Archive for January 8th, 2010
Friday, January 8th, 2010
The numbers are in and show that Costa Rica had 180.000 less tourists during 2009 over 2008. Despite this decline, the agency forecasted of a drop from 12%, but in reality was just under 10%, a decline lower than anticipated.
The figures were released by the Cámara Nacional de Turismo (CANATUR).
However, what the figures do not show is that the type of tourist coming to Costa Rica has changed, they are spending less time in the country and spending less.
Hotel, resort and tour operators all agree that, even though they are still getting a fair number of tourists, revenues are lower than expected.
CANATUR estimates an increase of 5% for 2010.
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Friday, January 8th, 2010
When travel magazines and sites come out with top ten “eco” lists they’re usually the top ten places who did a good job marketing themselves as green. Okay, maybe that’s too harsh. They are usually places that are actually doing things responsibly because no editor wants to get a stack of hate mail or a bunch of crapy online comments from the eco crowd for assisting a resort or destination in “greenwashing.” Ethical Traveler’s list of the most ethical travel destinations, however, is rooted in research, cross-referenced to various credible sources and includes not just the environmental performance of various countries, but also their social and political actions.
You know how I can tell these guys did their homework? Costa Rica isn’t on the list. You read correctly, Costa “the capital of eco-tourism” Rica ain’t on the list … mostly because of its booming underage sex trade. “In 2008, we strongly encouraged travelers to bring their commerce to Costa Rica – a country top rated by many important indicators,” the report’s authors write.
“Unfortunately, World Vision now considers Costa Rica among the world’s most notorious destinations for sexual predators, with an unusually large number of sex tourism venues in operation. According to Casa Alianza, more than 3,000 girls and young women work in San Jose’s 300 brothels. Now rivaling Thailand and the Philippines as the world’s leading sex tourism destination, Costa Rica is credited with having the region’s largest child prostitution problem and has thus been flagged by INTERPOL, as the country is fast becoming the hemispheric capital of sex tourism. It is for this reason that we were unable to recommend Costa Rica as an Ethical Destination.”
Another surprisingly absent destination? Bhutan, the country best known for its measurement of Gross National Happiness. Surely it must be the most ethical place in the world, no? Not so much. “Despite its sublime natural beauty and extraordinary commitment to preserving the environment, the highly nationalistic kingdom is still plagued by human rights issues,” the report reads. “These concerns include the fate of more than 100,000 Bhutanese of Nepalese descent, who were expelled from country in the early 1990s and still live in refugee camps along the Bhutan/West Bengal/Nepal border.”
As for those that did make the list, there are some surprises there, too, but all come with detailed explanations. At first I thought Argentina was #1 on the list two years in a row, but then I realized they were listed alphabetically. Either way, it still made me raise an eyebrow and think, “Argentina, don’t they have a lot of corruption problems?” Yes, indeed they do. But the country also has committed to a goal of net-zero deforestation and is the world leader in voluntary greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
And Ghana, a new addition to the list, has, according to Ethical Traveler, “an impressive commitment to genuine democracy, as well as a growing culture of sustainability, environmental consciousness and grassroots efforts towards responsibly improving Ghana for Ghanaians and tourists alike.”
I’ve got to be honest, ethics aren’t the first thing I think of when I’m planning a trip. That said, having discovered this list, I will probably consult it next time I’ve got my options narrowed down. And frankly, Bhutan and Costa Rica just slid a few slots on my “where to go next” list.
The complete list of top ten:
1. Argentina 2. Belize 3. Chile 4. Ghana 5. Lithuania
6. Namibia 7. Poland 8. Seychelles 9. South Africa 10. Suriname
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Friday, January 8th, 2010
The accumulate inflation rate for 2009 was 4.05%, the lowest in the last 37 years, according to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC).
The rate is also 9.85 points below the inflation rate of 13.9% for 2008 and was within the forecast range of 4% to 6% by the Banco Central de Costa Rica (Central Bank).
According to the INEC, December was the month in the year with the highest inflation rate, a rate of 1.02%.
What the 4.05% means in real terms is that Costa Ricans need an addition ¢4 per ¢100 colones at the end of the 2009 than at the begining of the year. For example, an item that cost ¢100 colones last January, costs today ¢104 colones.
In Latin America, at least 18 countries saw a reduction in the inflation rate, although the final numbers are not all in.
According to the Consejo Monetario Centroamericano, in addition to Costa Rica, only Colombia (2%) and Uruguay (5.9%) published their numbers.
Once all the countries publish their numbers, Costa Rica is expected to have the highest reduction in the inflation rate in Central America.
