Residents and citizens of all US states will be able to enter Costa Rica as of November 1st, a measure that will help the country’s economic reactivation and job creation, announced Gustavo J. Segura, Rector Minister of Tourism. Before that date, on October 15th, residents of the states of Florida, Georgia, and Texas will be able to do so.
According to data from the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy (MIDEPLAN), calculated based on the Input-Output Matrix, allowing the entry of citizens and residents of all the states of the United States could generate the country US $ 1.5 billion in foreign currency, that is, 2.5 points of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and about 80 thousand jobs for the year 2021.
“Our conversations with technical teams in the airline sector allow us to determine that by opening the United States market, could attract between 35% and 40% of 2019 air traffic, both originating in North America and connecting in that region. This will allow us to reactivate tourism so that companies work, at least, above the equilibrium point during the high season, which runs from November 2020 to May 2021.
A tourist visiting the country activates a series of productive chains such as agriculture, fishing, commerce, transport, tourist guides, hotels, restaurants, operators, artisans and towards that we must focus to continue with the reactivation, safeguarding sanitary measures against COVID-19“, explained Gustavo J. Segura, Rector Minister of Tourism.
Since September 1st, residents of New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia have been allowed to enter the country, and Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Colorado had previously been announced. The states of Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Michigan, and Rhode Island can do it from September 15th, and from October 1st it can be done by residents of California and Ohio.
Before the Pandemic, the North American market brought 1.6 million tourists to Costa Rican soil, with an average stay of 12 days and a daily expense of US $ 170 per person. The size of the potential market for the United States is 23.5 million tourists.
Entry requirements
Residents and citizens of the United States of America who wish to visit Costa Rica must meet three requirements:
1) Complete the digital form called HEALTH PASS and available at https://salud.go.cr
2) Take the COVID-19 PCR test and get a negative result; the sample for the test must be taken a maximum of 72 hours before the flight to Costa Rica.
3) Mandatory travel insurance that covers accommodation in case of quarantine and medical expenses due to COVID-19 illness. Said insurance can be international or purchased from Costa Rican insurers.
4) As of November 01, 2020, it will not be necessary to present proof of residence as all the states of the American Union will be enabled.
In addition to the United States, 44 additional countries are authorized to enter Costa Rica from August 1st, the day of the reopening of the airports; To date, approximately 6,000 tourists have entered, all complying with strict protocols, and none of whom have been reported as carriers or infected with COVID-19.
“To reactivate employment, international tourism is a tool with low epidemiological risk,” said the Rector Minister of Tourism.
