RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Costa Rica announced this Saturday, April 24, the creation of a tourism project that will take advantage of the natural and scenic riches of the Tenorio Volcano National Park, located in the northern Pacific coast.
In a press release, the Presidential House indicated that the Rural Development Institute (Inder) increased its investments to support rural tourism initiatives to contribute to the reactivation of this sector, strongly hit by the Covid-19 sanitary crisis.
The initiative has an investment of 55 million Colones (about US$90,000) and directly benefits 24 families in the immediate area of the town of El Sombrerito and indirectly 100 families in surrounding areas.
“This is an example of how nature and Wildlife Protected Areas can be an engine for the development of communities in the country,” said Costa Rica’s Minister of Environment and Energy, Andrea Meza.
In addition, the Arenal Tempisque Conservation Area, which includes the Tenorio Volcano, and the Asociación del Asentamiento El Sombrerito signed a use permit agreement to develop ecotourism, as well as for training and research.
The president of the organization, Danilo Lobo, said that the ecotourism activities include the trail of the hornillas, which runs through a cloud forest and very humid, and where you can see hot springs, flora, fauna of great beauty and natural variety.
“The initiative also has infrastructure for the reception of visitors, among other attractions. Also, during the tour, you can appreciate landscapes such as Lake Arenal and several wind farms in the locality”, Lobo detailed.
The authorities informed that they are currently working with other institutions such as the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and the State Distance University to expand the project and obtain more institutional support.
Tourism is one of the main drivers of the economy of Costa Rica, a country that is home to nearly 5% of the planet’s biodiversity, which is one of its main attractions.
This sector, which received an average of 3.1 million foreign tourists per year, has been one of the most affected by the pandemic due to border closures and travel restrictions.
Costa Rica, a country of 5 million inhabitants, closed all its borders on March 18, 2020, as a sanitary measure to prevent the spread of covid-19. Sea and air borders opened in August 2020, and land borders opened this month.