The Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) and representatives of the local private sector have unveiled a list of 16 health protocols for the safe reopening of some of the country?s most popular tourist areas that were affected by COVID-19.
The protocols relate to tourism companies in these industries: accommodation; restaurants; aerial and aquatic recreational activities; travel agencies; tour operators; car rentals; meetings and conventions; tourism transport; adventure tourism; and spa and wellness tourism.
The easy-to-implement protocols establish guidelines on the use of face masks in public and private transport; the cleaning and disinfection of the equipment in tours and sports such as water sport activities; and how to apply social distancing rule in water activities.
Costa Rica?s tourism minister Mar?a Amalia Revelo Ravent?s, said: ?These protocols are a great step for the country to start getting ready to welcome visitors again. Although the reactivation of the tourism sector will be gradual and linked to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health, having these 14 protocols in place will allow businesses to safely plan, prepare and get ready to reopen.?
Gustavo Alvarado, director of tourism management at the Costa Rica Tourism Board, mentioned: ?These protocols are easy to implement as they were designed to generate the lowest economic cost to those companies who have struggled the most during the pandemic.?
The 16 protocols were agreed among by a committee of 68 professionals from the country?s both public and private sectors. In Costa Rica, the public and the private sectors have been deeply engaged in tourism policy design and implementation since the 1980s.
The Costa Rica Tourism Board has also been organising regular online training and webinars with the country?s tourism partners to keep them up to date on the government?s measures on COVID-19 and to discuss implementing the health protocols in their businesses.
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