128Canopy Blog

On Wednesday October 8th, the Atlantic Coast town of Limon received its first cruise ship of the season marking the beginning of the 2008 cruise season in Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast.

The province of Limon is quite optimistic as it expects a 21% increase in tourist arrivals for this year compared to last season. The first cruise ship to reach the port of Limon is the Coral Princess with a total of 2,800 passengers.

Although Limon does not offer a developed infrastructure, it does offer spectacular and pristine landscapes.  Exuberant and dense rainforest unfold right on the beach providing the most idyllic and breathtaking scenarios.

Tourism authorities expect to receive at least 125 cruise ships this season which will carry on until April 2009.  However, due to the overwhelming permit requests on behalf of cruise companies to dock at port Limon, the season may extend all the way to July 2009.

Due to the increasing visit requests from cruise companies, Limon authorities have set an ambitious goal to have a year round cruise season in the region.  For this season, authorities are expecting an approximate 230,000 tourists.

The 21% increase in visitors is not only due to the amount of ships including Limon within their itinerary, but also that the ships that will be docking at Limon have a much larger passenger capacity than from previous years.

The main challenge the province and town of Limon face is infrastructure.  They are well aware that a modernization plan and budget is urgent so that visitors will want to remain longer on shore visiting attractions and engaging in adventure tours.

Each year the town of Puntarenas in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast receives an approximate 100 to 120 cruise ships which make a one day stop at the port of Puntarenas or Caldera.

This year’s season started yesterday as the first cruise ship from Princess Cruises docked at the port of Puntarenas.  However, tourists as well as local vendors were surprised to learn that a group of independent transporters had blocked the loading area where tourists board buses to be taken to their tour.

The disgruntled independent transporters organized the block in protest that the local Public Transportation Counsel issued a statement in which the independent workers are forbidden to transport tourists from the docks of Puntarenas and Caldera.  Tourists were forced to walk about 900 feet in order to board the authorized vehicles that would take them to their tour.

The blockage was lifted before noon as the transporters and the local Transportation Director reached an agreement that would let them offer their services for the next two cruise ships scheduled to arrive on September 28 and October 2nd.

The cruise season is eagerly awaited by local commerce as each tourist spends an approximate $100 in souvenirs and food.  This year’s schedule shows a total of 75 cruise ships arriving at Puntarenas and 50 at Caldera.

The President of Puntarenas’ Chamber of Tourism stated that the town of Puntarenas receives an approximate $120 million income due to the tourists who arrive via cruise ship.

The coastal town of Puntarenas in Costa Rica’s Central pacific region has lately been looking into several possibilities to bring back its appeal and privileged spot among tourist attractions.

Although Puntarenas is more of a preferred beach destination to local tourists than to foreign tourism, many visitors find the town attractive due to its history and local tradition.

Recently, the Costa Rican Board of Tourism (ICT) along with the Costa Rican Institute of Pacific Ports (Incop) will seek to promote Puntarenas’ tourist attraction by reopening its abandoned Bathing Resort.

Funds to carry out the plans will be taken in part from the fees paid by port concessionaires as stated by law.  The current minister of tourism, Carlos Ricardo Benavidez, was present at the official ceremony and stated that the opening of the bathing resort would greatly benefit the “Pearl of the Pacific” as it would generate employment within the immediate area as well as in nearby areas.

The bathing facilities have been closed down for some time and have shown considerable deterioration over the years.  The Municipality of Puntarenas has been meaning to buy the bathing resort for some time now but hasn’t been able to do so for reasons which are out of their control.

Therefore the ICT as well as the Incop have stepped in to help acquire the facilities and give the town of Puntarenas more tools to be able to be self sufficient in the ever growing industry of tourism in Costa Rica.