Surfing Costa Rica - SURF READY TO WELCOME TOURISTS FROM ALL COUNTRIES ON THE VARIOUS BEACHES OF COSTA RICA

• In response to the reopening of borders, the Surf Federation has implemented all the health protocols required by the Health authorities and has published the information for more than 400 instructors along the country's beaches.

• Athletes will need to check availability and schedules, maintain physical distancing, practice personal hygiene, and constantly disinfect equipment, among other measures.

• Government and Federation authorities are calling for this sport to be practiced with a focus on responsible and sustainable tourism, and in compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures.

• “We have on our coasts the strength for an economic reactivation, by being able to offer world sports tourism a unique experience, with protocols and a health system that guarantee their safety during their stay on national soil,” says the Minister of Sport.

• According to ICT data, one in four tourists entering the country "does so with a surfboard in hand," given that Costa Rica is ranked worldwide as one of the best locations for practicing this sport at any time of year.

San José. “The reopening of the air border is a great relief for the more than 400 surf schools and instructors in the country. A significant number of travelers choose Costa Rica to learn to surf or as a training ground, thanks to its unique conditions, such as the excellent quality of the waves, warm waters, and the country's extensive tourism infrastructure.”

With these statements, the president of the Costa Rican Surfing Federation, Randall Chávez, indicated that this sport is ready to receive tourists from all over the world on the country's various beaches suitable for the sport, in anticipation of the opening of Costa Rica's air border to all countries of the world starting November 1st.

Awaiting the return of tourists, the Federation has implemented all health protocols – authorized by the Ministry of Health and the Minister of Sport – and made them available to more than 400 instructors along the country's beaches.

Among other preventive measures that surfers must apply are checking availability and schedules for practicing this discipline, physical distancing, personal hygiene and constant disinfection of equipment such as surfboards and other accessories.

The Costa Rican Tourism Institute and the Minister of Sport, Hernán Solano Venegas, as well as the Federation, schools and companies linked to this activity, call on visitors to maintain a responsible and environmentally sustainable approach to tourism and to respect social bubbles as well as the application of all COVID-19 preventive measures.

Minister Solano indicated that this is an opportunity to generate activities in the coastal areas of the country with the purpose of bringing employment and, in addition, an alternative for Costa Rican and foreign citizens to do sports, and emotional exercise, in such a complicated year.

 

“We have the strength on our coasts for an economic reactivation, by being able to offer world sports tourism a unique experience, with protocols and a health system that guarantee their safety during their stay on national soil,” added the head of sports in Costa Rica.

Coincidentally, the president of the Surf Federation explained that the organization aims to popularize the sport, thus contributing to job creation in coastal areas. "Many of these surfers open surf schools so that international tourists have an alternative recreational activity on different beaches around the country," he said.

“Furthermore, our surfers serve the country as lifeguards, ensuring the safety of tourists who come to visit our beaches. We at the Federation promote the training of instructors according to international standards, with the goal of ensuring that visitors leave with a positive impression of Costa Rica's beaches and, of course, its surfing,” he added.

Surf tourism. According to data from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), 17% of tourists who visited the country by air between 2017 and 2019 surfed as part of their activities during their stay, while 72% participated in sun and beach activities. This data reveals Costa Rica's position as a surfing destination, with internationally renowned beaches. Surfers, on average, stay in the country for 17 days and spend US$122 per day.

“Costa Rica stands out in the world as one of the best locations for surfing, a tourist destination that allows you to live unique and unrepeatable experiences,” said Gustavo J. Segura, Minister of Tourism.

“We welcome visitors with open arms; we are a country that has professionalized the tourism industry and we offer quality and safety for them,” added the official, who emphasized that tourism represents job creation for thousands of Costa Ricans who depend on it.

The minister also noted that Playa Hermosa de Garabito was recently designated as the next World Surfing Reserve. It will be the first in Central America and the eleventh globally. The award was presented by the US-based non-profit organization “Save the Waves Coalition.”

Official note:

https://www.presidencia.go.cr/comunicados/2020/10/surf-listo-para-recibir-turistas-de-todos-los-paises-en-las-distintas-playas-de-costa-rica