Costa Rica News – After the earthquake hit a lot of buildings and businesses in the Nicoya area need much needed governmental assistance in order to be up and running before the beginning of high season. I am going to state the obvious, it is not going to happen in time. This will be lost high season for those businesses requiring government help to be ready for this tourist season, and most will then go out of business.
The Nicoyana municipality appealed to the state banks in order to get a grace period for tourism businesses and services affected by the earthquake of September 5th.
The mayor of this county, Marco Jimenez, sent a note to President Laura Chinchilla, to intercede and ask banks to do a grace period on deposit interest rates in loans given to tourism activities and the service economy. ” Sorry, but this does not put any money in Chinchilla’s pockets so it will not happen.
Tourist activity is considered by Jimenez as the main driver of economic activity in Guanacaste.
However, the same industry that feeds thousands of families in the province, facing away from the tourists after the earthquake, while the arrangement faces of the quake damage to infrastructure.
The earthquake of 7.6 degrees, one of the strongest in recent history, also caused damage in Sarchi, Naranjo, Greece, Zarcero and Santa Cruz.
Nicoya Mayor also requested a study from the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) to assess if any provide appropriate conditions for local businesses manage the costs for the services offered by this institution.
The official did not rule out making the same request to rural electrification cooperatives operating in towns where no ICE operates.
“In recent weeks touring is clearly the decline in visitor arrivals to beaches like Samara and Nosara. We have to do something to support tourism enterprises operating in these places because as we know are the foundation of local economies, “he said.