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Friday, January 8th, 2010
Authorities have ordered mandatory evacuations within a 6 km (4 mile) radius of the Mount Turrialba volcano after increased seismic activity indicated that the volcano may erupt. Ash has fallen in the surrounding area, reaching as far as the eastern neighborhoods of San Jose. The National Emergency Commission has raised the alert level to yellow in Turrialba, Alvarado and Oreamuno cantons. Turrialba Volcano National Park has been closed indefinitely.
Continued ash eruptions could cause significant electrical, communication and ground transport disruptions, though it is doubtful these will extend as far as San Jose. However, any sizable ash cloud may prompt flight delays and cancellations at Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO).
Background
Though Turrialba’s last major erupt occurred in 1866, authorities have reported increasing volcanic activity since 2007. Scientists currently report no signs of lava near the vents of Turrialba, but eruptions of ash may continue in the near future.
Advice
Monitor local media for updates on possible eruptions. Should a sizable eruption occur, verify all flights into SJO and ground transport in the surrounding area. Heed the advice of local authorities.
Individuals in San Jose should closely monitor any ash falls within city limits. Volcanic ash and gases can cause eye irritation and respiratory problems. Do not rub irritated eyes; flush them with water. Seek medical attention if you experience breathing difficulties.
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Friday, January 8th, 2010
The dollar began the new year with a jump start gaining ¢12 colones in the last two days after a steep drop in the last weeks of December.
The exchange rate this morning posted by the Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR) – Central Bank, is ¢570.40 for the buy and ¢580.56 for the sell.
The posted rate on Tuesday (January 5) was ¢558.15 for the buy and ¢568.02 for the sell, and increase of ¢12.25 and ¢12.54 colones, respectively.
Economists blame the heavy swing of the exchange rate on the policies of the Central Bank which keeps a wide range in the floor (¢500) and ceiling (¢600) of the exchange rate band.
One economist, Johnny Alavardo, says that this wide fluctuation allows major swings in the market.
“Market conditions change daily and with such policy an exporter could come tomorrow with a huge amount of dollars, flooding the market with the currency, and forces the price for the currency to drop. In contrast, an importer makes a purchase with a large amount of dollars, forcing the currency to be more expensive”, said Alvarado to the daily, Diario Extra.
The economist feels that the range in the band should not be more than ¢20 colones.
Affecting the exchange rate this week is also the drop in the “tasa básica pasiva” (basic lending rate), dropping from 8.25% to 8%, which immediately affected loan in colones.
The rate is expected to drop even further in the coming weeks, due to the lower inflation rate which is currently 4%, lower than forecast.
Alvarado explained that an 8% tasa básica pasiva is still to high given the current economic conditions, saying is should be at 5%.
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Friday, January 8th, 2010
It’s always a great idea to do some research of the country you are traveling to when going abroad. Laws change and sometimes travel guides have out of date information. Since Costa Rica is on the rise for travel destinations, I thought I would share some important facts with you.
When traveling to all countries in Central America, you must present your passport to cross the boarders. When you are out and about doing your daily activities however, it’s only necessary to have a copy of the face page and current stamp page on your person. Leave your passport back at the hotel for safekeeping.
If you decide to rent a car in Costa Rica, best to know that deposits are going to be expensive but they are refundable upon return of the car. Check your car for damage before you leave to insure your refund and remember to never let you tank get below one-quarter of a tank; stations can be hard to locate. You have to have your driver’s license with you and passport copy while driving a motor vehicle in Costa Rica.
When driving in Costa Rica, it’s very important to know that if you are involved in an accident, you are required by law to leave the car where the accident happened. You must wait for the local police to arrive on the scene as well as the insurance adjuster. This can take a while so my advice, drive carefully!
Another driving fact you should know is that that in Costa Rica, like many other Central American countries, there are not typical number and names as street addresses. Addressed can be something like 250 metros este y Fabrica de Queso so keep your eyes open when driving.
The currency in Costa Rica is the colon or colones. Bills start at c1000 denomination and go up to c10,000. The c10,000 is approximately $20 US dollars depending on the exchange rate at your time of travel. Coins start as low as c5 up to c500, which is approximately $1.00; again, depending on the exchange rate, but you can also use US dollars.
The exchange rate fluctuates as it does in many countries, but as of December 2009 it was about 570 colones to the dollar. To figure out the price of something in colones, divide the colones price by the exchange rate. For something priced in dollars, you take the dollar amount and multiply it by the exchange rate.
Spanish is the language of Costa Rica. Due to the rise in tourism, there are many local Tico’s, the common name for a Costa Rican, who have learned to speak English. Also, it’s a good to familiarize yourself with the road signs before your trip if you are planning on driving in Costa Rica because all the road signs are in Spanish!
Back in 1947, Costa Rica abolished its army. They continue to run their country without an army and it’s a very peaceful place. Just like with all countries you travel through, it’s best to keep an eye on your possessions when on vacation; petty theft is always a possibility.
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