Costa Rica Real Estate / Investment

Guanacaste now has a tourist information center

2008-10-04T13:15:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

For tourists, information about the place they are visiting is a very valuable resource that maximizes time, money, interests, and more. And now there’s way to find everything tourists need in Guanacaste, with the opening of the Tourist Information Center (CIG), located two kilometers south of the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia.

Guanacaste’s Tourist Information Center provides a centralized platform to educate residents, visitors and businesses about the great variety of services and products available in the region.

Guanacaste has become the center of tourism activity in Costa Rica, which demands this kind of service, previously available only in the capital city of San Jose. At CIG, tourists can come spend a nice time, while they enjoy a refreshing beverage and, in only 10 minutes, take a visual tour of everything the country offers. All information is provided in English, allowing tourists to also ask questions and clarify any doubts they may have, thanks to the center’s personalized attention.

As you are about to land in Costa Rica, these and other questions may come to your mind: What can be done in 10 minutes? Where are the best canopy tours? Where can I find the best food? Where are the fish biting today? Where can I find a soft pillow and clean sheets at a good price? What would be the best option for investing in a property in Costa Rica? Where are the most popular real estate developments? Where can I find an honest, responsible architect and builder? Who can help me furnish or remodel my house? Where do I find local artisans?

If that’s the case, simply ask a member of CIG’s team of professionals, who will be wearing distinctive shirts with the word “Ask me.” They will be ready to provide you with answers to your many questions. Concierge services will also be available to supply you with questions that might make your dreams reality whether you are vacationing or have made Costa Rica your home.

CIG is all about helping. And so, if in addition to having your questions answered, you are interested in lending a hand, you’ll have such an opportunity here. You can join in charity activities for the community, which benefit the Salesian Ladies Association (a nonprofit that helps single mothers) and the Foundation for Assistance to Abused Children. CIG invites visitors and residents to help choose a third charity to help. You can let your voice and commitment be heard by submitting your petition at CR411.com. The Tourist Information Center will support the petition through additional votes. Your vote must be submitted through a verifiable e-mail address and must be received by Oct. 15, 2008. Encourage your friends and family to submit a vote, and look for results in this newspaper.
There’s limited space to advertise at the Tourist Information Center, so those interested in doing so please contact us ASAP. Just ask Randy. In only 10 minutes you could find out how to be a part of the Tourist Information Center of Guanacaste!

Marina Papagayo would begin operating in January 2009

2008-10-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

The Marina Papagayo project, which is currently under construction in Bahia Culebra in Guanacaste’s popular Gulf of Papagayo, is expected to begin operations in January of next year, according to project director Roberto Kopper.

Construction of the marina began in January 2007, with total projected capacity for 382 boats. With an investment of $15 million, developers have said this marina would offer the best facilities to be found in the region, among them government services, storage, parking, fuel stations, watercraft repair, lodging, state-of-the-art communications technology, and much more.

The project is located in the Playa Sombrero sector and covers a total area of 44 hectares, 33 of which are occupied by the marina itself. The development is part of the Gulf of Papagayo Tourism Development Project, and thus complies with the guidelines established by the Costa Rican government for development of this tourism hotspot.

It is estimated that the current construction stage is generating a total of 470 direct jobs, with 360 more jobs to be had when the marina begins operating at full swing.

A very important step in the construction process took place last week, when the floating docks for the marina arrived from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The blocks, built by ShoreMaster, were shipped to Papagayo on the M.V. Tuxpan Reef ship. ShoreMaster has also built the floating docks for the modern Long Beach, Calif. Marina, which has capacity for 1,200 boats.

Last week, the Costa Rican press was invited to the construction site to learn more about advances in the project, and even though it’s evident that much is still to be accomplished, Kopper indicated that the marina would be ready in about six months.

In addition to placing the newly arrived floating docks, work is currently being done on the building that will house immigration, customs and other services.

Developers pointed out that by January of 2009, 180 slips will be ready, plus the above-mentioned services. In the project’s second phase, 200 more slips will be added, possibly in 2010.

Access to the marina will be public, via National Route 253, which begins at the Gulf of Papagayo intersection at Guardia. The road will be rehabbed from there to the marina.

Complying with conservation guidelines

In the process of bulding the Marina Papagayo, its developers claim that they have complied with all guidelines stipulated in the master plan, which was okayed by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and the government entities charged with supervising this kind of infrastructure — including the Inter-institutional Commission on Marinas and Tourism Docks (CIMAT), the Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA), municipalities, and others.

The project has also received constant supervision from the National Museum and the National Archaeological Commission, due to the fact that there are archaeological remains in the construction area — specifically pre-Columbian stone ponds, which Indigenous cultures in the region used for fishing.

Archaeologist Silvia Salgado has been working as part of the marina project, coordinating work between Marina Papagayo and the National Archaeological Commission, not only for the rescue, conservation and “visualization” of these ponds — but also for conducting research on them and exhibiting them to the public.

Careful attention also had to be paid to environmental issues in the design, construction and operation of projects of this sort. And again, Marina Papagayo spokespeople indicate that the development has followed the country’s conservation policies very closely.

Proof of that is that the project’s master plan was approved by all government entities in charge of supervising this type of endeavor. Additionally, during the construction stage, the developer must file bimonthly reports to SETENA and CIMAT, among other entities.

The person in charge of environmental issues for Marina Papagayo is biologist Giovanni Bassey, who said the project is “harmonious with its surroundings.”

One key issue that has been on the table regarding this project is sedimentation and the impact on marine ecosystems of the marina.

“Currently, we are conducing work to control sedimentation and monitor ecosystems. “For example, we are using for the first time turbulence curtains in the water, and peripheral canals have been built to control and channel the water, thus avoiding the movement of soil. Also, buoys have been placed in areas of interest, and the Bahia Manzanillo coral reef in monitored daily along with the University of Costa Rica’s (UCR) Marine Research Center (CIMAR),” said Bassey, who added that the marina will also implement policies for using recycled waste in landscaped areas.

Bassey also indicated that those providing services to the marina must abide by environmental rules, and there are economic sanctions in place for those that disrespect such norms. In fact, he said, some have already been penalized, but the issues have been minor and no contracts have been rescinded.

A growing market

Despite the U.S. economic slowdown and the international crisis generated by high fuel and food prices, the marinas market continues to grow, and Marina Papagayo is seeking to capitalize on such behavior by becoming the best option for taking care of luxury yachts coming to Costa Rica to enjoy its natural treasures.

Daniel Eaffaldano, a world-class marina consultant, said that construction of high-end yachts continues to grow, especially boast larger than 80 feet.

For example, while in 1997 240 such yachts were built, in 2007 the number reached 940. Such figures appear to confirm the thought that the marina market is growing and that Costa Rica, which attracts visitors thanks to its biodiversity, surfing and famous sports fishing, seems to be well-position to benefit from these trends.

Costa Rica Masters to bring professional golf to Guanacaste

2008-10-04T13:11:00.001-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — Everything is ready for Costa Rica to re-immerse itself in the world of professional international golf, thanks to the Costa Rica Masters 2008, which will be held in Guanacaste’s Reserva Conchal Golf Club next Dec. 11-14.

The tournament was officially announced by Tour de las Americas (TLA) and the Canadian Tour, as part of a partnership between the two tours that will alos include tournaments in Chile and Argentina later this year.

In addition to being the first joint competition between TLA (the men’s professional golf tour for Latin America) and the Canadian Tour, the Costa Rica Masters will mark a new era in the country’s golf scene. With a purse of $125,000, the event will be the first at this level ever to be held in Guanacaste, which is now home to many high-quality courses that have made Costa Rica famous as a premiere golf destination.

Both TLA and the Canadian Tour, which are associate members of the International Federation of PGA Tours, published press releases last week making official the tree-country tours they will hold together.

The announcement comes at a time when golf has become an important source of foreign currency, employment and hotel occupancy for Costa Rica, which welcomes 34,000 tourists every year who come here exclusively to play golf.

Golf tourism is generating approximately $87.6 million annually in food, lodging and recreation expenses, in addition to sales of sporting equipment. Most golfers who come to Costa Rica are individuals of high purchasing power who take advantage of playing the game to do business with colleagues and new clients.

In a release issued by both tours, the director of the Costa Rica Masters, Ricardo Valdivieso, said: “We are very pleased for being able to make the new Costa Rica Masters a reality, as this tournament will proudly put the country back in the international golf scene.” He added that the tournament is proud to taking high-level professional golf for the first time to the province of Guanacaste, where golf and tourism development are growing by leaps and bounds.

“We thank Tour de las Americas and the Canadian Tour for their support, as well as Reserva Conchal Golf Club, which opened the doors of its spectacular course designed by the famous Robert Trent Jones II,” Valdivieso said.

The other two tournaments of the joint tour will be held Nov. 27-30 in Chile (50th Anniversary of the Sports Frances Open) and Dec. 4-7 in Argentina (Torneo de Maestros at Olivos Golf Club). Costa Rica will be the last leg of the trio. The tournaments will combine for a grand total of $435,000 in prize money.

The great business potential of golf and Costa Rica’s reputation as an exotic destination have contributed to the emergence in the past few years of new courses designed by internationally recognized golf stars, including Robert Trent Jones II, Greg Norman, Arnold Palmer and Mike Young.

The number of golf courses is expected to climb in Costa Rica in the short term, as at least six new projects are underway, several of them in Guanacaste.

Environmental guide for construction issued

2008-10-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — Beginning last Aug. 11, a new Environmental Guide for Construction became effective in Costa Rica. Builders must now abide by the new rules during the process of Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIA) of their projects as part of the construction phase and permits stage.

The guide’s goal is to serve as a reference tool for orderly, systematic planning and execution of environmental measures for prevention, correction, mitigation, minimization or compensation of construction-related activities that could cause significant effects to the environment. The document will also become a way of standardizing the implementation of environmental actions as part of government efforts to achieve consensus and improvement of the EIA process. Furthermore, the guide will be applicable to any construction project in its early stages.

The guide consists of two parts: 1) environmental measures for specific actions, and 2) environmental management divided by topics, including aspects such as selection of land for development of urban infrastructure as well as the planning and design phases of a project, plus construction planning. Included in this guide are also rules regarding forest coverage and protected areas, storage of construction materials, construction equipment and machinery, quality of construction materials used in the project, and storm-water management.

Other topics addressed in the guide are worker security and occupation hygiene; installation of urban services; landscaping; social aspects of the project; waste water and air quality; preservation of cultural heritage; natural risks management; and integral environmental management and shared responsibilities.

The new guide is of great importance for regions such as Guanacaste, which currently has one of the highest rates of construction in the country. In the particular case of hotel development, a study by the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels — entitled “Impact of the Hotel and Real Estate Growth in some Coastal Areas of Guanacaste” — found that in the case of large projects, it’s expected that more and more of these developments will combine both lodging and real estate construction (two examples being Peninsula Papagayo and Reserva Conchal, among others).

According to the Federated Association of Engineers and Architects (CFIA), Guanacaste is fourth in the country in construction permits issued, with 347,590 square meters of construction — or 15 percent of the country’s total.

In addition to the environmental guide, on April 9 an executive decree was signed that regulates construction on Guanacaste’s coastal areas. The measure was issued to establish clear guidelines regarding construction in this region and to mitigate environmental damage — such as the recent cases of wastewater being dumped into the ocean by hotels and other businesses.

Action plan for Guanacaste unveiled

2008-10-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Inmfocom) — The province of Guanacaste will benefit from the injection of 114.7 billion colones (some $225 million) between 2009 and 2010, as outlined in an Action Plan unveiled last July 25 during the President’s Cabinet meeting in Nicoya.

According to Planning and Economic Policy Minister Roberto Gallardo, this plan seeks to solve historical problems affecting the region, such as water and environmental management, poverty and lack of proper infrastructure.

The Guanacaste Action Plan was prepared by the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy (MIDEPLAN) in collaboration with municipalities, government institutions and private industry representatives, as well as with presidential delegates and Guanacaste legislators. Gallardo thanked all those sectors and individuals who contributed to the plan, which seeks to energize the province’s development.

The funds earmarked as part of this initiative will go to three key areas: integrated water resources management, solid waste management and regulatory plans; production, infrastructure and energy; and access to public services, education, health, housing and security.

The first target area will receive 14.2 billion colones; some 50.5 billion colones will be allocated to the second area; and the third priority will be given almost 50 billion colones.

A commission, led by the Planning Minister, will provide follow up to the Guanacaste Action Plan’s goals. Gallardo and seven province representatives will draft and semiannual and annual reports.

The second workshop for drafting of the plan took place recently, with participation from organizations responsible for development in the province. The June 6 meeting gathered 63 representatives from 45 public entities and eight community and private organizations.

Among the players in this process are national institution such as the Costa Rican Water and Sewer Institute (AyA), the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), the Ministry of the Environment and Energy (MINAE), the Police Force, the Costa Rican Social Security System (CCSS), and the Costa Rican Fishing Institute (INCOPESCA). There are also regional organizations, including the Liberia Chamber of Tourism and the Abangares and La Cruz Associations Union.

Workshop participants utilized the information provided by municipal representatives in the previous meeting.

At the second workshop, attendees spoke about potential solutions to Guanacaste’s most pressing problems. Proposals were compiled by MIDEPLAN functionaries to be used in drafting the Guanacaste Action Plan, which was then presented before President Oscar Arias on the anniversary of Guanacaste’s annexation to Costa Rica.

Almost 130,000 visitors came through Liberia airport in first semester of 2008

2008-10-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com
Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — A total of 129,623 people arrived in Costa Rica via Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport during the first half of 2008, 10,883 (9.16 percent) more than during the same period last year.

According to data obtained from Daniel Oduber and San Jose’s Juan Santamaria International Airport, plus visitation estimates provided by the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) that include other ports of entry, Costa Rica received 1,030,000 tourists in the first semester of this year, or 89,178 more compared with the same period in 2007.

Even though these are not official numbers, CANATUR said they point to important growth in local tourism trends.

However, it is forecasted that the global crisis resulting from sky-high petroleum prices could impact the number of visitors arriving in the country during the rest of the year.

“These estimates and forecasts reveal very encouraging data for Costa Rica’s tourism, despite the difficult economic conditions of the day, both external and internal, that are affecting the growth and development of this sector,” said Gonzalo Vargas, president of CANATUR. “We can say based on the performance of this first semester, Costa Rica is still well liked by foreigners as an ideal place to enjoy their vacation time.”

The visitation estimates unveiled also underscore the fact that both the Liberia and San Jose airports saw increases in passenger influx. During the first semester of 2007, some 595,405 tourists arrived through Juan Santamaria, while during that same period this year the number jumped to 673,701, for a 13.1 percent increase.

But not all is good news. Vargas explained that the effects of some external variables — such as escalating fuel and food prices plus the U.S. economic slowdown — will possibly begin to be felt in Costa Rica during the rest of 2008. That’s why he called on business owners to be more careful during this period before the 2008-2009 high tourist season begins.

Additionally, government officials in charge of the country’s monetary policy have warned about the strong economic adjustment Costa Ricans will face during the second semester of this year, due to the impact of international markets and direct effects related to high prices of oil, steel and food.

The Costa Rican Central Bank has also informed that accumulated inflation in the past 12 months reached 13 percent in June, generating an increase in the prices of basic goods and services. The prize of the U.S. dollar compared to the colon has also gone up, while national production of goods slowed in the first quarter of 2008 to one of its lowest levels in the past two years. Meanwhile, exports were reduced considerably due to the economic crisis in the United States — Costa Rica’s main commercial partner.

“The Costa Rican tourism sector must be prepared to feel the negative effects of this situation, reflected in the reduction of purchasing power of the local population to go on vacation or make one-day trips,” Vargas said.

The CANATUR president added that the tourism industry must continually work to guarantee the sustainability of Costa Rica’s top economic activity — which generates $1.85 billion annually, or 8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 20 percent of total exports, and 450,000 jobs.

And although Vargas acknowledged that the numbers looked good for the first semester of 2008, it’s very possible that Costa Ricans will opt for limiting their income for leisure and recreation, resulting in a slowdown of local tourism — which in 2007 represented 1.3 million citizens and foreign residents traveling around the country.
“As a priority, the local population will take care of its basic needs. We see how, as interest rates have gone up recently, the amount in colones that is paid for loans will be higher, again affecting the percentage of disposable income available for recreation,” Vargas explained. “We must add to that the already mentioned increases in fuel and food costs, which for the moment are driving up inflation. And the tourism industry is not exempt from this situation.”

CR tourism grows at three times the international rate

2008-10-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — Despite the adverse conditions of the world economy due to the rise of fuel prices, the economic slowdown in the United States, the international food crisis and the ever-present threat of terrorism, Costa Rica continues to perform well in terms of the number of tourists coming here.

According to the latest World Tourism Barometer issued by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Costa Rica has experienced a very positive performance in terms of tourist influx, remaining in the two-digit growth level, despite the fact that international travel only attained a 5-percent growth average during the first four months of 2008 — one percentage point above what was expected at the beginning of this year.

