It is no wonder that making tourists buy insurance that costs nearly $1,000 for a two-week stay would be a huge deterrent to people looking to travel. They will go elsewhere. The National Chamber of Tourism and The Costa Rican Chamber of Hoteliers warned that this would be a disincentive to visit Costa Rica.
I refer to the policy by the National Insurance Institute that would cover at least $20,000 in medical expenses and $4,000 for accommodation in the case of being affected by covid-19. Such a policy is a requirement to enter the country.
While this policy is the only one offered in Costa Rica, the Government, by a new executive decree, will now allow the use of international policies as well, so long as they meet certain requirements. One such plan, by grupo Futuropa, costs between $15 and $182, for a stay of up to eight weeks in the country. The allowance of international plans came after a request last week by the business sector.
The Costa Rican Tourism Institute and the Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Commerce were charged by the President to ensure that the insurance requirement did not bottleneck the reopening of the country’s air borders. They worked together to seek a solution.
In addition to insurance, foreign tourists must present proof of a negative covid-19 test carried out 48 hours in advance. This has a cost of $150-$200.
