The blockades that have occurred in different parts of the country caused a massive wave of hotel cancellations.This was confirmed by representatives of the sector. They regretted that the people responsible for the demonstrations did not heed the clamor of the sector not to impede free movement.
The people consulted assured that the cancellations affect small, medium and larger hotels.Only in the La Fortuna area, tourism generates about 12,000 direct jobs and a similar amount of indirect ones.
Coup in times of crisis
The blow, they say, is suffered at a time when the pandemic has bent the sector with numerous layoffs, contract suspensions and even the closure of many hotels.
Tadeo Morales, vice president of the Arenal Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, assured that hotel cancellations are numerous and widespread in this tourist enclave of the North Zone.
Although he acknowledged that this chamber supports popular demands against more taxes, it is against road closures, as has happened in many parts of the country.In fact, at dawn this Friday officers of the Public Force lifted a blockade that was at the height of Muelle in San Carlos.
Many points of interruption
However, this past Friday afternoon, the Presidential House reported that more blockades persist. In fact, there are about 48 points that are closed, among them:
• Alajuela: Villa Bonita and crossroads of Grecia
• Guanacaste: Río Cañas, La Irma and Bagaces
• Pérez Zeledón: Loma Verde
• South Zone: Térraba Bridge and entrances to Buenos Aires and Ciudad Neily
• Route 27: Rio Grande Bridge
The North Zone, for its part, registered another important number of blockades in the regions of San Carlos, Zarcero, Naranjo and Upala.
Affected businessmen
Rolando Campos, owner of the Chayote Lodge hotel in Llano Bonito de Naranjo, assured that the blockades caused the cancellation of six rooms, out of a total of 12 that this boutique hostel has.
“The situation has been very difficult due to the crisis and now this of the blockades. For the weekend they canceled six rooms, which for me is a lot since out of the seven days mostly there are only customers on Saturdays. It’s outrageous,”said this hotelier.
Jorge Fallas, president of the Chamber of Rural Experiences and who has a hotel in Sarapiquí, also said that his business was impacted by the cancellations.He explained that this situation has spread to the West of the Central Valley (San Ramón, Grecia, Sarchí, Palmares) where small and medium-sized hotels report a shower of cancellations.
“Indeed, cancellations of hotel reservations have occurred due to road closures. The West and the North Zone have been greatly affected by the blockades. People do not want to arrive,”he said this past Friday night.
The representatives of the sector call on Costa Ricans not to cancel their hotel reservations.The excitatory is to freeze that reservation for another weekend, as long as there is certainty that there will be circulation.