Costa Rica’s exceptional numbers were highlighted by UNWTO in its June report, news that Tourism Minister Carlos Ricardo Benavides was glad to receive.
“It’s very satisfactory to us that as part of the positive worldwide growth that the tourism industry has posted in the first few months of this year, Costa Rica has remained among the group of countries with the most dynamic performance and the highest increases in the arrival of international tourists, in the two digits, and in our case, having three times the world median,” Benavides said. “This pushes us to continue doubling efforts to keep the current economic uncertainty due to high petroleum prices from impacting us as much as far as the tourism activity, but also allows us to see the coming months with a very positive outlook.”

As the time has gone by, Costa Rica has continued to venture into new tourism market niches with the objective of expanding its product supply and provide a wide range of options and services to visitors. The results are noteworthy: between 2003 and 2007, the country’s tourism activity posted a 56 percent growth, going from 1,238,000 to 1,926,000 visitors, which has contributed to an increase in the range of products offered by the local industry.

During the first five months of 2008, tourist arrival in Costa Rica grew by 15.6 percent, and estimates indicate some 2.1 million visitors will have arrived here by the end of the year — at least 200,000 more than in 2007, according to data from the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR). Such data also indicates that the main attractions sought by tourists are sun and beaches, nature and adventure, and ecotourism. However, rural tourism, congresses and conventions, and medical tourism and niches that have helped diversify the country’s tourism product, reaching more segments and sectors of the market.
Another factor contributing to the success of Costa Rica’s tourism in the midst of adverse conditions is that the country hasn’t faced reductions in flights, which has occurred to other nations in the region. According to the June UNWTO barometer, tourism growth was fastest in regions such as the Middle East, North-East and South Asia, and Central and South America. The report highlighted nations such as China, Japan, the United States, Costa Rica, Chile and Peru, among others, which have managed to post positive two-digit growth.
UNWTO believes that, although consumer confidence indices show an increasing degree of uncertainty, international tourism has proven to be resilient in similar circumstances in the past and able to cope with various types of shocks, including security threats, geopolitical tensions or natural and man-made crisis. Accounting for these factors, coupled with a slower but still positive economic growth, international tourism is as yet expected to keep growing at a solid pace in the mid-term, broadly in line with UNWTO’s Tourism 2020 Vision forecast long-term growth rate of about 4 percent.

Tourism market niches

One of the segments of the Costa Rican market that has experienced tremendous growth and recognition is medical tourism, in which visitors — in addition to schedule some sort of surgical procedure — also take advantage of the trip to visit various attractions the country has to offer.

Since 1995, the World Trade Organization has included Costa Rica in the list of top 20 countries with the best health systems and third with the highest life expectancy rates. This, in addition to the quality of health professionals here and the low cost of medical treatment, has helped position Costa Rica as a favorite destination for health tourism.

CANATUR President Gonzalo Vargas said this niche came about almost accidentally, as tourists who came here to relax began comparing prices for some health services and took note of the abysmal difference compared to prices in their home countries.

“Tourists have the option of coming to Costa Rica to vacation and, at the same time, have some sort of health or aesthetic treatment done. The cost of doing both activities is still less than having just the medical procedure done in their home countries,” Vargas indicated.

According to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), some 95 percent of the people coming here for medical procedures are from the United States, where costly treatments such as plastic surgery are not covered by insurance. In Costa Rica, ICT claims, they can save between 50 percent and 70 percent on the costs of such procedures.

Vargas said that among the most sough-after treatments are dentistry and orthodontic procedures, plastic surgery and other aesthetic procedures. Additionally, “Costa Rica provides the great advantage that there are already hotels specializing in the attention of patient post-operation, which undoubtedly provides for better chances of a quick and complete recovery,” Vargas said. “Together with the travel component and the excellent prices, these factors differentiate the country and allow us to have a competitive advantages over other nations (offering similar services).”

The head of CANATUR indicated Costa Rica is a privileged country, where many different options can be exploited to attract tourists and cover well the different niches of the travel market. He added that the National Tourism Development Plan 2002-2012 has set a goal of attracting 2.3 million foreign visitors and 1.6 million domestic tourists on a yearly average basis, reason why it’s essential that the different types of tourism activities be executed in a sustainable and environmentally harmonious manner.

More tourists expected in Guanacaste for mid-year vacation

2008-10-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica’s ‘Treasure Island’ among New 7 Wonders of Nature favorites

2008-10-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — The subject of maritime tales, legends of treasures buried by pirates and even the inspiration for Hollywood films such as Jurassic Park, Costa Rica’s Isla del Coco (Cocos Island) is inching closer to becoming part of modern history as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Thirty years after it was declared a national park (a ceremony was held this past June 23), this Pacific Island natural treasure is competing against 300 other ecological marvels from all over the world in an online contest organized by the New 7 Wonders Foundation. As of June 26, Cocos Island was 11 on the list, according to the website www.new7wonders.com, where anybody with a valid e-mail address can go to cast his or her vote (those with more than one e-mail address can vote more than once).

Polling will continue until 2009, when the New 7 Wonders Foundation — which recently held a similar Internet competition to select the new seven man-made wonders of the world, including places such as Mexico’s Chichen Itza and Peru’s Machu Picchu — will tally up the votes and pick the 21 sites receiving the most support.

Cocos Island — which famous oceanographer and conservationist Jacques Cousteau called “the world’s most beautiful island” — has proven to be a strong contender. The island’s beauties and its fabled and mysterious history have made it a favorite among nature lovers. Additionally, there’s a committee in the country led by the Friends of Cocos Island Foundation, whose goal is to promote the attributes of this isolated ocean paradise locally and internationally to obtain as much support as possible for its candidacy.

The final New 7 Wonders of Nature list will be announced in 2010.

“The Friends of Cocos Island Foundation leads support efforts in this initiative, and we fighting to end up among the first 21 positions worldwide,” said Jessica Chavarria, marketing and public relations coordinator for Friends of Cocos Island Foundation. “For this campaign, we are sending e-mails to friends of the island, we participate in fairs and other events, and during Week of the Sea, in addition to giving talks, we encourage companies to vote. This is a word of mouth campaign.”

According to information supplied by the Friends of Cocos Island Foundation, because of its size, isolation, and conservation status, Cocos Island is one of the most privileged natural sites worldwide. With a unique biological diversity and important endemic species, the island is considered an ideal natural laboratory to carry out research about evolution of species and long-term environmental monitoring.

Results of this type of research could yield important data about the dynamics of the planet’s ecosystems and their relation with global changes in land and seas. That’s part of the great importance of this island to humanity.

Historical and biological value

Convinced of the exceptional caliber of the island’s natural characteristics, in 1978 the government of Costa Rica created the Cocos Island National Park, which was later declared as the core of the marine conservation area that bears the island’s name. Also because of its uniqueness, the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) in 1997 named the island a World Heritage Site. One year later, it was chosen as a RAMSAR wetland site of international importance.

Moreover, on Oct. 11, 2002, the government of Costa Rica named Cocos Island a Historical Architectural Heritage Site.

According to the Friends of Cocos Island Foundation, such designation is due to the great historical and cultural value of the island for Costa Rica and the world, as Cocos has been the subject, since the XVIII century, of visits and some human settlements by groups arriving there from different latitudes and with different purposes.

Inscriptions on the rocks of Chatham and Wafer bays, in addition to other cultural vestiges found on the island, remain as testimonials of this insular territory’s history, giving it exceptional value that deserves to be preserved for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

The 2002 declaration prohibits the demolition of building and alteration of elements bearing historical and cultural value, and it also bans their partial or total remodeling without previous authorization from the Cultural Heritage Research and Conservation Center, an office of the Ministry of Culture and Youth.

Privileged location

Cocos Island was first put on the world map, literally, in 1542, as Ysle de Coques. It was discovered in 1526 by Spanish sailor Johan Cabeças. It is located in the central area of the Eastern Pacific, in the ocean that Spaniards called Mar del Sur (South Sea) during the time of discovery and conquest, in front of the Gulf of Panama. Its extreme borders are: to the north, Agujas Point, at 5º 33'26" N; to the south, Dampier Cape, at 5º 30'06" N; to the west, Lionel Cape, at 87º 05'46" W; and to the east, Atrevido Cape, at 87º 01'47" W.

On the North American continent, the nearest point to Cocos Island is Cabo Blanco, on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, located 532 km away. In South America, the nearest points to the island are Isla Pinta (Abingdon), in the Galapagos, 682 km away; and Malpelo Island (Colombia), 630 km away.

Cocos Island’s land area is 23.85 km2, and the area of protected marine ecosystems encompasses 1,997 km2. The island is 7.6 km long and 4.4 km wide.
Take a minute to visit the www.new7wonders.com site and vote for this gem of nature so it can continue climbing positions in the ranking. Even though it’s already a natural wonder to Costa Ricans, your vote could make it a wonder of the entire world.

The latest u.s. department state statement about Costa Rica

2008-06-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

June 05, 2008

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:Costa Rica mapCosta Rica map Costa Rica is a middle-income, developing country with a strong democratic tradition. Tourist facilities are extensive and generally adequate. The capital is San Jose. English is a second language for many Costa Ricans. Read the Department of State Background Notes <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2019.htm> on Costa Rica for additional information.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: For entry into Costa Rica, U.S. citizens must present valid passports that will not expire for at least thirty days after arrival, and a roundtrip/outbound ticket. Some U.S. airlines may not permit passengers to board flights to Costa Rica without such a ticket. Passports should be in good condition; Costa Rican immigration will deny entry if the passport is damaged in any way. Costa Rican authorities generally permit U.S. citizens to stay up to ninety days; to stay beyond the period granted, travelers must submit an application for an extension to the Office of Temporary Permits in the Costa Rican Department of Immigration. Tourist visas are usually not extended except under special circumstances, and extension requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. There is a departure tax for short-term visitors. Tourists who stay over ninety days may experience a delay at the airport when departing. Persons who overstayed previously may be denied entry to Costa Rica.

Persons traveling to Costa Rica from some countries in South America and Sub-Saharan Africa must provide evidence of a valid yellow fever vaccination prior to entry. The South American countries include Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

See “SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES” for information on requirements to carry documentation within Costa Rica and on travel by dual national minors.

The most authoritative and up-to-date information on Costa Rican entry and exit requirements may be obtained from the Consular Section of the Embassy of Costa Rica at 2114 “S” Street NW, Washington, DC 20008, telephone (202) 234-2945/46 , fax (202) 265-4795 , e-mail consulate@costarica-embassy.org, web site http://www.costarica-embassy.org <http://www.costarica-embassy.org/> , or from the Costa Rican consulates in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), San Francisco, and Tampa. The Costa Rican immigration agency web site is http://www.migracion.go.cr <http://www.migracion.go.cr/> . It is advisable to contact the Embassy of Costa Rica in Washington or one of Costa Rica's consulates in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements before shipping any items.

Visit the Embassy of Costa Rica web site at http://www.costarica-embassy.org <http://www.costarica-embassy.org/> for the most current visa information.
Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.

SAFETY AND SECURITY: There have been no recent acts of terrorism in Costa Rica. Visitors to Costa Rica may experience the effects of civil disturbances such as work stoppages and strikes. Although infrequent, these acts can create inconveniences for visitors. On both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, currents are swift and dangerous, and there are few lifeguards or signs warning of dangerous beaches. Every year eight to twelve American citizens drown in Costa Rica due to riptides or sudden drop-offs while in shallow water. Extreme caution is advised.

Adventure tourism is popular in Costa Rica, and many companies offer white-water rafting, bungee jumping, jungle canopy tours, deep sea diving, and other outdoor attractions. Americans are urged to use caution in selecting adventure tourism companies. The government of Costa Rica regulates and monitors the safety of adventure tourism companies; enforcement of safety laws is overseen by the Ministry of Health. Registered tourism companies with operating permits must meet safety standards and have insurance coverage. The safety regulations enforced in Costa Rica are not the same as safety regulations enforced in the United States.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site at http://travel.state.gov <http://travel.state.gov/> , where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.

Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.

CRIME: Over one and a half million foreign tourists, the majority American, visit Costa Rica annually. All are potential targets for criminals, primarily thieves looking for cash, jewelry, credit cards, electronic items and passports. U.S. citizens are encouraged to exercise the same level of caution they would in major cities or tourist areas throughout the world. Local law enforcement agencies have limited capabilities and do not act according to U.S. standards. Travelers should minimize driving at night, especially outside urban areas.

Americans should avoid areas with high concentrations of bars and nightclubs, especially at night, and steer clear of deserted properties or undeveloped land. For safety reasons, the Embassy does not place its official visitors in hotels in the San Jose city center, but instead puts them at the larger hotels in the outlying suburbs. Americans should walk or exercise with a companion, bearing in mind that crowded tourist attractions and resort areas popular with foreign tourists are common venues for criminal activities. Travelers should ignore any verbal harassment, and avoid carrying passports, large amounts of cash, jewelry or expensive photographic equipment. Tourists are encouraged to carry photocopies of the passport data page and Costa Rican entry stamp on their persons, and leave the original passport in a hotel safe or other secure place. Costa Rican immigration authorities conduct routine immigration checks at locations, such as bars in downtown San Jose and beach communities, frequented by illegal immigrants. American citizens detained during one of these checks who have only a copy of the passport will be required to provide the original passport with appropriate stamps.

Travelers should purchase an adequate level of locally valid theft insurance when renting vehicles, park in secured lots whenever possible, and never leave valuables in the vehicle. The U.S. Embassy receives several reports daily of valuables, identity documents, and other items stolen from locked vehicles, primarily rental cars. Thefts from parked cars occur in downtown San Jose, at beaches, in the airport and bus station parking lots, and at national parks and other tourist attractions.

Travelers should use licensed taxis, which are red with medallions (yellow triangles containing numbers) painted on the side. Licensed taxis at the airport are painted orange. All licensed taxis should have working door handles, locks, seatbelts and meters (called "marias"); passengers are required to use seatbelts. When traveling by bus, avoid putting bags or other personal belongings in the storage bins. At all times have your belongings in your line of sight or in your possession.

Thieves usually work in groups of two to four. A common scam has one person drop change in a crowded area, such as on a bus, and when the victim tries to assist, a wallet or other item is taken. The most prevalent scam involves the surreptitious puncturing of tires of rental cars, often near restaurants, tourist attractions, airports, or close to the car rental agencies themselves. When the travelers pull over, "good Samaritans" quickly appear to change the tire - and just as quickly remove valuables from the car, sometimes brandishing weapons. Drivers with flat tires are advised to drive, if at all possible, to the nearest service station or other public area, and change the tire themselves, watching valuables at all times.
In late 2006, the government of Costa Rica established a Tourist Police force, and units were established in popular tourist areas throughout the country. The Tourist Police can assist with the reporting of a crime, which can be difficult for victims due to language barriers and the requirement that only investigative police can accept crime reports.

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

See our information on Victims of Crime.

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Medical care in San Jose is adequate, but is limited in areas outside of San Jose. Most prescription and over-the-counter medications are available throughout Costa Rica. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services, and U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. A list of local doctors and medical facilities can be found at the website of the U.S. Embassy in San Jose, at http://sanjose.usembassy.gov <http://sanjose.usembassy.gov/> . An ambulance may be summoned by calling 911. Most ambulances provide transportation but little or no medical assistance. The best-equipped ambulances are called “unidad avanzada.”

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith/en.

MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Costa Rica is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Costa Rica has one of the highest vehicle accident rates in the world. The fatality rate for pedestrians and those riding bicycles and motorcycles is disproportionately high. Traffic laws and speed limits are often ignored, turns across one or two lanes of traffic are common, turn signals are rarely used, passing on dangerous stretches of highway is common, and pedestrians are not given the right of way. Roads are often in poor condition, and large potholes with the potential to cause significant damage to vehicles are common. Pedestrians, cyclists, and farm animals may use the main roads. Traffic signs, even on major highways, are inadequate and few roads are lined. Shoulders are narrow or consist of drainage ditches. All of the above, in addition to poor visibility due to heavy fog or rain, makes driving at night especially treacherous. Landslides are common in the rainy season. All types of motor vehicles are appropriate for the main highways and principal roads in the major cities. However, some roads to beaches and other rural locations are not paved, and many destinations are accessible only with high clearance, rugged suspension four-wheel drive vehicles. Travelers are advised to call ahead to their hotels to ask about the current status of access roads.

Costa Rica has a 911 system for reporting emergencies. In the event of a traffic accident, vehicles must/must be left where they are. Both the Transito (Traffic Police) and the Insurance Investigator must make accident reports before the vehicles are moved.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. Visit the website of Costa Rica’s national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety at http://www.mopt.go.cr <http://www.mopt.go.cr/> and www.visitecostarica.com <http://www.visitecostarica.com/> .

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Costa Rica’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Costa Rica’s air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Land Ownership and Shoreline Property: U.S. citizens are urged to use caution when making real estate purchases, and consult reputable legal counsel and investigate thoroughly all aspects before entering into a contract. Coastal land within fifty meters of the high tide line is open to the public and therefore closed to development, and construction on the next one hundred fifty meters inland is possible only with the approval of the local municipality.

Squatters: Organized squatter groups have invaded properties in various parts of the country. These squatter groups, often supported by politically active persons and non-governmental organizations, take advantage of legal provisions that allow people without land to gain title to unused agricultural property. Local courts may show considerable sympathy for the squatters. Victims of squatters have reported threats, harassment, and violence.

