The tourism sector had a major setback. 50% of reservations for the weekend were cancelled due to blockades related to protests against further taxes. The Caribbean and Huetar Norte were the hardest hit areas.
After months without tourists, due to covid-19, a recovery started. In Limon, a 70% recovery was noted during the open weekends in September but then the protests stopped the recovery in its tracks. In the southern Caribbean, 50-60% of reservations were cancelled due to inability to get there because of roadblocks.
There are about 12,500 beds in the northern zone, Huetar Norte, and only about 50 were taken on the weekend. One high-end hotel in the region offered to pick visitors up from the local airport and drive them to where the blockades were and then transfer them to another ride on the other side of the blockade. Still, 70% of reservations were cancelled.
Hotel owners want to support the protest because they can’t bear more taxes but the protest also hurt their opportunity to receive the few tourists in the country.
