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Cruise ship arrivals to Costa Rica have increased, say experts |
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 By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The Costa Rican Tourism Institute reported the cruise ship season, which began in August 2018 and runs to July 2019, has seen the arrival of 203 cruises so far. Among the most important cruise ships to arrive in the country was the Sea Princess with 1,870 passengers who disembarked at the port of Limón, from Key West, Florida. In the next four months, another 46 ships are expected to arrive at one of the five main ports of the country: Limón, Caldera, Quepos, Golfito, and on July 13th, the last cruise liner, the Queen Elizabeth, will arrive at Puntarenas. The arrivals will meet Institute expectations of a total of 250 cruises. Of these 153 will arrive at Pacific ports and 96 at the ports in the Caribbean, "this represents 9.2 percent more cruises, compared to the season previous, when 228 cruisers were registered," said the institute in its statement. According to the Institute, once on land passengers have the option to choose between the different routes offered by tourist agencies, tourist transports, and tour guides. The statistics of the Institute show that the cruise tourist spends an average $137 per day. It is also estimated that by the end of this season, 354,800 tourists will have arrived. María Amalia Revelo, Minister of Tourism, said, "the growth in the arrival of cruise ships evidence, even more, the challenges of port infrastructure, arrival centers for cruise passengers, increased visitation to docking ports and greater average spending on the coasts of the country, among others" To achieve an increase in the arrival of cruise ships, the institute reported having direct contact with the four most important groups worldwide dedicated to the cruise industry: Carnival Group, Royal Caribbean, Star, and Mediterranean Shipping Cruises. |
 Costa Rican Tourism Institute courtesy photo Institute
is also estimated that by the end of this
season, 354,800 tourists will have arrived.
Work sessions are held jointly with the companies and the managers of the ports, and issues related to the improvement of infrastructure, tourism offerings, rates, and other services are analyzed all in the hope of increasing the frequency with which ships arrive in national ports. The institute also made presentations at the Seatrade Cruise Global Fair in Miami to attract the attention of the cruise ships. "This event guarantees to bring together all facets of the business, including cruise lines, suppliers, travel agencies and partners," said the institute in its statement. It has also been confirmed that in 2019 Costa Rica will be a first-time host the Central America Cruise Summit, where meetings and workshops will be held with senior managers of the cruise lines. ---------- What kinds of improvements should the government make to satisfy cruise tourists? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com *Link to reach the place. |
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