Documentation Requirements: Visitors are required to carry appropriate documentation at all times. However, due to the high incidence of passport theft, tourists are permitted and encouraged to carry photocopies of the datapage and entry stamp from the passport, leaving the passport in a hotel safe or other secure place. However, as noted under CRIME, Costa Rican immigration authorities conduct routine checks for illegal immigrants, especially in bars located in downtown San Jose and in beach communities. An American citizen detained during one of these checks and carrying only the copy of the passport will be required to produce the original passport. Tourists should consider carrying their passports when traveling overnight or a considerable distance from their hotel. Tourists who carry passports are urged to place them securely in an inside pocket.

Exit Procedures for Costa Rican Citizens: Costa Rican children may only depart the country upon presentation of an exit permit issued by immigration authorities. This policy, designed to prevent international child abduction, applies to dual national U.S./Costa Rican citizens. Parents of minors who obtained Costa Rican citizenship through a parent or through birth in Costa Rica are advised to consult with appropriate Costa Rican authorities prior to travel to Costa Rica, especially if one (or both) parent(s) is not accompanying the child.

Disaster Preparedness: Costa Rica is located in an earthquake and volcanic zone. Serious flooding occurs annually on the Caribbean side near the port city of Limon, but flooding occurs in other parts of Costa Rica as well, depending on the time of year and rainfall. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available via the Internet from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at http://www.fema.gov/.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Costa Rica’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Costa Rica are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties.

CHILDREN'S ISSUES: For information see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: Americans living or traveling in Costa Rica are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site <https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/> so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Costa Rica. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located in Pavas, San Jose, and may be reached at (506) 2519-2000; the extension for the Consular Section is 2453. The Embassy is open Monday through Friday, and is closed on Costa Rican and U.S. holidays. Those seeking information are strongly encouraged to utilize the embassy web site http://sanjose.usembassy.gov/, and can email consularsanjose@state.gov with any questions/concerns. For emergencies arising outside normal business hours, U.S. citizens may call (506) 2220-3127 and ask for the duty officer.

This replaces the Country Specific Information for Costa Rica dated August 15, 2007, to update sections on Registration/Embassy Location and Special Circumstances.

Golf becoming key aspect of Costa Rican tourism

2008-06-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — In Costa Rica, golf has quickly become a key source of foreign currency, employment and hotel occupancy, to the point that every year some 34,000 come here to play the sport.

Travelers’ interest in golfing in Costa Rica is helping generate some $87.6 million annually in food, lodging, recreation and purchase of sport implements, especially considering that a large majority of golfers are people with high purchasing power and take advantage of practicing this sport to do business with colleagues and new clients.

Joseph Kuo, corporate vice president of New York Life Insurance Company, is one of the many golfers who have fallen in love with Costa Rica as a destination for seeking leisure on the links.

“I have played in many sites around the world, but nothing compares to the experience I had in Costa Rica, with very attentive personnel, exquisite scenery and incomparable price,” Kuo said.

Golf’s potential and Costa Rica’s reputation as an exotic destination have contributed to the construction here, in recent years, of new golf courses designed by recognized international golf legends such as Robert Trent Jones II, Greg Norman, Arnold Palmer and Mike Young.

And in the short term, the number of courses are about to increase, because at least six new courses are being planned.

The National Golf Association (Anagolf) has 12 affiliates, including Los Delfines, Valle Del Sol, Cariari Country Club, Conchal GC, Hacienda Pinilla, Los Sueños Marriott, Four Seasons, Monteran, Centro Campero Los Reyes, Costa Rica Country Club, Hotel Punta Islita and Papagayo Golf. Most of them are located in Guanacaste.

Nearby beach hotels in Guanacaste make the courses located in this province very attractive, as visitors can choose between playing golf at the hotel’s course or go to another nearby course. Additionally, the country has begun to position itself in the world as a golf destination, several international tournaments of importance have been organized here (one for charity purposes), and golf magazines and TV channels have broadcast tournaments taking place locally.

The number of top-notch courses, their design and the attention provided by their hosts have been key to attracting more and more golfers to Costa Rica, which is now competing in the region against traditional destinations such as Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Oceans had their weekend at Ocotal and Playas del Coco

2008-06-17T15:45:00.001-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — Oceans had a special day picked in their honor last June 8, but in Playas del Coco and Ocotal Beach it was celebrated starting on Saturday and throughout the weekend through cleanup campaigns and presentations about sharks.

The activities were in charge of the Proyecto de Luz organization, which was the sponsor. Also collaborating were companies such as Ocotal Beach Resort, Safari Diving, Restaurante Donde Claudio y Gloria, Rich Coast Diving, Arte y Movimiento. The Sea Turtle Restoration Program (PRETOMA). The Keto Foundation also supported these activities in honor of World Ocean Day, along with Florida Bebidas. On Saturday, PRETOMA put together a movie forum around the film Sharkwater, by Rob Stewart, which aims to debunk stereotypes about sharks.

In addition to the cleanup efforts that took place at Playa Ocotal on Saturday, on Sunday the community of Playas del Coco also did its best to improve conditions at the beach by collecting garbage. Many school kids from the area helped in the cleanup.

Following a hard day of work picking up trash, the children had the change to enjoy ocean art and sand sculptures, as well as helping painter Carlos Hiller paint a mural on the Reach Coast Diving building. Hiller and some 70 children painted a colorful reef on the building’s outside wall, as 2008 is International Coral Reef Year. The artist also painted a shark to create awareness among the children about the issue of shark finning that is threatening populations of this amazing sea creature.

Ocotal Beach Resort Dive Shop is also planning to send a boat with divers this week to clean waste disposed of by fishermen.

Additionally, the Proyecto de Luz Foundation took advantage of the celebration to set up a VIP tent where wine, cheese and music were offered to collect funds for its initiatives to benefit children in the communities it serves. Also part of the activity was an auction of several items donated by collaborators, including a painting by Hiller.

Costa Rica commits to planting 7 million trees

2008-06-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — Beginning last May 22, and for the second year in a row, Costa Rica kicked off the national campaign “A Que Sembras un Arbol” (Bet You Will Plant a Tree) — part of the Let’s Plant for the Planet initiative of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
Following the success of last year’s planting campaign — 5.9 million trees were planted then — this year’s effort seeks to promote reforestation and agroforestry ecosystems with the ultimate goal of curtailing climate change, preserve the country’s biodiversity, recuperate lost forest coverage, and improve the competitiveness of different sectors of the population to lead to better living conditions.
At the program’s kick-off ceremony, which was held at the Methodist School in Sabanilla de Montes de Oca, east of San Jose, organizers announced that this year’s goal is planting 7 million trees.
Environment Minister Roberto Dobles spoke about the importance of teamwork and collaboration between different institutions, as well as the need to get children and adolescents involved in playing a more active role in Costa Rica’s future.

That’s why the 2008 reforestation campaign includes a novel component: the student competition “Bet You Will Plant a Tree,” promoted by the Ministry of Education (MEP) with support from the teacher co-op COOPEANDE. As part of the contest, schools are encouraged to organize reforestation and education campaigns at their schools and communities. The best proposals will be awarded with the necessary funds to carry them out.
The overall tree-planting program is being organized by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy (MINAE) through an inter-institutional commission, which involves public and private entities that implement as part of their work forest-related activities, environmental protection initiatives and water and energy management.

Members of the commission include MINAE, the National Forestry Office (ONF, program coordinator), the National Conservation Areas System (SINAC), the Central Volcanic Cordillera Development Foundation (FUNDECOR), the National Forestry Financing Fund (FONAFIFO), MEP, the Costa Rican Chamber of Forestry (CCF), the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), the National Power and Light Company (CNFL), and the Costa Rican Water and Sewer Institute (AyA).

Two-thousand and seven was a year of environmental urgency, when most of the world admitted global warming is a decisive issue in our time. The Let’s Plant for the Planet campaign symbolized the commitment of thousands of people around the world to preserve adequate climatic conditions and protect natural ecosystems.
Inspired by Prof. Wangari Maathai, who won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2004, the launching of Bet You Will Plant a Tree was well received here last year, with thousands of people propagating the initiative. And thanks to the support and enthusiasm of the forest products industry, government institutions, community organizations, businesses and many volunteers, 2007’s goal of planting 5 million trees was more than accomplished.

This year’s campaign to plant and take care of 7 million trees, again, will involve central and local governments, public institutions, the privates sector, NGOs and citizens.

Record birthrate of leatherback turtles in Costa Rica

2008-06-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com
Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom and AFP) — During the leatherback turtle nesting season that began last October, almost 900 of the endangered ocean reptiles have hatched at Junquillal Beach in Santa Cruz de Guanacaste.

Even though one of the 25 nests that have been protected since the beginning of the season is yet to hatch, World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) officials indicated 886 baby turtles have been born, most of them in a nursery that this environmental organization set up in this Costa Rican North Pacific beach, which in the past few years has become one of the main spots worldwide where the largest of the sea turtles come to lay their eggs.

Community support to protect the nests and keep them from being vandalized has been vital to this year’s record-high hatching rate of 62 percent.

The leatherbacks are giant migratory turtles that swim great distances to nesting spots in the tropics. Their main nesting area in Central America is Playa Grande, which like Junquillal also belongs to the canton of Santa Cruz, Guanacaste.

Junquillal, which only recently was found to be an important nesting site for leatherbacks, is not officially part of Costa Rica’s Conservation Areas System, making it difficult to conduct preservation campaigns from a legal standpoint.

According to the WWF website, the absence of patrolling efforts by authorities in the area leads to up to 75 percent of the eggs being stolen.

But this year’s community support and hatching success in Junquillal has led to optimism tha the turtles will increase their dwindling population.

“Junquillal has probably become the second most important beach for leatherback turtles to nest in Central America, due to not only the number of nests but also the success in the number of birth of young turtles,” said Gabriel Francia, who coordinates the WWF’s Pacific leatherback turtle conservation project.

Taking much of the credit are six young area residents who patrol the nearly six-kilometer (four mile) long stretch of beach each night looking for leatherbacks that have come ashore to lay eggs.

Team members will take note of the time the turtles crawl out of the ocean as well as the weather conditions and the tide. The team members then take the eggs from the beach nest after the mother turtle has returned to the ocean and move them to a secured hatchery.

The leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) measures nearly two meters (6.5 feet) long and can weigh up to 650 kilos (1,430 pounds), making it the largest turtle species in the world. The number of leatherbacks worldwide has declined by nearly 90 percent in the past three decades.

Playas del Coco marina project okayed by ICT

2008-06-17T15:42:00.001-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — The marina project planned for Playas del Coco in Guanacaste has received the go-ahead by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute’s (ICT) Inter-institutional Commission on Tourist Docks and Marinas.

The project, on the drawing board since 200, seeks to become a magnet for tourists in the area, thus injecting dynamism to the economy in this popular Pacific coast beach by generating direct and indirect employment.

The marina would be constructed at Punta Centinela and would have capacity for 300 boats.

Now that the project has been okayed by the government commission, the Municipality of Carrillo will study it the proposal to initiate a concession process.
The El Coco Marina Development Association (Asodemac) is the entity in charge of the project. Representatives said the plan is moving at a good pace and the recent approval is testimony that the marina will be built according to environmental policy as regulated by the Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA).

Tourists notice investment in Guanacaste roads

2008-06-17T15:40:00.001-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Touris(Infocom) — The investment made by the Ministry of Transportation and Public Infrastructure (MOPT) in the past two years on Guanacaste roadways has not gone unnoticed by tourists.

A survey conducted between January and March by the Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism (CATURGUA) at Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport found that the level of satisfaction with the province’s national routes went from 1.75 (bad) in 2006 to 2.97 (good) this year.

MOPT data indicates that between 2006 and 2008, the government has invested 13.8 billion colones (almost $28 million) on national highways that run through Guanacaste, including works such as curb and bridge maintenance, concrete slab repair, pothole filling and paving, among others.

Additionally, MOPT spent 1.2 billion ($2.4 million) colones paving the Belen-Huacas-Matapalo route in the cantons of Carrillo and Santa Cruz, for a total of 36.4 kilometers.
Progress is also being made on the 13.2-kilometer highway that connects the communities of 27 de Abril, Rio Seco, Paraiso and Villa Real. This project has an estimated cost of 3.9 billion colones (almost $8 million). Other works include the highway that connects Hojancha to Puerto Carrillo, which is 90 percent paved now and represented an investment of 4.2 billion colones.
CATURGUA Executive Director Mauricio Cespedes said that in addition to offering national and international visitors roads in better shape, a plan has been developed to increase the number of road signs through an agreement betweee MOPT and the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).

“We have seen that in the past two years, many national routes have been improved in Guanacase, which clearly reflects in the increase of favorable opinions among those who visit our province. We must highlight the intense work put forth by MOPT in this area,” Cespedes said.
Currently, another project is being developed to improve rural roads in Guanacaste through an investment of 4.6 billion colones (over $9 million). This project involves MOPT, communities that stand to benefit from the works, consulting from the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ), and financing from the German Bank for Reconstruction and Promotion (KFW).

Forbes Magazine names Tamarindo ‘Costa Rica’s most popular beach’

2008-06-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — An article appearing in the prestigious Forbes Magazine has designated Tamarindo “Costa Rica’s most popular beach,” according to an article written by travel chronicler Pierre Lehu.
The story, published last Feb. 22, lists several Costa Rican attractions for mountain and beach tourism, particularly in the Guanacaste region.
Lehu wrote that Guanacaste’s beach stand out, among other reasons, because they offer great conditions for practicing sports such as surfing and have better facilities, including transportation.
Among Costa Rica’s advantages, the Forbes article highlights its high degree of literacy, the diversity of places to visit and the warmth of the local population. In general, the story raves about the beauty of Guanacaste’s beaches and the friendliness of the residents.
Forbes Magazine is one of the most prestigious publications in the international financial world, with 900,000 copies in print every two weeks. It was founded in 1917 under the direction of editor-in-chief B. C. Forbes.
Lehu, the writer of “Off to Costa Rica,” constantly travels around the world to bring readers information about various destinations. He, the magazine says, is the author of more than a dozen books, including Sake: Water from Heaven.
In the past few months, several projects and infrastructure improvements have provided Tamarindo with more facilities, including the reestablishment of the beach’s lifeguard program and the paving of the town’s main access road — a project that is currently in its final phase.
Tamarindo has attracted a large number of investors and businesses in the past few years. The availability of goods and services has increased dramatically, including banks, restaurants, new hotels, law offices and many other businesses that have transformed this coastal town in an attractive destination for visitors, having there many amenities in a rural area with great scenic attributes.
Just as the The Guanacaste Journal has been reporting, in Tamarindo there have also been recent efforts to fight dengue fever, beach clean-ups and recycling projects, all part of public and private initiatives to offer and cleaner and safer place to visitors.

Guanacaste is 4th in construction in first quarter

2008-06-17T15:37:00.001-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — According to the professional responsibility construction registry of the Federated Engineers and Architects Association (CFIA), last March was the month was the largest request for construction permits measured in square meters of the past five years, with 758,509 m2. In fact, the first quarter of 2008 was the most active CFIA has seen in the past five years, with the professional organization okaying over 2.3 million m2 of construction throughout the country.
During the first three months of the year, San Jose province stayed in first place in construction area reported to CFIA, with a total of 686,313 m2, or 30 percent of the country’s total. That represented a 61 percent increase for Costa Rica’s most populous province compared to the first quarter of 2007.
Guanacaste was fourth out of the country’s seven provinces, with reports of 347,590 square meters, or 15 percent of the total. After San Jose, Puntarenas, Heredia, Guanacaste and Alajuela all had very similar shares of the total pie, with around 15 percent. But Alajuela, which came of fifth, had the biggest decrease (25 percent) in construction area compared to the same period last year.
No. 2 Puntarenas had 376,081 m2 of new construction registered last quarter, for 16 percent of the total. Posting a big gain was Heredia, which for the first time climbed to third place, boosting construction area by 80 percent in comparison with the first quarter of last year with a total of 361,495 m2. This was the largest positive variation of all provinces, with Heredia (the smallest province) becoming one of the main drivers of growth in the construction industry this year.
At the bottom of the list were Cartago (142,371 m2, or 6 percent) and Limon (69,861 m2, barely 3 percent of the country’s total).
When breaking down the country by cantons, it’s possible to see that some of them had more construction are registered than even Cartago and Limon provinces. For example, the upscale canton of Escazu, west of San Jose, concentrated 10 percent of registered construction area in the country (231,792 m2), while the central canton of Heredia scored 9.4 percent of the national total (217,793 m2). In the case of Guanacaste, the cantons with the most construction activity were Santa Cruz, Liberia, Carrillo and Nicoya, all along the Pacific coast (see graphic).

Study on Guanacaste hotel development unveiled

2008-06-17T15:34:00.002-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com
Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — The Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels (CCH) recently unveiled the study “Impact of Hotel and Real Estate Growth on Some Coastal Areas of Guanacaste,” which outlines a series of recommendations for regulating the hotel industry in the region. The study was conducted by architect Alberto Salas Roiz, a tourism consultant.

