Convention Centre A High
Priority For Costa Rica's Next Tourism
Minister
Carlos Ricardo Benavides, the Ministro de
Turismo appointed in the next government has
outlined an ambitious plan to build a Centro
Nacional de Convenciones (National
Convention Centre).
Benavides explained that during the
Chinchilla administration the Instituto
Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) will develop
the infrastructure for the project on an
empty lot near the Plaza Real Cariari in
Belén, Heredia.
The convention centre will be an important
tool to promote Costa Rica as a country to
hold seminars, fairs, meetings and for large
groups and the convention centre will be
important for hotels to fill their rooms
during low occupancy cycles.
The tourism minister said that the current
government had hoped to attract private
business to develop the project, but due to
the economic crisis it never materialized.
Benavides assures that today the priorities
of the government are different and it is
important to develop such a project and not
wait for the private sector.
The project will be highly visible as it
will be built fronting the autopista General
Cañas, the main highway into and out of San
José.
Although the details of the plan, especially
how the project will be financed were not
explained, though Benavides suggested that
us$15 tourist tax, a tax applied to every
airline ticket to Costa Rica, may be a main
source of financing.
The tax that was implemented last June has
brought so far us$18 million to government
coffers.
The 10 hectare parcel of land where the
convention centre will be built is currently
owned by the Ministerio de Agricultura y
Ganadería (MAG).
Participating on the project will also be
the Cámara Nacional de Turismo (Canatur),
the Asociación Costarricense de
Profesionales en Turismo (Acoprot) and the
Cámara Costarricense de Hoteles (CCH).
"We want the plan to include the vision and
business confidence and that the Centre is
functional for them", said Benavides.
Last week Benavides also said that promoting
medical tourism in Costa Rica will be
another priority fo the Chinchilla
administration.
In an interview with La Nacion last Friday,
Benavides said medical tourism is a "high
growth potential" for the country.
Benavides was tourism minister between 2006
and 2009. |
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