important step in "the path ofCentral American integration," said the President of the Assembly, Sigfrido Reyes, becoming an "instrument of regional economic and financial integration," which means in his words that "anyone with an investment project can seek funding beyond the local financial market, and under the concept of the Central Mortgage guarantees for a loan can be provided with the best terms anywhere in the region," which will bring benefits to credit users, and competition in financial markets, he added.

For her part, Deputy Margarita Escobar, of the ARENA Parliamentary Group, expressed delight at the ratification of this instrument, and the impact it will have on the Central American market, since it means "regulation of an arrangement with a common legal framework for regional growth in real estate and in the economic sphere. "

Upon ratification by the signatory countries, the treaty will create a regional financial market to help boost lending operations.

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Intel marks 15 years in Costa Rica

2012-05-07T16:38:00.000-06:00

Intel marks 15 years in Costa Rica / News / Top Story / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

At an event commemorating the milestone, President Laura Chinchilla challenged Intel to invest $500 million in Costa Rica over the next five years.

Alberto Font

From left, Intel Costa Rica General Manager Mike Forrest, President Laura Chinchilla and Foreign Trade Minister Anabel González celebrate Intel’s 15th anniversary in Costa Rica.

From the print edition

In 1995, as Costa Rica faced diminishing foreign investment, the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE) decided to chance it all.

Around the world CINDE offices had been closed due to dwindling funds, since the association no longer received funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In the mid-1990s, the number of employees at CINDE dropped from 300 to 80. The only foreign office that stayed open was in New York City. And rumors circled that the New York office would be shuttered, and CINDE would be shut down completely.

The government insisted to CINDE’s head, Enrique Egloff, that the agency should be focused on attracting investment from apparel and garment makers. Instead CINDE chose to “bet their salaries” on a firm so big that Costa Rica barely had the room to support such a gigantic operation, recalled Armando Heilbron, head of the New York City CINDE office at the time.

After 19 meetings between Costa Rican officials and Intel, the U.S. company based in Santa Clara, California, agreed to build a 52-hectare microchip plant in Belén, a city with tax-free-zone incentives northwest of the capital. The initial investment represented $115 million.

“It was so unlikely that it got press around the world,” Heilbron said. “When it gets press around the world you get your little country put on the map.”

Heilbron remembered stories that proclaimed “from banana chips to microchips.” Intel’s decision shocked Latin American rivals like Mexico, Brazil and Chile. In choosing to invest in Costa Rica, Intel altered the economy of the small Central American country. Costa Rica no longer relied on exporting fruits and coffee to sustain itself. The high-tech computer processor company is the No. 1 exporter in Costa Rica in 2012, a contribution that stands for 6 percent of gross domestic product.

On Wednesday night, Intel hosted a gala at the Central Bank Museum in San José, celebrating Intel’s 15th anniversary in the country. President Laura Chinchilla spoke. High-ranking government officials, Intel managers and U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica Anne Slaughter Andrew were in attendance. The presentation included two studies demonstrating Intel’s influence on Costa Rica’s growth.

“Intel’s arrival can be seen as a bridge between the country’s future and the country’s past,” Chinchilla said.

The numbers signified the monumental changes brought to Costa Rica’s economy. Intel has invested $900 million since 1997, and the number of local employees has grown from 500 to 2,800. The company exports an average of more than $2 billion in products per year.

Still, the major announcement of the night came when Chinchilla challenged Intel to put more capital into Costa Rica, asking for $500 million over the next five years. She wants the Costa Rican government to work closely with Intel managers to find out what is necessary to make that massive figure a reality.

But the force of Intel’s arrival extends beyond the numbers. The computer technology leaders changed the landscape of education, business practices and foreign investment in Costa Rica, the fourth most competitive country in Latin America according to a report this week.

Since Intel’s move, more Costa Ricans have graduated with degrees in highly skilled areas like engineering or tech design. Costa Ricans went from knowing almost nothing about electronics to experts. There’s a greater emphasis on the sciences, math and technology in education curriculums, and many students learn English at a young age. One study showed that before Intel came to Costa Rica, 3,000 grade school students participated in the annual science fair. Now 600,000 students take part.

Workplace standards, infrastructure and safety measures have been enhanced since 1997. Workplaces are better-regulated in an attempt to stack up to international standards.

More than anything, Intel transformed the focus of the economy. After CINDE convinced Intel to invest here, other companies started wondering what the country had to offer. Costa Rica soon became the call center capital of Latin America. IT call centers and support centers for major business have hubs in the Central Valley. The free zones turned into a prime location for U.S. medical supply manufacturers like Boston Scientific. IBM also invested here.

One weakness the studies pointed out is the education system needs to keep advancing. Costa Rican schools seem to be falling behind the rapid pace of improving technology.

In addition, Costa Rica must cooperate better with Intel to not miss out on the company’s newest projects. In recent years, major investments that could have gone to Costa Rica went to Argentina, Mexico and Vietnam.

During his speech praising the relationship between Intel and the Costa Rican government, Intel Costa Rica General Manager Mike Forrest implored officials in attendance to focus on further developing its education system.

“A strong partnership between industry, government and academia is critical to achieving this goal,” Forrest said. “I look forward to continue partnering with the country in this challenge.”

If Intel ever did choose to leave, Costa Rica – whether due to an increase in production costs or a hike in taxes on free-zones companies – Heilbron believes the company’s influence would not be forgotten. The absence would leave a big hole in Costa Rica, Heilbron said, but there’d still be “a lot of things happening around it.”

The investment even has made it into textbooks, and is a popular case study in business programs and government policy courses. Heilbron, who works for the World Bank Group in the United States, said he’s met plenty of Ivy League graduates who learned the Intel case in Costa Rica in college.

The move even influenced other investment promotion agencies in the region, which learned from CINDE’s flexibility and forward thinking more than 15 years ago. ProNicaragua, named the best investment promotion agency in the world this month, picked up aspects of its investment strategy from Costa Rica, Heilbron said.

Seeing other successes both in Costa Rica and in the region is what leads Heilbron to think that Intel’s mark will be felt in Central America for a long time.

Said Heilbron: “There’s a transformation of footprints that are here to stay.”

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.

Costa Rica April 2012

2012-05-06T18:29:00.001-06:00

Photos from my last trip to Costa Rica with my dad.We spent most of our time in/around our home and project, Las Villas de San Buenas. But we also took a day trip to the border between Panama and Costa Rica, spent a lot of time with our San Buenaventura neighbors (I didn't have any photos of me playing soccer with them) and enjoyed our working trip.

Nick Halverson & Duane Halverson near Uvita, Costa Rica (Osa)

Costa Rica real estate, travel, news and information.