Guanacaste was chosen for the study for being the province with the biggest tourism potential, in addition to the fact that Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport is experience explosive tourist demand and Guanacaste is today the province with the largest number of high-standard hotel rooms. Other factors include the challenges the province’s development may cause in the future in relation with natural resources and the availability of drinking water, a major concern here. Moreover, Guanacaste is where the tourism business sector has the most activity among all provinces, has the most tourism mega-projects, and previous tourism-related studies have been conducted here by entities such as the INCAE Business School (Guanacaste Cluster), the University of Costa Rica (UCR), the National University (UNA), and the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).

Among other goals, the study seeks to learn how hotel and real estate growth is taking place in some coastal areas characterized by constant change; determine the impact of the competition between the hotel and real estate sectors; and analyze the consequences of mixed tourism-residential projects and the proliferation of second homes in tourist destinations. Additionally, the study attempts to diagnose the province’s overall growth and assess its environmental, social and economic impact, placing emphasis on the interaction between these variables; outline actions to be taken and offer recommendations that would help with coastal planning in Costa Rica; and propose actions that could be implemented to minimize negative impacts on the tourism and hotel industries, making a mark on the government entities charged with drafting tourism-related policies.

The study found that there has been a sharp increase in the permits issued in the past year and a half, compared to the 2002-06 period, when the first study in the region was conducted. The increases were 171 percent in homes; 10.5 percent to 38 percent a year for condominium complexes; 10.7 percent to 60 percent for apartments; and 6.6 percent to 27.3 percent a year for hotels. The districts with the highest growth are Liberia and Nacascolo (Liberia); Sardinal (Carrillo); and Tempate, Cabo Velas and Tamarindo (Santa Cruz). There’s important activity in other districts such as Nosara and Samara (Nicoya); Bagaces and Fortuna (Bagaces); Tronadora, Tierras Morenas and Arenal (Tilaran).

“The strongest cantons are Liberia, Carrillo and Santa Cruz, as the three of them encompass 90 percent of the total rooms to be built. However, other cantons such as Hojancha, Bagaces and Tilaran are showing important activity, and others waiting to wake up are La Cruz, Abangares and Nandayure, depending on whether certain future projects materialize,” Salas pointed out.

According to the CCH study, an adequate follow-up on the ground is not given to hotel activity due to the province’s deficient municipal operation, as neither municipalities nor government institutions represented in the region provide enough resources to technical teams. Other limitations found by the study include lack of information by local governments and state entities; strong lack of statistics in research topics and detailed information about the real estate industry.

GROWTH FORECAST

Regarding the prospect for hotel and real estate growth in Guanacaste, the study indicates that there are still many holes in available information that would boost forecasts. Likewise, the report points out that in the big projects being built or proposed, both hotels and residences will complement each other — such as in the case of Peninsula Papagayo and Reserva Conchal, just to cite two well-planned developments.

“Most of the rooms will have good tourist quality, regardless of whether or not they have an ICT tourism certification, which is key to turning Guanacaste into a luxury destination at the international level,” the report stated. “Upcoming construction projects go from the short and medium terms (the Costa Rican Chamber of Construction estimates that this boom will cover the next two years, despite the real estate crisis in the United States) to the long term in the case of the large tourism projects, which will be developed gradually.”

Added Salas: “It has been observed, and this trend continues, that small and mid-sized developers don’t appear to be very interested in the hotel business, but in real estate, because it produces profit in the short term. This is illustrated by comparing the previous study (which encompassed six Guanacaste districts, all of them in Carrillo and Santa Cruz), which registered 36,665 rooms, while in the past year a half there have been 77,726 rooms reported. This is an increase of 211 percent in projected rooms.”

The study concludes that the various sets of data available regarding the hotel and real estate industries point to the fact that there are no adequate inter-institutional mechanisms to measure this sector of the economy, and that projects in rural subdivisions tend to evade infrastructure-related requirements and responsibilities of a formal residential development.

Regarding the fiscal arena, the report indicates that collection of construction taxes are affected by under-reporting, whether in the number of square meters of projects or the total costs that are disclosed, as many projects are conducted without official permits or are built and then pay fines. “In the municipal records you find construction permits that were given for social-interest (low income) housing when the houses are really for tourist lodging,” Salas said.

Additionally, the report came to the conclusion that ICT still hasn’t taken strong actions to lower negative impacts on the hotel sector. The tourism board needs to revise both the concept and the scenario for growth outlined in the National Tourism Development Plan (PNDT), and the report add that its strategy for creating so-called Sustainable Development Centers appears to be in contradiction with the accelerated growth of real estate currently taking place.

The study also offers a forecast of what the region might look like in the future. It predicts that in the coastal area between Cabuyal, north of Papagayo, and Junquillal, a dense tourism corridor will consolidate that will compete with other international destinations such as Cancun-Mayan Riviera in Mexico and the Florida coast between Ft. Lauderdale and the Keys. As this occurs, the predominance of natural tourism will give way slowly to a more “artificial” tourism, and the acceleration of urbanization will be inevitable. This, in turn, will gradually result in the loss of tourism market, although the interest of people to come and live in the country will increase.

“In other coastal areas, for example from Soley to Playa Rajada in the canton of La Cruz, from Junquillal to Bejuco in Nandayure, and in the periphery of Lake Arenal there will be other less dense corridors, where the presence of nature and natural landscapes will be more significant. There will also be a consolidation of a tourist corridor along the highways between Liberia and the intersection to El Coco and, with less density, between Liberia and Bagaces,” Salas said.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The consultant recommended to carry out a larger analysis of the complex topic of hotel and real estate development in Guanacaste, with the consensual participation of various sectors (private, public and social). He also recommended asking ICT to revise and update official development plans that take into consideration the growth of both hotel and non-hotel projects.

“(It’s important) to ask INVU (the National Housing and Urban Development Institute) to move from a merely urban concept in its regulatory plans to one that considers an integral organization of municipal territories, the tourism space considered among them,” the report indicates. “All of this needs to be done through the above-mentioned multi-sector participation, which implies a paradigm shift involving an emphasis on land-use sustainability.”

Another recommendation is to request INVU, ICT and the Municipal Promotion and Consultation Institute (IFAM) to conduct a study of how projects proposed and approved by local governments and state institutions as part of coastal regulatory plans will impact the country’s coasts. It’s important, the report adds, that all players involved coordinate planning actions in consultation with the Land Registry Regularization Program, as well as with other government entities, including the ministries of transportation, environment and planning.

The study also suggests supporting the companies involved in the Land Registry Regularization Program and asking them to take in consideration these recommendations when drafting regulatory plans for Guanacaste; and supporting approval of the Water Resources Law in Congress and a possible moratorium in future land-use permits in the most affected areas, at least while the regulatory plans previously mentioned are complete; and supporting the recently passed executive decree that establishes regulations for constructions in coastal regions beyond what’s stipulated by the Land-Maritime Zone laws.

The study also calls on a variety of public and private entities to promote participatory planning. These entities include ICT, INVU, IFAM, the ministries of transportation and the environment, and municipalities; the National Chamber of Tourism, the Federation of Regional Chambers of Tourism, the Costa Rican Chamber of Construction, and the Costa Rican Development and Investment Board (CINDE); plus universities, NGOs, and community development associations.

Other recommendations deal with supporting the reorganization of efforts to attract investment for the hotel and real estate sectors within a framework of sustainability that would help keep Costa Rica competitive as a privileged tourism destination worldwide; and supporting improvements in the existing mechanisms for monitoring sustainability, whether by the state or by the Administrative Environmental Court, the Environmental Technical Secretariat, ICT, the private sector, and other sectors such as universities and civil society organizations.

Finally, the study proposes reviewing current legislation in the leasing of real estate properties in order to incorporate variables of rentals to foreign visitors, this with the goal of achieving more tax fairness; seeking to create a broader alliance between organizations representing the hotel and real estate sectors to seek integral solutions to issues affecting both of them, with a focus on sustainability.
According to Tourism Minister Carlos Ricardo Benavides, “it’s very important that these recommendations are presented early. I continue to believe that Costa Rica must bet on sustainability in its development, and I’m not only referring to tourism development. For that, we need clear rules.”

Number of tourists using Liberia airport continues to grow

2008-06-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos

Broker/Owner

Century21 At the Beach

Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com

Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — The influx of passengers at Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport reached 156,028 during the first three months of 2008, according to data provided by the Civil Aviation General Administration.This number represents a 13 percent increase compared to the first quarter in 2007, based on estimates by the Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism (CATURGUA).According to CATURGUA’s statistical analysis of passenger traffic at Daniel Oduber during the recently finished high tourist season, 58 percent of travelers were men to 42 percent women. A little over half of them (51 percent) were individuals aged 30-49 years, with a college education (47 percent), and with annual incomes between $71,000 and $300,000.The analysis also indicated that most of these travelers were retirees, followed by educators and business managers or administrators. Most of the tourists entering Costa Rica through the Liberia terminal came from the United States (74 percent), followed by Canadian residents (26 percent).
The report adds that average spending by these travelers reached $2,251, and the most commonly visited places were Papagayo, Tamarindo, Conchal and Flamingo.
New delay in airport expansion
The announcement about the increase in passengers at Daniel Oduber was made the same day when the Civil Aviation Technical Council (CTAC) informed that expansion works at this airport will be delayed once more — this time because CTAC modified the bidding packet for the project, which led to giving more time to receive proposals from interested firms. This time, the change indicated the terminal concessionaire won’t be required to build the boarding bridges at the new terminal.

The decision to eliminate the construction of the boarding bridges from the terminal’s project means the Costa Rican government will have to conduct such works on its own. Additionally, the CTAC’s decision seeks to offer more competitive rates by reducing the cost of installing such bridges.

This new change to the bidding packet also means that the Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP) will need to establish a new rate model for the airport’s operation.

The completion of the new terminal and other airport expansions in Liberia was scheduled for November 2009, but it’s possible this new change will delay commencement of the project’s construction, which has a budget of $19 million.

Bill Gates spends family vacation in Guanacaste

2008-06-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) —U.S. billionaire, founder of and main architect behind software giant Microsoft, Bill Gates, was recently in Costa Rica with his family on vacation. Gates — who arrived in a private jet in Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport — stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel in the Gulf of Papagayo, where he owns stock. Information about Gates’ trip was reported by local Spanish-language daily La Nacion in its April 11 issue.
Gates, 53, has a personal fortune estimated at $56 billion. And even though he no longer plays as big of a role in Microsoft as in the past, Gates continues to be a very influential figure not only in the field of technology but also in the world of philanthropy. Together with his wife Melinda, Gates created a foundation that donates funds to several charity and development projects.
Gates had announced his interest in visiting Costa Rica since last year. During a meeting with President Oscar Arias at the International Forum of Leaders of the Americas March 19, 2007, in Cartagena, Colombia, Gates said that “it’s amazing to me that a small nation such as Costa Rica is increasing its investment in education. Certainly, I’m a believer that part of that investment can be used in the application of technologies in educational processes.” Gates added, “I must go to Costa Rica” to check out first hand its advances in education and information technology that make the country an international example.
Back then, Gates applauded efforts by Costa Rica and claimed that integrating technology is a positive thing because “it would transform teaching and learning processes for children.” When asked about the Costa Rican economy, he said that “definitely, when there’s a critical mass, good universities and great employers such as HP and Intel that build capacity [as is the case in Costa Rica], demand will grow and opportunities will also increase.”
Even though this visit by Gates was strictly for vacation purposes, it’s expected that he will return in the future to learn more about educational information projects carried out by institutions such as the Omar Dengo Foundation (FOD). Arias had presented a letter to Gates asking Microsoft for support in financing and strengthening the National Educational Information Program (PRONIE), launched in 1988, during his first term as President (1986-90).
Arias reiterated his invitation to Gates to come to Costa Rica during the recent launching of his “Peace with Nature” initiative, which promotes the gathering of international leaders to support measures leading to sustainable development and the protection of the country’s natural treasures.

Duty-free stores to open soon in Liberia airport

2008-06-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com
Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — As part of ongoing expansion works at Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport, the Mixed Social Welfare Institute (IMAS) has informed that construction of the airport’s duty-free store will begin no later than April, as the blueprints have already been approved by the Municipality of Liberia and the only thing needed is a slight design variation.

Currently, only the Juan Santamaria International Airport, in the outskirts of San Jose, has a duty-free shopping area, managed by IMAS.
The space where the shop will be located is 127 square meters in area, and investment in the establishment is nearly $275,000. According to preliminary renditions provided by IMAS, the store will feature ecologically inspired designs from the Guanacaste region, including volcanoes, forests and reptiles.

Products to be sold include spirits, perfumes, watches and beauty items. The store is expected to open next July.

Duty-free sales up

Sales at the IMAS-run duty-free stores at Juan Santamaria in the past five years reveal a sustained increase. However, almost seven years after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., the negative impact of these events on tourist traffic are still noticeable. In 2002 and 2003, a decrease in consumption was observed, due to the slowdown in the flight industry and airline crises. According to IMAS’ data, 2004 showed a significant recovery, with sales going from 2.9 billion colones (almost $6 million) to 5 billion colones ($10 million).

Regarding the duty-free store in Liberia, IMAS estimates it might reach 2 billion colones ($4 million) in sales, serving some 400,000 travelers.

Such recovery in consumption has been confirmed by the positive variation seen between 2004 and 2005, with sales going up by 1.6 billion colones (over $3 million). Despite the fact that sales also increased in 2006 (by 5 percent), a slowdown was observed in the rate of consumption seen in previous years.

More restrictive policies regarding the transport by passengers of liquids in planes have affected consumption habits both in Costa Rica and throughout the world. In the face of this situation, some measures have been taken to reset the degree of growth and avoid sharp falls of duty-free sales.

Such actions include the possibility of allowing passengers to buy items containing liquids (alcohol and perfumes, among others) with the condition that such products are given to the passenger as he enters the airplane under strict security measures.

Decree signed to organize land use in Guanacaste

2008-06-17T15:26:00.001-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — The Executive Branch signed a decree seeking to regulate construction in Guanacaste’s costal areas. The measure was taken not only to establish guidelines for projects in the region, but also to mitigate environmental impacts such as the ones highlighted by recent cases of wastewater contamination from hotels and businesses.

Just last April 7, the Ministry of Health ordered Ecodesarrollo Papagayo (the company in charge of the Peninsula Papagayo project) to halt effluence of residual waters onto the beach from the Four Seasons Hotel, although such wastewater didn’t present any pollution levels.

The new environmental and construction regulations were okayed by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, together with the ministers of the Presidency, Rodrigo Arias; Tourism, Carlos Ricardo Benavides; Housing, Fernando Zumbado; Competitiveness, Jorge Woodbridge; and the Environment, Roberto Dobles. The decree they signed was drafted in consultation with the Chamber of Construction, the Federated Engineers and Architects Association (CFIA), and the Real Estate Development Council (CODI).
“It’s everybody’s responsibility — the government’s, the municipalities’, the private sector’s — to respect the landscape and the natural resources that surround us. Social corporate responsibility is more a vision and a sincere commitment than an obligation per se. It has to do with the capacity of companies to look beyond their own walls and profits, because today, more than ever, a company’s success depends on the success of the society in which it works; and this is particularly true of the tourism industry,” President Arias said.
The decree seeks to establish guidelines that would allow for priority solutions to the region’s problems, as well as increase production, tourism, educational and environmental capabilities through sustainable development — reinforcing regional institutional infrastructure and ensuring compliance with existing environmental laws.
This piece of legislation also takes into consideration population policies and soil needs in each canton, incorporating the tourism variable as an activity integrated into the rest of the local economy, which would require the development of management tools for implementation, financing and oversight of urban planning.
“Through this first step in the road of urban organization, what we are attempting to do is to create a series of measures for protecting human development, the landscape, soil and flora, as well as cultural heritage, all of which would allow Costa Rica to have a sustainable development in the social, economic and environmental. Such development requires a joint effort between the government and the public sector,” Woodbridge said.
According to Benavides, the executive decree will be applied in the absence of a regulatory plan or specific development plans in Guanacaste cantons. Regulated areas include private properties legally registered that are within the Land Maritime Zone (ZMT, a regulated portion of land adjacent to the beach).
“This legislation is very important because it allows us to make sure that constructions located within the Land Maritime Zone, and which are properly registered in the National Registry, will not affect the natural landscape of the region and the rich resources surrounding said properties, as they will be complying with requirements set forth by our sustainable development policies. Buildings in special protection areas will continue to be regulated by current legislation,” Benavides said.
The decree establishes specific parameters for coverage, height and density of real estate developments by coming up with four zoning areas: the public zone (first 50 meters of beach); the restricted zone (up to 150 meters from the ocean); the intermediate zone (800 meters beyond the restricted zone); and the internal zone (up to 3 kilometers past the intermediate zone).
This means that, for example, in private properties located within the restricted zone, buildings won’t be allowed to exceed 16 meters in height (approximately three stories); while in the intermediate zone the maximum height will be 24 meters, or roughly five stories; and in the internal zone, buildings can be up to 36 meters high, or approximately eight stories.
Meanwhile, Zumbado spoke about the importance of signing this decree by pointing out that “it is essential to set clear rules for the development of regions with high tourism potential in the country, trying not to create conditions that would exclude families native to the area, for whom it’s necessary to generate sustainable ways of earning a living, including housing that meets their needs.”
The government is intending this decree to last for the next four years and even until Guanacaste municipalities approve their own regulatory plan, or the Chorotega Region Urban Plan that will be drafted by the National Housing and Urban Development Institute (INVU).

