2021 is a very important year for Costa Rica, it celebrates the bicentennial of its independence. Since after a hard year, it is time to celebrate great milestones like this, with the permission of the sanitary measures.
We asked the country’s tourism minister, Gustavo J. Segura, what is the plan for bicentennial celebrations in the country?
“Reaching 200 years of independence is a source of pride for Costa Ricans, it marks a milestone and offers us the opportunity to rediscover and share our history with those who visit us. At times like this, it is worth highlighting what has set us apart over two centuries: being a democratic, multicultural, resilient nation that respects human rights and nature”.
“Not surprisingly, the hummingbird inspires the logo of this commemoration, a bird that always moves forward and is also capable of stopping, observing, changing course and adapting. That’s how we Ticos are. As for the commemorative program of the bicentennial, it will revolve around four pillars that synthesize our objectives between 2030 and 2050: the historical Costa Rica, the peaceful, the healthy and supportive, the decarbonized and the capable”.
Cultural programming
“Due to the Pandemic, cultural programming will prioritize small formats, especially as of September 15th, the day on which the independence of Guatemala was officially declared in 1821, which was the trigger for the independence of other countries such as Costa Rica”.
How do you plan to do it and how relevant is the “Safe Travels” seal?
“Tourism faces a new world scenario, with the fall of Coronavirus infections, and Costa Rica intends to continue and consolidate itself at the forefront of sustainable tourism. In this 2021, Costa Rica has positioned itself as the best alternative to travel. We are the “sustainable tourist sanctuary” par excellence, for the whole year and with extensive air connectivity”.
“We offer multiple alternatives in natural and open spaces: well-being, adventure, fauna and flora sighting, nature and rural tourism, culture, honeymoons, sun and beach, families, meetings or cruises … We reveal new areas with high development potential of hotels, products and tourism segments, through a joint integration of marketing and public relations actions together with the professional tourism sector”.
“The “Safe Travels” seal guarantees that the destination has sanitary measures that will regain the confidence of tourists. Currently, more than 300 Costa Rican companies have the “Safe Travels” seal, awarded by the World Travel and Tourism Council. This seal guarantees tourists visiting a nation that it has prepared guides with the measures that ensure and promote the application of distancing, the use of masks, social bubbles and hand washing, to name a few, against the Pandemic”.
“It is a pride and recognition of the hard work of all the people who made the protocols to guarantee safety to their workforce and travelers in this process of adapting to the new normal. The management of our reopening, from August 2020 until now, has been carried out with high rigor and with recognized international success”, concludes the Minister.
If Costa Rica would wake up and do away with their expensive and unnecessary scam involving the compulsory health insurance requirement and stop intentionally fleecing the tourists for Costa Rica’s financial shortcomings the arrival percentages would be significantly higher. Tourist are a lot smarter then perceived by the Costa Rican government scammers lining their pockets. The disparity between the money paid out in claims versus the money taken in for premiums is astronomical and borders criminal. Stop ripping off the tourist!!!!
You’re point of view is respected, you know the business of Insurance worldwide, through the ages, has generally been viewed by many from what you describe. Maybe others might see it from the perspective that the Costa Rican Public Health System is paid BY and FOR the citizens of the nation, since there is a Pandemic, the Costa Rican State, in order to open the doors for foreign visitors while at the same time not taking the risk of diverting its health resources from its original intention, activated the insurance scheme, that as I mentioned initially is the purpose of insurance in the first place, anywhere in the world.