Tourism up 14 percent in first quarter

2008-06-17T15:24:00.001-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com
Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — Data regarding the influx of tourists in Costa Rica during the first quarter of 2008 was recently released by the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR), which indicated there was an increase of 14 percent in passenger arrivals compared with the same period last year.

Between January and March of this year, some 532,000 people arrived in the country, 65,000 more than during the first three months of 2007.

These numbers are based on records kept by immigration officials at Costa Rica’s two international airports, Juan Santamaria in San Jose and Daniel Oduber in Liberia. The average increase at these airports was 13 percent.

One factor to consider when analyzing this increase is that this year, Easter Week fell in March instead of April (thus joining the first quarter of the year), and this is one of the busiest tourist seasons in Costa Rica, especially on coastal areas such as Guanacaste, which attracted the most vacationers during that week.

CANATUR President Gonzalo Vargas said it’s evident that Costa Rica continues to be a top tourist destination for foreigners, attracted both by traditional products such as natural beauty and new attractions such as marinas and golf courses

24 Guanacaste beaches earn Ecological Blue Flag

2008-06-17T15:21:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — The Ecological Blue Flag Program, which rewards environmental improvement efforts, presented its 2007 recognitions last March 25 in Puntarenas.

This time, a total of 24 Guanacaste beaches received the coveted award, including Panama, Hermosa, Buena, Coco Norte, Zapotal, Guacamaya, Langosta, Avellanas, Ostional, Junquillal, Guiones, Carrillo and Camaronal. Meanwhile, at the national level, 33 communities (for a total of 59 beaches) earned this recognition, along with 206 schools and 10 protected areas.

According to Education Vice Minister Silvia Viquez, the Blue Flag is a program of formation and learning, and that the mere fact that communities, schools or beaches join the program and follow its guidelines is a great gain for the country — as this initiative creates awareness among students, educators and community members about the importance of implementing sustainable practices that are friendly to the environment.

“We congratulate not only the educational centers, beaches and communities that earned this recognition, but also those who participated in the program, as they have joined in the struggle to improve the country’s sanitary conditions, becoming promoters of the protection of water resources and the environment in general,” Viquez said.

The Ecological Blue Flag Program’s goal is to establish an incentive to promote the establishment of local committees in coastal regions, communities, educational centers, protected areas and other tourism and environmental niches throughout the country — which would work toward the development of their local spaces in accordance with environmental protection practices and improvements in sanitary conditions and public health.

This inter-institutional program is managed by a national commission, originally made up of representatives from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), the Ministry of the Environment and Energy (MINAE), the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR), the Ministry of Health and the Costa Rican Water and Sewer Institute (AYA). Later on, in 2004, the Ministry of Education joined the program as a category for schools was created. Furthermore, in 2006, the Costa Rican Private Natural Reserves Network joined the coordinating commission.

Also, the National Power and Light Company (CNFL) has since joined the program as observer and collaborator. The Ecological Blue Flag national commission’s functions include coordinating the work of the program’s technical team, establishing annual work plans, and evaluating and selecting annual awardees in each category.

Country to have better data about foreign visitors

2008-06-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) – With the goal of obtaining more useful information about the tourists who visit Costa Rica, the Immigration Service has updated its system to record the number of visitors who come here by air.
Some 400,000 tourists arrived last year through Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport alone, and the number is expected to significantly increase this year. That’s why it’s important to have updated statistics so that all parties involved in the tourism industry can anticipate what the demand for services will be in the entire Guanacaste province. The new data system is expected to be working by the end of the first quarter of this year.
Even though there’s already a system in place to record the number of tourists who choose Costa Rica for their vacations, such data is collected manually through a form that airlines have their passengers fill out.
The new system, on the contrary, will provide information in real time, that is, airlines will send data directly to the Immigration Service at the time passengers board the plane at their city of departure.
Currently, information about the number of visitors coming here and their city of origin takes between three and five months to arrive, depending on the season. From now on, such data will be known right away.

Guanacaste was favorite Easter destination

2008-06-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica wins Travel Weekly award for third year in a row

2008-03-29T09:58:00.001-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com/

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — The quality and variety of its tourism products have earned Costa Rica being named the best Latin American tourist destination by readers of the prestigious magazine Travel Weekly for the third year in a row.

The award was presented to Costa Rican Tourism Minister Carlos Ricardo Benavides during the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) recently held in Madrid, Spain, where a Costa Rican delegation represented the country. The delegation included members of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUT), and the Costa Rican Tourism Professionals Association (ACOPROT).

Benavides said the award is a recognition of the Costa Rican tourism industry’s efforts to position itself among the best travel destinations worldwide.

“We are very proud to have been recognized in this category, and especially because the winners are chosen by important members of the U.S. tourism industry, which underscores the quality of Costa Rican tourism and commits us to continue improving as a destination,” Benavides said.

Benavides as well as his colleagues from CANATUR and ACOPROT agreed that the award is a challenge to maintain and improve the services the country already offers to tourists, and to incorporate others that are missing.

Patricia Duar, ACOPROT’s executive director, said that the awards the country continues to receive and its presence in tourism events of international importance show that Costa Rica can compete against destinations that have stronger market positioning and deeper pockets to promote themselves.

The Travel Weekly’s Readers Choice Award is decided through a vote among the magazine’s 180,000 readers, most of whom are part of the U.S. tourism industry —including travel agents, hotels, tour operators and supply companies.

Factors that contributed to Costa Rica’s victory included the high quality of its tourism products, the variety of activities travelers can enjoy in a single visit, the country’s exuberant natural attractions, and the warmth of its people. Costa Rica defeated top competitors in the region such as Brazil, Peru, Belize and Argentina.

The award was started five years ago, and Costa Rica previously won the Latin American category in 2004, 2006 and 2007.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Almost 2 million visited Costa Rica in 2007

2008-03-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com/

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — The recently finished year was without a doubt a very good one for Costa Rica’s tourism industry, as almost 2 million visitors came here attracted by the natural wonders that have made this country an internationally recognized travel destination.

According to data unveiled by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) in its annual report, the number of tourists who arrived here via different routes in 2007 closed at a little over 1.9 million, which represents an 11 percent increase over 2006 — surpassing the number expected by the 2006-2010 National Development Plan.

The foreign-currency revenue generated by the tourism industry also grew by $292.3 million compared to 2006, reaching more than $1.9 billion. Also on the increase was the number of seats available in flights to the country — 675,000, or 22 percent more than in 2006.

Tourism Minister Carlos Ricardo Benavides said such positive performance was due to several factors, among them the addition of new airlines to the Costa Rican travel market and an increase in the frequency of flights by carriers already established here.

Benavides added that the results challenge the country to continue working hard in 2008 to keep the momentum going.

Other 2007 achievements include the inauguration of a Public Relations Office for the United States and Canada, as well as the effective use of 95 percent of the budget assigned to tourism marketing and promotion — which will increase from $8 million to $14 million in 2008.

In the area of citizen and tourist security, ICT and the Ministry of Public Security continued coordinating efforts, resulting in the deployment of 100 new Tourist Police officers. Crime against tourists decreased by 26 percent during 2007.

Besides providing its yearly report, ICT also updates the objectives of the National Tourism Development Plan for 2008, which include the implementation of policies to achieve tourism sustainability, attracting more investments, and venturing into new tourism markets — among them Asia.

As Minister Benavides pointed out, tourism officials will seek to strengthen ties with municipalities and communities throughout the country to continue working on issues such as planning and organization of tourism-related development.

Another goal is to consolidate the opening of regional tourism offices (one for each tourism planning region), for an investment of $1 million. The current plan calls for opening eight offices, located in Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Limon and the Northern Zone.

Sustainability: The next great challenge

With Costa Rica hosting the 2008 Sustainable Tourism World Summit, organized by the United Nations, the topic of sustainability is poised to become a key driving force for this industry as it attempts to meet the objectives of the 2002-2012 National Tourism Development Plan.

This plan establishes the tourism development model to be followed in the next few years, based on the basic premises of taking advantage of tourism in a sustainable way, managing natural and human resources, and seeking the equitable distribution of profits generated by this economic activity.

According to these premises, Costa Rica seeks to reach an annual target of 6.6 percent growth in the number of foreign visitors by 2012, as well as a 2.2 percent boost in internal tourism — thus strengthening its positioning as a “brand country” and achieving better human development rates.

Tourism officials have indicated there are still several gaps to fill to reach such goals, among them improving airport infrastructure, increasing hotel occupancy to 10,000 rooms, boosting the quality of services, and expanding the network of tourist destinations with the goal of providing more communities with the benefits of this surging industry.

Additionally, officials believe it is important to enhance the Tourism Sustainability Certificate (CST) program, which ICT currently runs in coordination with other public and private entities; strengthen the protection and promotion of national parks; support small and medium tourism businesses; and implement new and innovative marketing strategies that would help reinforce Costa Rica’s brand as an ecological destination.

To reach all of these growth objectives, the plan stipulates that the concept of resource sustainability must be applied to all industry development processes, which implies serious planning work between businesses, regional and national tourism chambers, government institutions, and municipalities that depend on the current tourism boom.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Cocos Island nominated for ‘new natural wonders’

2008-03-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com/

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

(Infocom) — Famous worldwide for being one of the places with the biggest marine biodiversity and because of the legends about a pirate treasure hidden there, Isla del Coco (Cocos Island) has been recently nominated as one of the sites vying to be among the world’s seven new natural wonders, according to an announcement made by the Web site http://www.new7wonders.com/

The Costa Rican island is one of 300 natural wonders nominated by the Swiss foundation New 7 Wonders, the same that organized a contest to elect the seven new wonders of the world in 2007. Cocos Island’s candidacy was gladly received by the organizations that work to protect its marine ecosystems.

“The nomination is excellent, as it is a wonderful recognition to a site of great biological importance for the world. We believe there are many possibilities it will be chosen among the seven first places, so we are encouraging everybody to vote for the island on the Web,” said Danny Gonzalez, spokesperson for the organization MarViva, which protects the marine resources of Cocos and the East Pacific Biological Corridor, which comprises the island.

Web surfers from all over the world have until Dec. 31 of this year to cast their votes at the New 7 Wonders site. A total of 21 finalists will be chosen from this initial poll, and in 2009 there will another contest to pick the winners.

Currently, Cocos is 35 on the provisional ranking. Other nominees include the Amazon jungle, the Iguazu waterfalls and Lake Titicaca in South America; the Everglades, Kilauea Volcano and the Grand Canyon in North America; the Kalahari Desert and Victoria Falls in Africa; and Mount Everest and the Sunderbans mangrove forest in Asia.

Gonzalez said the nomination will also help strengthen the awareness efforts carried out by several organizations charged with protecting the island’s marine resources and biodiversity, as it will drive people to know more about the site and its importance for the world.

“The island houses great nature and cultural riches. It’s home to many endemic species and is part of the East Pacific Tropical Marine Corridor, along with the islands of Coiba, Malpelo and the Galapagos, which allows the movement of many migratory marine species from North and South America,” he explained.

“This nomination will also help people learn about serious problems that affect Cocos Island’s marine ecosystems, such as illegal fishing, shark finning and other human activities that put pressure on natural resources. Protecting these resources is a big challenge, and that’s why this year we will do our best to tell people about the importance to know about and contribute to the safeguard of this heritage site,” Gonzalez added.

Cocos Island, a national park under the protection of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1967. It houses some 27 shark species and 235 plant species, 70 of them endemic. Moreover, it has a rich historical and cultural site, containing petroglyphs and graffiti left by buccaneers in the 18th century.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Rosewood Begins With A Sustainable Tone

2008-03-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.thebeachtimes.com/
By Ralph Nicholson

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

The long-awaited Rosewood hotel and spa breaks ground on a 45 hectare (112 acres) property fronting Playa Guachipelín in Guanacaste this month, but the first structures will not be concrete block and mortar but rather mild-steel and reinforced canvas. The developers behind the Rosewood Costa Carmel, as the resort will be known, have begun building a small tent village just a stone’s throw from the ocean, but far from roughing it, the first guests will live in the height of luxury. Eight people will be brought in to set up the three South African-built, luxury tents, each of which will have its own power and air-conditioning and include a chef, a butler and maids. Further, the inside of the tent-suites is designed to replicate a Rosewood hotel room, right down to the linen on the bed and the towels in the bathroom. “My role is to see the tented operation reflects Rosewood standards,” said Gert F. Kopera, Director of Operations for Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, who flew into Guanacaste last week. “That we are able to show the clients what the final product will be like on a service delivery,” he added. “The amenities in the tents will be virtually identical to eventual amenities in the hotel.” It’s the first of many visits Mr Kopera will make to the area as he decides what to serve in the hotel’s three restaurants (which will be open to the public), where to source the produce, who can make furniture locally, and how to solve the countless other logistical problems associated with building a high-end hotel. “That goes for the uniforms, linen, the vase on the table, everything must be sustainable,” says Mr Kopera.
© Ralph Nicholson

“And food and beverages as well. We are looking for restaurant concepts, based on what we can deliver to perfection, even if we have to help local farmers grow to certain specifications.” During his visit, for example, the operations manager discovered a butcher he believes can deliver sufficient meat at the right quality to allow for a meat-based restaurant. A seafood restaurant is a given. “Just watching what the fishermen bring in…the fish and seafood here is nothing short of astounding,” Mr Kopera adds. “I am sure that we will have 90 per cent of our food produced locally.” The hotel complex, which is scheduled to open in April of 2010, will be designed by Three Architecture, a Dallas, Texas-based group that specializes in four and five-star hotels, resorts, country clubs and spas. It was founded 24 years ago, and has designed a Rosewood Hotel before — the Rosewood Mayakoba Resort, in Riviera Maya, in Mexico. The project becomes the third luxury hotel to break ground in Guanacaste in the past 12 months. The 310-room J.W. Marriott, inside the Hacienda Pinilla beach resort community has been under construction for more than a year, while the 214-room Hyatt Azulera Resort formally broke ground in Brasilito at the end of January.
© Photo Courtesy

ARTIST’S IMPRESSION: The Rosewood guestrooms. Developers say the hotel will be finished by April of 2010. Construction on model homes begins this month. But the Rosewood’s tent village, which is expected to be completed in 45 days, is not just about showing off the facilities of the 80-room hotel, rather it is part of an aggressive sales and marketing campaign which also kicks off this month. For in the hills behind the hotel rooms dotted in front of the wide, white-sand beach will be up to 80 one, two, three and four-bedroom homes. Fifteen undeveloped residential ocean-view lots are also for sale. This week representatives of IMI, the South Carolina-based, international real estate company in charge of selling and marketing the project, left on a tour of London, Paris, Moscow, San Francisco and southern California. “Russia, as an emerging nation, brings with it a growing list of millionaires,” says IMI’s Pat Cerjan. "In the World it is among the top three, along with the United States and India.” Mr Cerjan says Europe was always part of IMI’s sales and marketing plan for Rosewood Costa Carmel, but it can’t hurt that the Euro currency is at record highs against a weak US dollar. There’s also been interest from South Korea. “It’s a global world now, and things just don’t come to you,” he says of their strategy. “To have international owners from all over the world, gives the village a good feeling as well.”
© Ralph Nicholson

The single bedroom studios will sell for about $800,000. Other than that IMI still has to decide market price for the houses they will build, just as they have still to decide whether all 80 available lots will be sold with custom-built homes. Depending upon demand, some may be sold as unimproved land. They do know the first major structure to be built after the tent village will be a bridge across one of the water courses that snakes around the property. That will allow heavy machinery onto the property during the wet season, and means they can build four model homes. The 1400 square meter (15,000 square feet) spa will begin at about the same time as the hotel. There will be an environmental learning center in the complex, walking trails and bike paths. The resort has no golf course; instead the developers have negotiated a sharing arrangement with their neighbors. Farther south, the Baltimore, Maryland-based Union Box Company, has agreed a deal for a $100 million, 110-room Ritz Carlton Hotel to be built on 800 hectares (2000 acres) in the Zapotal Valley. That project, which has direct access to Playa Guacamaya, will include a Rees Jones-designed, 18-hole golf course. Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, which is a privately-held luxury hotel management company, has no equity in the Costa Carmel project and will lend its brand in return for a management contract. The backers of the development are Roger Hall, a developer from Boca Raton in Florida and the owner of the land, and Génesis Desarrolladores, which represents a group of investors.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Costa Rica among top countries in tourism competitiveness

2008-03-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com/

- Nation is No. 1 in Central America

I-Com CR. —The World Economic Forum (WEF) has launched its 2008 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, in which Costa Rica placed second in Latin America and the Caribbean and first in Central America in tourism competitiveness.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, Costa Rica only trails Barbados, which ranks 29th worldwide. Costa Rica is 44th among all ranked nations.

Costa Rica reached such privileged position thanks to its natural resources (No. 7 ranking), having many sites declared as world heritage, a high percentage of land set aside as protected areas, and enormous biodiversity.

Given the importance of natural ecosystems to the country’s tourism industry, it’s an important accomplishment that Costa Rica placed 32nd in the environmental sustainability indicator. However, security is a concern, and even though the country’s tourism infrastructure is well developed —No. 29 in the ranking, with a strong presence of top car rental firms and abundant hotels — ground transportation infrastructure (No. 113 out of 130) requires more attention, especially when it comes to roads and ports.

Through different reports, WEF is an internationally recognized institution that every year measures competitiveness in countries all over the globe.

The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report is one of the most recent documents WEF has released. Now in its second year, it was born with the goal of better understanding the factors that promote competitiveness and the challenges facing the tourism industry worldwide today.

This year’s report took into consideration 14 key themes (for a total of 70 indicators) in an effort to measure factors and policies that make the travel and tourism sector attractive in the 130 countries that the report encompasses.

Atop the ranking is Switzerland, which scored high in the three groups of indicators —regulatory framework for the industry; business climate and infrastructure; and presence of unique human, natural and cultural resources. Following Switzerland are Austria, Germany, Australia and Spain.

Puerto Rico, Brazil, Panama (No. 50 overall), Chile and Mexico trail Barbados and Costa Rica in Latin America and the Caribbean. Panama’s strengths are its policies and regulations and its environmental sustainability, in addition to air transportation infrastructure and competitiveness in prices. Panama’s unique natural resources helped the country placed 6th among 130 countries in this category. Weaknesses of Costa Rica’s neighbor to the south include the educational level of its human resource, technological infrastructure and some deficiencies in health and hygiene, all of which affected its overall competitiveness ranking.

Jamaica, Argentina, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala (No. 68) follow in the Latin American ranking. In the case of Guatemala, policies and regulations in the tourism sector are considered a plus, as well as competitive prices and unique natural resources. Things to improve in terms of competitiveness include the educational level of the country’s human resource, land transportation infrastructure and infrastructure in general, environmental sustainability, security, and some aspects of health and hygiene.

Meanwhile, Peru, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras (No. 75) and Ecuador are countries with important challenges in their tourism sectors, according to the report. In Honduras, it’s necessary to improve citizen and judicial security, land transportation infrastructure, technological and tourism infrastructure in general, and better training for human resources. What’s positive about Honduras are its natural resources, the country’s support for the travel and tourism industry, and its competitive prices.

Finally, Surinam and El Salvador (No. 97), Nicaragua (No. 99), Venezuela, Bolivia, Guyana and Paraguay are the countries in the region with the biggest challenges in terms of tourism competitiveness.

In the case of El Salvador, attention to security is a priority, as well as the improvement of overall tourism infrastructure — especially considering that the country lacks, according to the WEF report, natural and cultural attractions that differentiate it in a significant manner. In the case of Nicaragua, the report indicated that its competitiveness would benefit from better training of workers; improvements in land and air transportation infrastructure, as well as in technology; and strengthening of regulations and policies to promote the sector.

According to the report, in both Nicaragua and El Salvador, competitive prices are a factor that gives them advantages.

The Latin American Center for Competitiveness and Sustainable Development (CLACDS) — part of Costa Rica-based INCAE Business School — collects data for this report thorough an annual study among business people and executives in eight Latin American countries: Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Bolivia, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.

Costa Rica’s highest scores were in the fields of human resources and tourism infrastructure, where it placed 1st in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Website: http://www.northpacificproperties.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Home Owners At A Fraction of the Price

2008-01-11T06:48:00.000-08:00

Source: www.thebeachtimes.com
By Leland Baxter-Neal

A new trend emerging in Costa Rican real estate is offering buyers a chance to step into a luxury condominium at a fraction of the price, through a system called fractional ownership. In it, multiple buyers become owners of the same piece of property, such as an ocean view condominium. All are owners with deeds to the property, inscribed in Costa Rica’s National Registry, and take turns at the property throughout the year. It is not, however, a timeshare — a point heavily emphasized by the handful of developers beginning to push this model in Costa Rica. “People still often don’t understand the difference between a timeshare and fractional,” said Rosa Romero with Ocotalito, a development located on Playa Ocotal beach in northern Guanacaste. Ms Romero noted that through time share properties, buyers buy time, not property. “With a fractional, you are owner for life and you will return to the villa that is yours,” she said. Well-established in the United States, fractional property sales are just beginning to arrive in Costa Rica. Developers promoting these properties note that they give buyers the opportunity to own a piece of a property that might otherwise be beyond their budget. “The good thing about it is that if you want to have a 5000-square-foot, $2-million condo, you get that high end luxury for an affordable price,” said Gary Clarke of Tamarindo-based ABC Realty. “But it hasn’t really been tested here in the community.” Though a few developers in the Central Pacific, Guanacaste and the Central Valley are beginning to market fractional ownership properties, several realtors The Beach Times spoke with this week cautioned the market might here might not yet be ready for it. “The problem with fractional ownership is it’s a much more complicated sale unless you have a really seasoned marketing guy,” said Raymond Cruise, of VIP Costa Rica, a real estate office based out of Escazú, in the Central Valley. “It’s really a matter of advertising and marketing. You cannot have a real fractional ownership sale unless you’ve got people that really know how to market to that demographic.” Brad Sanson, a Canadian who drove to Costa Rica with his family in 1999 to found Vista CR, has already built Vista Mar, a 28-unit, standard ownership condominium project, and has one 17-story tower (Vista Las Palmas) and one 15-story tower (Vista Azul) under construction. He is also working with his son Paul Sanson to launch Jacó Beach Towers, which they claim will be the first beachfront fractional ownership project in the region. Mr Sanson said they decided to go into fractional after their research showed buyers only spend a small amount of time at the property each year. The Jacó Beach Tower features 50 condominiums in a 10-story, beachfront tower (construction begins June 2008 and should finish by December 2009) and four town homes, with each property split into four fractions. Owners alternate time at the property in two week intervals every two months, which alternates every year, scheduled out through 2014. “That way, everyone gets Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years,” Mr Sanson said.
© Photo Courtesy

SHARING THE WEALTH: An artist’s rendering of Jacó Beach Towers. (Photo Courtesy of RSA) While the townhouses have yet to be priced, the condos, which range from 1250 square feet to 2870 square feet, will go on sale next year for between $125,000 and $400,000 per fraction. “You do spend more on marketing,” Mr Sanson said. “Instead of selling a building with 54 owners, we now have to attract 215 owners. We have to be that more visible, and that takes a lot of marketing.” Mr Sanson said his company does much of their marketing in the United States, Canada and Europe, with print ads, CD’s, online advertising and visits to tradeshows. “Of course we cater to the walk-by and tourists that come down,” he added. Jacó Beach Tower will hold its first “sales event” in February of next year, during which interested buyers that have deposited a refundable $10,000 in an escrow account in the United States fly down to Costa Rica (airfare refunded if a property is bought) for a four-day, expenses paid visit during which they meet developers and architects, see the site and, if they opt to purchase, choose their unit. “This is a very big extravaganza,” said Paul Sanson. Tranquilo in Punta Leona, another fractional condominium project located north of Jacó in the expansive Punta Leona development, was beginning its second sales event late this week, with more than 30 interested clients having flown to Costa Rica to see the site and potentially purchase a fraction. During Tranquilo’s first event, held a few months earlier with another 30 buyers, contracts for a total $4.5 million were signed, said Matt Stringer, Tranquilo’s in-country representative. Tranquilo’s three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath, 2200-square-foot condominiums overlooking the Pacific Ocean are divided into quarter shares, and allows buyers to buy all four fractions of the entire property at a 3 per cent discount. Owners get three calendar months per year, of their choosing, and can stay in other condos in the case of a conflict with other owners of the same property. In addition, Mr Stringer says the project is pre-approved for The Registry Collection, which groups luxury fractional properties — including yachts — around the world. Tranquilo owners would then be able to trade time at their condo for any other property in the collection. “The other key component is that it’s designed to be vacation home ownership without the hassles. No calls from rental management. When you buy it is fully equipped ,” he said. “We designed this so its exactly like owning your own property. You can buy, sell or will it to your heirs.” Ms Romero, of Ocotalito in Guanacaste, said: “The novelty is that you are an owner only for six weeks, so you don’t have as many expenses such as condo fees and annual property taxes will be less.” The Ocotalito project has a total of 36 villas between 12 three-story buildings. Of those, 26 are fractional ownership, between 2337 square feet and 2637 square feet, and sell for $140,000 to $300,000. “We believe fractionals are more adjusted to the current market,” Ms Romero said. “More people can access them and pay this type of price.” Brian Smith, a real estate agent with CR Beach Investment Real Estate in Jacó, however said he has yet to see much interest in fractionals. “We’ve had people coming down interested in fractions end up buying a whole unit,” Mr Smith said. “Fractional ownership is a good concept for top end developers,” said Les Nunez, of First Realty in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste. “To reach out and touch people that are potential fractional buyers, that has to be very well thought out.”

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Costa Rica Off: 011 (506) 670-2200
Costa Rica Cell: 011 (506) 893-4850
US Phone number: (919) 341-8400
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Website: http://www.northpacificproperties.com/

Billion Dollar Tourism Project For Guanacaste

2007-09-04T19:14:00.000-07:00

Source: www.thebeachtimes.com
By Ralph Nicholson
Two Hotels, Marina, Golf Course and 800 Home SitesUS developers on Wednesday announced plans for a 15-year, billion-dollar tourism project, to start construction in November on two beach-front properties in Guanacaste’s north. The project, known simply as Guacamaya after one of the beaches, will include a Ritz Carlton hotel, a smaller, as-yet-unnamed boutique hotel, an 18-hole golf course, a 200-slip marina, an equestrian center and up to 800 single family homes. For the first time, the project will include a desalinization plant that will turn sea water into drinking water and ease pressure on Guanacaste’s fragile water supplies. “This further consolidates the area as a destination for the upscale tourist market,” said the Minister for Tourism, Carlos Ricardo Benavides, at a party to launch the project. “To be chosen for the site of such an upscale or high end project, well, it is not every country that can do this,” he told about 120 invited guests from local and national government and the tourism industry. Mr Benavides was speaking after officially opening the offices of Plantación Properties, an affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates, which will market and sell the residential arm of the project. The development, to be built on about 800 hectares (2000 acres), is a partnership between Union Box Company of Baltimore in Maryland and Greenfield Partners, a privately-held real estate investment firm in South Norwalk, Connecticut. The property, which was purchased in two chunks over three years, covers three, white-sand beaches --- Playas Guacamaya and Zapotal, plus the smaller Playa Celeste --- all about 25 kilometers (16 miles) north of Tamarindo. A $100 million, 110-room Ritz Carlton hotel will be built across Zapotal beach, beginning construction late next year. Larry Silverstein, the Chief Executive Officer of Union Box Company, said he expected the hotel to be completed by the end of 2010. “We talked to a number of hotels --- we approached some and others approached us --- but it was clear the Ritz was a very good fit for us,” Mr Silverstein said. “That whole area is somewhat unknown,” he added. “For most people the world stops after Playa Potrero and starts again, further north, at Playa Ocotal. The Ritz is a distinct brand that can bring immediate recognition, as opposed to there being just another hotel.”
© Zoraida Diaz

PIE IN THE SKY: An orange glow is cast on the moon Tuesday morning at 4:56am, just before a lunar eclipse reaches totality. The photograph was taken from Playa Potrero in Guanacaste.

It is understood the developers will build the hotel, while the Ritz will lend its name to the structure, taking a management fee and a percentage of room sales, as has become customary with hotel projects. Work on an 18-hole golf course, designed by architect Rees Jones, will start at the same time as the hotel. Mr Jones, who has designed more than 100 golf courses, mainly in the US, will lay out the course in the Zapotal Valley, which stretches about four kilometers back from the coast. There will be no residential sites within the valley. A 200 slip marina, capable of docking so-called mega-yachts of up to 92 meters long (300 feet) will be sited at the southern end of the development, between Zapotal and Celeste beaches. A boutique hotel, yet to be named, and of somewhere between 50 and 100 rooms, will be built to service the marina. However, phase one, including more than 100 residential homes, will begin construction within three months, giving developers cash flow while they build the hotel, marina and golf course. “We will release 140 lots to start with in what will be known as the Beach Village,” said Molly Harris, President of Plantación Properties. “There will be architectural guidelines upon what people can build but at the same time our clients don’t want to deal with a cookie-cutter mentality,” Ms Harris said. She confirmed house prices were likely to start around $800,000. In phase two, luxury home lots --- about 100 of them --- will be released. Architects from both the United States and Costa Rica, will then build a variety of model homes. The houses will sell for between $5 and $10 million each. There will be an equestrian center and horse trails throughout the property. Developers will also include a mountain-bike trail. Both are likely to spill over into neighboring properties as developers seek to share amenities. In fact two other developments --- the Rosewood Hotel to the north and the project known as Las Catalinas to the south --- have already pledged to share such infrastructure as roadwork and possibly power. It is also likely Guacamaya’s neighbors will want to share water infrastructure as well.
© The Beach Times

STAR-STUDDED DEVELOPMENT: Minister of Tourism Carlos Ricardo Benavides cuts a ribbon to mark the launching of the Plantation Properties development in Guacamaya Beach in Northern Guanacaste. Accompanying Mr Benavides are Plantation Properties Operations and Marketing Manager Cristina Jimenez; Principal Larry Silverstein; President Molly Harris and Principal Brent Reynolds. (Photo Courtesy of Plantation Properties) “The problem is not the existence of water but the infrastructure to distribute it,” Tourism Minister, Benevavides, said in response to questions. “And I have no doubt these projects are going to help us solve the problem.” Mr Benavides confirmed the developers had formally asked for government assistance in setting up a desalinization plant. “This is a brand new concept. We will be able to explain the project to the other institutions in the country and help them get through the red tape,” Mr Benavides said. Mr Silverstein said the biggest challenges they faced were the same as for every developer along the coast --- a lack of infrastructure, finding a suitably skilled work-force and a backlog in supply of building materials. “No there is not enough water,” he said. “We are not the only ones tapping that water reserve. We believe we have sufficient water to maintain the residential component, which is why we are building the desalinization plant. “A desalinization plant is a new idea here, but the fact is that most of the resorts across the Caribbean are all operating on desalinized water. “It is something we must do. I think what will bring buyers is the level of assurance we can give them. They want to be safe, they want water when they arrive here, and they want a constant supply of electricity.” There have been a rash of developers announcing luxury hotel projects in the past 10 months. The El Salvador-based Grupo Poma conglomerate, has already broken ground on a five-star, 180-room, JW Marriott resort on the property known as Hacienda Pinilla, south of Tamarindo. The US-based, Global Financial Group has also announced plans for a $300 million 320-room Hyatt resort in Brasilito, and late last year two Minnesota developers announced they would build a $120 million, 150-room Regent Hotel on Guanacaste’s Papagayo Peninsula. Steve Case, the founder of the internet giant America Online, announced plans last month to open an $800 million beach resort just south of Playa Hermosa, featuring two boutique hotels. Meanwhile, Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, confirmed it has signed a management contract with developers HPC Costa Carmel Limitada to manage a new luxury resort to be built upon a 60-hectare (150-acre) property on Playa Guachipelín.

Arab Prince checks out his investments in CR

2007-08-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com/

(Infocom) — Billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia visited Costa Rica this past weekend and stayed here until Tuesday, when he left for Guatemala after personally checking out and coordinating his investments in Costa Rica, as he is the largest shareholder of the chain Four Seasons — which has a five-star hotel in Guanacaste’s Gulf of Papagayo.

It was in this hotel where Prince Al-Waleed reserved 48 of its 153 rooms for him and his entourage of almost 50 people.

This newspaper obtained information from trusted sources, indicating that the Arab investor’s visit was promoted by one of Latin America’s top developers, who has put Costa Rica on the world map through his Gulf of Papagayo projects.

The Prince, whose full name is Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, became the largest shareholder of the Four Seasons chain earlier this year, when he and his friend, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, bought $3.4 billion in shares of the Canadian hotel chain. However, Al-Waleed took the biggest piece of the pie: 7.6 million shares, or 22 percent, while Gates bought 5 percent of the stock.

It was said that Gates himself may have recently been in the country visiting as incognito, with the goal of coordinating more investments just like the royal businessman.

That was precisely the goal of Prince Al-Waleed’s meeting this past Monday with Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. They spoke, among other things, about Costa Rica’s position regarding direct foreign investment.

The prince — the 13th richest person on the planet, worth $20.3 billion, according to Forbes magazine — arrived in Liberia last Saturday around 9:30 p.m. aboard his luxurious private jet, a Boeing 747 valued at $260 million.

To speed up customs and immigration paperwork, Immigration Service personnel went into the plane and took care of everything. Most of the visitors got out through the rear door of the fancy aircraft.

Unlike many millionaire Arabs who have amassed their fortunes thanks to petrodollars, Al-Waleed — whom Time magazine once called the Arab Warren Buffett — has done it through investments in various industries, including real estate, banking, technology, mass media and luxury hotels.

Minutes after landing in Liberia and being picked up by a deluxe bus along with his 48-person entourage, the royal businessman arrived at the exclusive Four Seasons hotel on the Gulf of Papagayo.

Visiting the hotel was part of Al-Waleed’s Central American and Caribbean tour. He first flew to the Dominican Republic and then to Panama, from where he arrived to Costa Rica before finishing the trip in Guatemala.

Coming to Costa Rica and staying and the Four Seasons were not random acts for the 53-year-old prince. He is the largest shareholder of the Four Seasons chain, and he was interested in checking out how his investment in Costa Rica is doing.

In addition to this aspect of his trip, Al-Waleed also did some official business by meeting with Costa Rican President Oscar Arias at his house in San Jose.

For his stay, the prince — whose full name is Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud — reserved 48 of the hotel’s 153 rooms. Even though the hotel security is very strict at all times, employees, who didn’t want to be identified, indicated that during the prince’s visit all controls were intensified even more.

It was earlier this year when Al-Waleed, together with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, bought a majority of the Canadian hotel chain’s stock. Both investors paid $3.4 billion, but Al-Waleed took the biggest piece of the pie: 7.6 million shares, or 22 percent, while Gates bought 5 percent of the stock.

According to Forbes magazine, the Arab prince is the 13th richest person on the planet, worth $20.3 billion, and the most important investor outside of the United States. His firm is called Kingdom Holding Company, which sports as a logo the private jet in which the prince arrived in Liberia last week.

In spite of being the nephew of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, Al-Waleed doesn’t participate in government affairs, but has put his energy into his entrepreneurial pursuits. His financial skills showed since an early age, when in 1979, after graduating with a bachelor of science in business administration from Menlo College in California, he received a loan from his father — Saudi Arabia’s founding king, Abdul Aziz Al Saud — and began investing in strategic and diversified ventures.

Al-Waleed made alliances with foreign firms to do business in Saudi Arabia and got into the banking sector. He took a crucial step by injecting capital into banking firm Citigroup during its time of crisis, a move that paid off two years later, when the bank’s stock shot up. His Citigroup shares are worth some $10 million, almost half the prince’s assets.

Not satisfied with that, Al-Waleed has also ventured into the technological industry, investing in firms such as AOL, Hewlett Packard, Motorola and Apple Inc.

According to information from Wikipedia, the Saudi prince also has a master’s degree in social science from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University.

In addition to his financial success, Al-Waleed is known for his charity causes — though one of them has generated a lot of controversy. Not long after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, he offered assistance to the victims for $10 million. However, then New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani declined the offer, as the prince had said the attack was a sign the United States needed to reexamine its Middle East policies.

He has made donations for research and promoting education. Several U.S. universities have benefited from Al-Waleed’s multimillion-dollar gifts.

For example, Georgetown University received $20 million from the prince for promoting Islamic studies. The endowment created the Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.

Another New York institute that conducts research in biomedicine has also received millions from the prince.

Al-Waleed has also supported the arts, giving the Louvre Museum $20 million to create a wing exclusively dedicated to Islamic art.

The world’s richest Arab

Name: Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud
Nationality: Saudi
Age: 53 years; born on March 7, 1955
Parents: Saudi Arabia’s founding king, Abdul Aziz Al Saud, and Princess Mona El-Solh. Other relatives include Riad El-Solh, prime minister of Lebanon, and Prince Moulay Hicham of Morocco

Marriage status: Married for the third time to Princess Ameera, since 2006.
Children: Prince Khaled (27) and Princess Reem (23).
Studies: Master’s in social science from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University.

Businesses here and there

Through its firm, Kingdom Holding Company, Prince Al-Waleed participates in a large number of diverse companies based all over the world, including hotels, supermarkets, mass media, technology firms, etc.

Citigroup (banking)
Four Seasons hotel chain
George Hotel V in Paris
Beverly Wilshire Hotel in California
Savoy Hotel in London
Monte Carlo Grand Hotel in Monaco
Plaza Hotel in New York City
Disneyland Resort in Paris
AOL
Apple Inc.
Worldcom
Motorola
News Corporation Ltd.
Hewlett Packard

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Website: http://www.northpacificproperties.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Arias has a date today with very, very wealthy Saudi investor

2007-08-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.amcostarica.com/
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

President Óscar Arias Sánchez has a date this afternoon with Al-Waleed bin Tala Alsaud, a major investor who is a member of the Saudi royal family.Forbes magazine estimates his fortune at $20 billion. Among his holdings is a major stake in the Four Seasons Hotel group, and that is where he stayed in northwestern Costa Rica.Although his luxury 747 aircraft sprouted flags on landing in Liberia, he is not considered a major player in Saudi politics. However, he is well known as an astute investor and expresses political views of his own. He holds a graduate degree from Syracuse University in New York.Arias has invited the visitor to his Rohrmoser home instead of Casa Presidencial.
Al-Waleed, 52, made news in 2002 when he offered New York City $10 million in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in which the majority of the terrorists were from Saudi Arabia. However, Mayor Rudy Giuliani turned him down because the donation was conditional. Al-Waleed said he wanted the United States to modify its policies in the Middle East, according to the then-mayor.Al-Waleed traveled to the Four Season in a bus, leading an entourage of more than a dozen sports utility vehicles from the Daniel Oduber airport..The visit by the Saudi investor fits with the Arias administration's goal of expanding its overseas contacts. Costa Rica closed its embassy in Jerusalem and moved it to Tel Aviv in part to open doors to Middle Eastern states.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Website: http://www.northpacificproperties.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

AOL Founder Plans $800 Million Beach Resort

2007-08-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

Source: www.ticotimes.net
By Peter KrupaTico Times Staff

In front of video cameras and reporters at Casa Presidencial, former Silicone Valley tycoon Steve Case formally announced plans for an $800 million luxury resort complex on Cacique Point, between Cocos and Hermosa beaches, in the northwestern province of Guanacaste.
Case, one of the co-founders of America Online (AOL), made the announcement last Friday with Costa Rican President Oscar Arias at his side, saying that the project would “define a new generation of resort development” with its environmental and social responsibility.
“It's very important that business leaders realize that it has to be about more than just your profit,” the U.S. businessman said.
The elephant in the room, however, was that the environmental-impact study for Case's project had already been rejected by the National Technical Secretariat of the Environment Ministry (SETENA), precisely because the project lacked details for how it plans to mitigate its impact on the local environment and the community.
A new environmental-impact study – which SETENA is now evaluating – was submitted July 9. The study must be approved by SETENA before the project can move forward.
Announcing the Plan: Steve Case, left, one of the co-founders of America Online (AOL), announces plans for a luxury resort at a press conference with Costa Rican President Oscar Arias.
Jeffrey Arguedas EFE
Case's proposed resort would be among the largest of several large tourism complexes in that part of the country. To be known as Cacique Costa Rica, the 263-hectare complex would feature three five-star hotel brands, private villas, an 18-hole Tom Doak golf course and a tennis and fitness center branded with the names of former tennis stars Andre Agassi and Stefi Graf.
The project would create 2,000 direct jobs and 500 indirect jobs, according to the company.
The resort would be the first to be developed by Revolution Places LLC, a luxury tourism developer founded by Case and held by the company Revolution LLC, which Case founded in 2005.
The Cacique Point development would have several hundred rooms and villas available for travelers, as well as 300 properties for sale. Hotel brands will include small houses operated by One & Only Resorts and a spa and hotel with the Miraval brand. The One & Only in Palmilla, Mexico, offers rooms for $450-2,600 per night.
The first phase of the Cacique project is slated for completion by 2010.
Slated for Development: Punta Cacique, between Cocos and Hermosa beaches in the northwestern province of Guanacaste, is the proposed location for a 263-hectare luxury resort complex that would include three hotels, private villas and a golf course.
Courtesy of Cacique Costa Rica
Case cited his upbringing in Hawaii as an inspiration for the project, which he said will integrate the luxury vacation complex with the local community, even going so far as to build a village that will be “a gathering place for the whole region” and include residences and local shops.
Both the publicity materials for the project and the press conference sounded triumphant notes on the project's sense of environmental and social responsibility.
The development promises to plant a million trees in river areas, as well as donate $1 million to local nonprofit organizations. Details of those programs will be announced next year, Case said.
Also, he noted that the development would be low impact and low density, developing nly 20% of the land and leaving the rest intact.
Less clear, however, are the details of how the development plans to go about mitigating its impact on the environment and community. On June 11, SETENA rejected Cacique's environmental-impact study, saying it failed to meet muster on 14 technical points.
Most of the problems had to do with lack of information in the study.
For example, SETENA notes that while the project (then known as Punta Cacique) proposes a desalinization plant to solve the region's water shortages, it does not explain how the plant would work or the environmental impact its operation would have.
In one complaint, SETENA called the study's soil analysis “very shallow,” while in another it noted that, “Considering the (area's) poor natural drainage, mitigating activities and works to protect the Penca Gully are not defined.”
The SETENA report said that the impact study also fails to catalogue the wildlife that inhabits the area, and problems of habitat fragmentation and the isolation of wildlife populations “are not considered in the design of the site.”
“The preceeding considerations put in doubt the environmental sustainability of the project,” SETENA's analysis continues.
Similarly, the analysis criticized the impact study for not presenting its methodology for its survey of the local community's perception of the project.
Neither did the impact study consult the local community regarding how it would be affected by the water use of the project, which the SETENA report called “highly relevant (and) directly concerning the health and quality of life of the population.”
Asked about Guanacaste's ongoing problems with water scarcity at the press conference, Case said Cacique had “acquired” access to water with the property, and that the project would “allocate some of that water to the community.”
Cacique spokesman Jorge Cornick said the project had presented a totally new impact study on July 9 using a new environmental study company – “People with more experience of a certain scale in Guanacaste,” he explained.
Cornick said the main problem with the first impact study was that it lacked information, something that has been remedied with the new study SETENA is evaluating.
Cacique Costa Rica isn't the first time Case has turned an investment-minded eye toward Costa Rica.
Case bought an 80% stake in a company called Exclusive Resorts in 2004, according to Business Week magazine. Exclusive Resorts, now held by Revolution LLC, is an international club that owns over $1 billion worth of luxury properties around the world.
For a deposit and an annual fee, club members can spend several weeks out of the year at any one of the Exclusive Resorts properties, in lieu of owning their own vacation homes.
At the beginning of this year, Exclusive Resorts opened up one of those properties in Costa Rica – a resort called Poro Poro, on the Papagayo Peninsula, just north of Cacique Point. The $75 million, 20-acre “destination community” has 21 luxury residences for Exclusive Resorts members.
Exclusive Resorts is also one of the three luxury hospitality brands that will be operating residences on the Cacique Costa Rica project.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Website: http://www.northpacificproperties.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Developers Announce Hotel Projects in Guanacaste

2007-08-12T19:47:00.001-07:00

Source: http://www.thebeachtimes.com/
By Ralph Nicholson and Zoraida Diaz - Friday, August 10, 2007

Rosewood, Miraval, One and Only to Open Mid-2010Developers have announced plans for three luxury hotels to be built on two properties within ten kilometers of each other on the northern Guanacaste coast. Steve Case, the founder of the internet giant America Online, announced plans Friday to open an $800 million beach resort just south of Playa Hermosa, featuring two boutique hotels, a tennis center designed by husband-and-wife tennis stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf and an 18-hole golf course by Tom Doak. Meanwhile, Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, confirmed it has signed a management contract with developers HPC Costa Carmel Limitada to manage a new luxury resort to be built upon a 60-hectare (150-acre) property on Playa Guachipelín. Both developments are scheduled to open in 2010. Mr Case, who announced his project alongside President Oscar Arias, told a press conference the resort would be built on 263 hectares (650 acres) known as Punta Cacique. The resort will leave 80 per cent of that land undeveloped as a private natural reserve. “I first visited Costa Rica four years ago and instantly fell in love with it,” Mr Case told reporters. “It struck my heart. Cacique is one of the most beautiful peninsulas anywhere in the world.” The announcement also marks the launch of Revolution Places, the new destination resort unit of Revolution, a holding-and-operating company founded by Mr Case in 2005 with $500 million of his own money. The resort will have 270 guest rooms and 300 private homes. One and Only Resorts, a hotel firm with locations worldwide, will operate the beachfront hotel. Exclusive Resorts, a luxury time-share business owned by Revolution, will build 30 of the resort’s homes. Miraval, a destination spa owned by Revolution, will operate a facility with 120 rooms and 60 villas. Mr Case, who was born in Hawaii, said he wanted to avoid what developers have done to Waikiki, pledging to make the new resort an environmentally friendly destination. “We are making a number of commitments,” he said. “We will plant one million trees in nearby rivers. We want to give $1 million to universities and local businesses to nurture and incubate ideas. We are trying to live in peace with nature.” Mr Case also pledged to improve infrastructure in the area, particularly regarding water.
© Zoraida Diaz

PUNTA CACIQUE: The 260-hectare project will include a tennis center by husband and wife team, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf and an 18-hole golf course by Tom Doak, and a 75-slip marina for local boats. “I am very aware of the problems in the area. We understand there are short periods during the day when people do not have water,” he said in response to questions. “A part of what we acquired was access to water and we’ve told our people it’s a priority for us to allocate some back into the community. We’re hoping to release some of the water. I have not talked directly to them (the mayor, the community), but I know members of my group have.” President Arias described the Revolution Places project as the greatest investment yet to be made in Costa Rica. “Without doubt, Cacique will be extremely important for Guanacaste and Costa Rica,” he said. “I am grateful that of 263 hectares that were acquired only 20 per cent will be built upon.” Last week a group representing Revolution Places presented the project to the Municipality of Carrillo. Mr Case was not present, but the group’s President, Darren Linnartz, outlined the project, saying they would begin construction on roads by the end of the year. Work on 120 hotel rooms would begin between April and June next year. They will also apply for permission to build a marina and dock for up to 75 boats. “We aim to build a residential marina which is for the local community,” Mr Linnartz told the council. “In the first instance it is very important because it will generate jobs,” the Mayor, Carlos Gerardo Cantillo, said after the meeting. “They are not talking about just luxury homes, but a hotel that is a larger source for employment.” And there are the direct benefits to the municipality, which can expect one per cent of the total construction in building permit fees. That alone is $8 million. “We want to invest in this area,” Mr Linnartz told the council meeting last week. “…the idea is that as you are getting ready to approve next year’s budget we would like to help in this budgetary period so that your income will increase and with this, you can help the communities.”
© Zoraida Diaz

NEW FRIENDS: Steve Case (left) makes his way to a press conference with President Oscar Arias. The Minister of Tourism, Carlos Ricardo Benavides and Minister of the Presidency, Rodrigo Arias (right) bring up the rear. The Punta Cacique project will create 2500 jobs. The deal to put a Rosewood Hotel on Playa Zapotal, about ten kilometers south of the Revolution project, has been on the table for more than seven years, but it is now signed. The resort and residential properties will be built in two construction phases. Two-level, four-bedroom model residential units will begin construction in November this year, as will the complex’s beach club. The 80-room hotel, which will include 12 deluxe suites and one presidential suite, all to be built among the residential units, will start in August of 2008. “This is a very green construction,” said Ronald Arias, Project Manager for Rosewood Costa Carmel. “The hotel units will be next to the residential units, and no more than two levels,” he added. “When you open the windows you must see greenery. Nothing will be built higher than the tree line.” The complex will be designed by Three Architecture, a Dallas, Texas-based group that specializes in four and five-star hotels, resorts, country clubs and spas. It was founded 24 years ago, and has designed a Rosewood Hotel before --- the Rosewood Mayakoba Resort, in Riviera Maya, in Mexico. “As our brand continues to grow internationally, Costa Rica was a natural choice for a new Rosewood resort,” said John M. Scott III, President and CEO of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, in a prepared release. Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, which is a privately-held luxury hotel management company, has no equity in the project and lends its brand in return for a management contract. The backers of the development are Roger Hall, a developer from California and owner of the land, and Grupo Inmobiliaria Génesis, which represents a group of investors. The resort, which is scheduled to open in April of 2008, has no golf course; instead the developers will negotiate a sharing arrangement with their neighbors. Farther south, the Baltimore, Maryland-based Union Box Company, has negotiated for a Ritz Carlton Hotel, probably with around 150 rooms, to be built on 405 hectares (1000 acres) in the Zapotal Valley. The project, which has direct access to Playa Guacamaya, will include a golf course.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Website: http://www.northpacificproperties.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Going up: Number of tourists coming to CR continues upswing

2007-08-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.journalcr.com/

(Infocom) — The influx of tourists in Costa Rica continues to increase, and it appears that it will do so for quite some time, according to data from the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) comparing the first half of 2007 and the first semester of last year.

CANATUR figures indicate that 832,604 tourists entered the country during the first six months of this year, while 782,346 did so during the same period in 2006. That accounts for an increase of little more than 50,000 visitors, or 6.42 percent.

Tourism sector authorities are optimistic, as the increase surpassed the 5 percent projected in the National Development Plan.

The data is an estimate of the number of tourists arriving through the country’s two international airports, San Jose’s Juan Santamaria and Liberia’s Daniel Oduber.

Of the total of tourists arriving this year, 595,405 came through Juan Santamaria, while 237,199 flew to Daniel Oduber. Nonetheless, the Liberia airport has experienced the biggest growth, as it saw a 15.66 increase while Juan Santamaria only grew by 3.14 percent.

In addition, the growth at the Liberia airport was sustained throughout the six months, while in San Jose the number of tourists only increased in April, May and June.

The high increase at Daniel Oduber is particularly significant, as it demonstrates that the terminal is an important economic development engine for Guanacaste province.

Gonzalo Vargas, president of CANATUR, said that even though the data is not official, it does provide a good idea of the tourism industry’s behavior and current trends.

Vargas also indicated that the increase in the frequency of flights by airlines already flying to Costa Rica and the arrival of new carriers in the market have been a significant factor behind the upswing in tourists. He highlighted the role the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) has played in achieving the current increase, especially as numbers fell last year.

“No doubt this rate of recovery is due in large part to ICT’s efforts managing to attract new airlines to the country, as well as increasing the number of flights of carriers already flying here,” Vargas said.

Currently, tourism is the economic activity that generates the highest profit for the country: $1.6 billion in foreign currency, which represents 8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. It also represents 23 percent of total exports, surpassing traditional crops such as coffee and bananas.

Tourism also generates approximately 110,000 direct and 550,000 indirect jobs.

Posted by Roger Vlasos

Broker/Owner

Century21 At the Beach

Playas del Coco, Guanacaste

Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/

Website: http://www.northpacificproperties.com/

Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Municipalities update property values

2007-08-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

Source: www.journalcr.com

(Infocom) — The appraised value of all of the country’s properties, including those in Guanacaste, will be updated during the next year, thanks to National Registry’s Project for Updating the Value Platform of Lands in Homogeneous Areas.

To carry out this new appraisal, the state institution contracted Roche Ltd. Consulting Group for $1 million. The firm has committed to having all appraisals done by April of next year.

The funds to pay for the project will come from a loan provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Justice Minister Laura Chinchilla explained.

The project began recently and will consist of appraising lands according to where they are located, as the country will be divided into regions based on the price of a square meter of land.

These regions will be called homogeneous zones, having an average square-meter price based on the properties contained within.

Each municipality will be charged with estimating the value of each individual property, based on the average land value of each homogeneous zone.

The project is of great importance to local governments, as it is expected that by 2009 it will help them double their income from real estate taxes. That means annual collection from this tax will climb to 60 billion colones ($115 million).

“Some 20 people will be working on this (appraisal) project, which will provide security to the owners of lots and better tax income to municipalities once the properties are appraised,” said Bernabe Leal, coordinator of the project for Roche.

According to Chinchilla, 90 percent of properties in Costa Rica report to their respective municipalities values much lower than their real values.

On some occasions, the difference between reported and real values are ridiculous, as some lots are reported for 1 colon — amount upon which taxes are paid. Claudio Ansorena, general coordinator of the project’s Executing Unit, said most Costa Rican properties are appraised for values that represent only between 20 percent and 25 percent of the actual market value.

In places such as San Rafael de Heredia, for instance, a square-meter in residential areas is sold for around $40, while the value reported to the municipality for taxation purposes is $10.

This project is part of a larger effort to update the country’s land registry, which seeks to make an official description of all properties here.

This will be the first time in 10 years that property values will be updated. The last time the Ministry of the Treasury conducted a study of property values was 1997.

And despite such update, today only 35 of the country’s 81 municipalities apply the current value platform for taxing real estate. The Ministry of the Treasury’s Technical Normalization Unit (ONT) will be in charge of supervising the new appraisals.

While the appraisals take place, firms Telespazio and Novotecni will begin performing a registry study of each property, that is, they will look into whether the physical characteristics of the property coincide with the information on the land surveys.

An estimate indicates that in 2002 there were 1.2 million lots in Costa Rica. The number has grown to 1.5 million in the past five years due to the increased real estate development experienced in the country — especially in some areas of San Jose and in Guanacaste.

The new appraisals will also mean that property owners will have to pay more in taxes, which could make these properties and construction more expensive, said Alexander Mora, administrative manager of Estrategia Inmobiliaria.

“This is a new cost that will passed on to the clients, who in the future will have to pay more in land taxes, and this will affect sale prices. People will have to think a little harder when trying to decide whether to buy a property,” Mora said. “Developers will also have figure out if they will absorb the new costs, as we cannot just get out of the market because of prices.”

The real estate sector is interested in seeing whether the increase in property tax collection will translate into more investment in infrastructure, which would aid in the development of new construction, said Felipe Sequeira, president of the real estate company Grupo Inmobiliario Tzion.

Sequiera indicated that, to maintain the level of development and the contributions large real estate projects provide to society, it is important that municipalities invest more in the infrastructure necessary to support new buildings, such as roads and water supply. He also said it’s important that municipalities invest some of the money collected in taxes to giving permits for construction of urban development programs.

“The country’s real estate growth has been large, but it will become unsustainable in about three years if we don’t invest more in infrastructure,” pointed out Sequeira, whose company is developing a housing complex less than one kilometer from Liberia, on the road to the Daniel Oduber airport.

Information about property values for each region will be available online, through each municipality’s Web site or through the Ministry of the Treasury’s Web site. Online, the municipalities will also be able to show the lot, its physical characteristics and the updated value as they talk about it with the owners.

The project also includes training for the municipalities.

Recuadro:

Each of the country’s 81 cantons has been assigned a beginning and end date for the appraisal work, based on the information provided by consulting firm Roche according to available information from each municipality and the number of lots in its jurisdiction. The following chart shows important dates for Guanacaste.

GUANACASTE
Date when the program’s cartography is available
Registry study (beginning and end dates)
Date when value platform updates will begin

Liberia
5/22//2008
11/1/2007

Nicoya
7/22/2007
11/01/07- 02/22/2008
12/01/2007

Santa Cruz
10/22/2007
09/01/07 – 11/22/07
12/01/2007

Bagaces
11/22/2007
01/02/08 - 02/22/2008
07/01/2007

Carrillo
12/22/2007
01/02/08 – 02/22/2008
09/01/2007

Cañas
12/22/2007
02/02/08- 03/22/2008
07/01/2007

Abangares
05/22/2008
08/01/2007

Tilaran
05/22/2008
08/01/2007

Nandayure
11/22/2007
12/01/07 -01/22/2008
08/01/2007

La Cruz
05/22/2008
04/01/2008

Hojancha
11/22/2007
12/01/07- 01/22/2008
09/01//2007

Source: Executing Unit of the Project for Updating the Value Platform of Lands in Homogeneous Areas.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: www.century21incostarica.com
Website: www.northpacificproperties.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Costa Rica becoming popular wedding destination

2007-07-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

Source: www.journalcr.com
(Infocom) — The chance to wed in the midst of a breathtaking beach sunset, in the middle of a lush rainforest or against the backdrop of a furious volcano lighting up the night are certainly tempting options for having an unforgettable exchange of marital vows.

Costa Rica’s natural beauty and plenty of exotic locales are not only excellent hooks for attracting conventional tourism. Now they are also drawing the interest of many people who wish to get hitched in a romantic and stunning atmosphere.

This trend has been growing parallel to the booming influx of tourists here. Many hotels currently adapt their facilities for wedding ceremonies and even market packages that include thorough planning of the event. Through these packages, hotels offer food, decorations, stylist and photographer services and even take care of any legal paperwork, to mention just a few services.

Weddings are turning into their own tourism specialization here. Proof of that is that now there are companies dedicated exclusively to the planning of this type of events, taking the worries out of a Costa Rican wedding experience. That’s the case of Costa Rica Paradise Weddings and Weddings Costa Rica, which provide consulting services on all aspects related to tying the knot in style here.

These companies offer services such as negotiating with purveyors, developing Web sites with information for guests, creating unique designs for the decoration, wedding and dinner rehearsals, purchasing the bride and groom’s wardrobes and rings, coordinating travel plans for the couple and guests, honeymoon planning and overall consultation for the entire wedding process.

Why get married in Costa Rica?

Reasonable prices, high quality of services, variety of options and the country’s natural beauty are the main reasons motivating couples to choose Costa Rica to say “I do.”

“Our job is to help the couple find the ideal place for them and design both the ceremony and the reception, according to their budget, style and personality. We adapt to whatever to client wants,” said Sylvia Chaves, weeding planner for Costa Rica Paradise Weddings.

According to Chaves, her customers are mostly young couples between 25 and 35 years of age, upper-middle class, and from countries such as England, Canada and the United States.

Larissa Banting, president of Weddings Costa Rica, said that even though the country still hasn’t reached the popularity of other wedding destinations such as Mexico and Hawaii, it’s on its way to doing so thanks to multiple reasons: variety of exotic locations, frequency of flights coming here, quality of services, security, and the number of activities (whitewater rafting, canopy tours, etc.) the couple and their guests can enjoy as part of the trip.

Marcus and Marina Doherty are one of the couples that decided to tie the knot in Costa Rica. The Ireland natives said their wedding was all they expected it to be thanks to the amiability of the people and the “perfect paradise” they found for the event.

“We chose Costa Rica because of its rich diversity. We wanted a holiday in paradise, which meant it had to have beaches as well as rainforest. Also, Cost Rica is not too big so you can get around quite easily, which we did. Plus, the weather in February is terrific,” explained Marcus, who added that language and cultural differences were not a problem for them.

Moreover, Costa Rica offers certain advantages for this type of tourism other countries don’t. One is that Costa Rica doesn’t require blood tests for people to marry, which is the case in Mexico. And couples don’t have to live here during a minimum period of time before they can exchange vows — in Italy, for example, foreign couples must stay in the country at least 30 days prior to the wedding.

Banting said most of her clients are foreigners, though she also organizes weddings for locals.

“All the weddings we plan are personalized. We don’t offer pre-set packages, as we believe each wedding should be as unique as each couple,” said Banting, adding her company works together with the couples to coordinate all details, from the perfect location to the design of the reception space.
A complete wedding here costs between $10,000 and $50,000, depending on the clients’ preferences and budget. A simple, intimate ceremony is cheaper. Prices go up as the ceremony becomes more complex and luxurious and the number of guests increases.

According to Banting, that’s up to 50 percent less than what comparable weddings would cost in the couples’ countries of origin.

Among the most popular locations for weddings are Manuel Antonio, the Guanacaste beaches, Arenal Volcano and rainforest regions such Sarapiqui, Turrialba and San Ramon.

“I would say 99 percent of the couples look for the beach, especially Guanacaste and the Central Pacific, but some of them look for waterfalls or volcanoes also,” Banting said.

Although most couples prefer a traditional ceremony, the trend of having theme weddings — drawing on aspects of Costa Rican culture — is becoming increasingly popular.

Some couples like to enjoy a typical Costa Rican wedding, with marimba music, traditional clothing and food, and even masquerades accompanied by spirited cimarrona music.

Others have chosen an Indian-themed ceremony, complete with magic-religious rituals officiated by a shaman and Indigenous clothing and dances.

Fantasy weddings are also popular, featuring fireworks and magicians. Others pick a bird theme or concentrate on other flora and fauna typical of Costa Rica.

Also for the rich and famous

Costa Rica’s growing reputation as a wedding destination has also attracted celebrities. Last year, U.S. singer Pink and motocross racer Carey Hart chose to marry at the luxury Four Seasons hotel in Guanacaste’s Papagayo Peninsula.

Actress Bree Williamson, of the U.S. soap opera “One Life to Live,” also got married last year here, in Malpais, Puntarenas.

“I know there are many celebrities coming. What they like the most is that people in Costa Rica are discreet and don’t bother them. Here they can be an intimate wedding; in their countries, they know their wedding would become a circus,” Chaves pointed out.

Banting said her company has worked with high-profile clients, among them millionaires, writers, actors, singers and media executives — but company policies and the clients’ requests keep her from revealing their names

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: www.century21incostarica.com
Website: www.northpacificproperties.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Smart investments in paradise

2007-07-15T20:47:00.000-07:00

Source: www.journalcr.com
By Nicholas P. VIALE
It’s a fact that baby boomers in their early 40s continue to spend more money than any other generation. This is particularly interesting as it pertains to the Gold Coast, where many North Americans nearing their prime years, end up vacationing around here as a way to enjoy eco-travel, sports, relaxation and the exploration of the Latin culture.
After a few days of enjoyment, many tinker with the idea of investing in a second home to use for future vacations and as an income producer between personal trips.
The temptation to invest in a rental producer in a tourism destination is hard to resist, especially when the facts of the benefits are explained by qualified professionals.
There are many varieties of purchases available, but the most common, and the one that would generate the best return on your investment are condominiums. There are many reasons for that:
1) Condos have become popular as the perfect alternative to a classic hotel room and offers more intimacy, liberty, as well as the sensation of “being in a home away from home.”
2) On internet search engines, “Condos For Rent” is the most-sought-after entry, simply because the prices are very affordable (especially when the rental price for a 2- or 3-bedroom unit can be shared between two or three couples).
3) Condominium communities generally offer good security, with spacious common areas and several amenities including, but limited to, property management, pools, tropical gardens, kids’ playgrounds, tennis, trails, laundry facilities, tourism or concierge services, etc. etc. but also security guards, laundry, tours,
4) Lastly, condos are easier to resell than a home, and typically are sold at a much higher value than the original purchase price. Remember that when you sell a rental condo, not only are you selling a piece of real estate, but also an income producer.
Furthermore, there are many ways to plan your investment in a rental income producer in the Gold Coast area. The simplest way is to get your feet wet by investing in a nice, comfortable unit located in a project offering spacious common areas. Or, you might consider investing in pre-sales stage in order to minimize your initial investment and maximize your potential profit in the future. Ordinarily, the price at pre-sales is lower than when construction begins, and at that point the value of the property increases.
You can also create a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) along with some friends or family. This permits you to invest in several rental income producers at once, allowing maximum rental income while creating a solid, dynamic portfolio.
The more conservative approach in investing would be to buy a unit, then immediately put it on the market as a long-term rental. This results in lower income for your pocket, but is a more secure, long-term strategy oriented toward profit that will eventually be generated on resale. This path is excellent, if you are a young couple with children, with plans to create a college fund for their future, for example.
To accomplish any of the aforementioned goals, you might decide to use a local source of financing in order to secure your investment in one of the various rental income producers in our area. This is a viable option, with many local alternatives and in the United States as well, including utilizing an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). An IRA is one of several specific retirement accounts allowed by the IRS to provide tax-deferral or other tax advantages, in order to purchase real estate in Costa Rica.
If you are interested in getting started with your investment and would like to get more information and documentation about the best rental producers available in Guanacaste and the Gold Coast, as well as property management companies, and the financing available to make a purchase, please contact our office today. Our agents will give you a general overview of the local market, help you define your strategy, and plan your custom designed investment exactly to your needs and resources.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: www.century21incostarica.com
Website: www.northpacificproperties.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

CondeDuque unveils ambitious development project

2007-07-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

Source: www.journalcr.com
By Alex Lane
In the present competitive climate of development companies in Costa Rica, it’s easy to blend in as an imitator and difficult to stand out as an innovator. Grupo CondeDuque and its partner company, Desarrollos del Pacifico, have managed the latter by developing a project in Guanacaste that rises above its competitors in both quality and innovation.
Grupo CondeDuque, a 5-years-old business, is unique because it prides itself on creating a sustainable environment for its developments. According to company president Federico Apestegui, current developments rely on a self-contained water system drawn from the company’s own wells.
The location he describes is a conglomerate of projects situated on the fertile plains west of the Liberia airport and just before the road veers towards Playa Del Coco.
The company’s current focus is on two self-sustainable luxury communities, Costa Mar and Prados Del Rio. Other projects named Golf Monte Claro and Plaza Monte Claro are also being planned. There are six private resident and community-related projects currently underway split between the two companies. Currently, four are being marketed.
Carlos Chinchilla, 33-year-old general manager of Desarrollos del Pacifico, has full confidence in their projects. “We have the best location for a development. Our plan is to keep on going and make a name for ourselves as responsible builders.”
The impressive computer generated layout of Costa Mar boasts a development designed with the resident in mind. It includes 400 condominium and loft units, with the condos approximately 800 square feet and the lofts at 500 square feet. Also included, a bridge and a 2-acre lake. The condos are designed as the epitome of luxury and range in price from $43,000 to $115,000. Or, more aptly put in the words of Chinchilla, “they’ve got everything.”
The advantage over their competitors, according to Luis Alejandro Giralt, development manager for Grupo CondeDuque, is two-fold. “We are giving the best prices and our housing is the most affordable. Because we have owned the land for the last seventy years, the crazy price hikes that are going on in this area haven’t affected us. We also have our own architect and engineer team.”
The team he describes consists of 25 people. All additional jobs, like construction, are outsourced.
These two companies are all about relationships. Besides planning much of the development on a private piece of property owned by members of the Grupo Condeduque company, Chinchilla and Giralt also have a close personal relationship. As a result of the business Grupo Condeduque was generating, Chinchilla and his company felt obliged to join in.
“Guanacaste is moving fast. We already have a lot of pre-sales on these projects and they are going quick,” said Apestegui.
Permits are currently being finalized and construction is intended to begin in April or sooner.
Upcoming projects in the same location include the tentatively titled Golf Monte Claro, an ambitious project spanning 300 acres and including 600 residential lots surrounding by an 18-hole golf course. Monte Claro, a shopping center, is being constructed adjacent to the Costa Mar condominiums.
Apestegui and Chinchilla are grateful for the involvement of Grupo CondeDuque and Desarrollos del Pacifico’s sponsors and partner companies, including Stewart Title, which guarantees all the properties, and Fortune House International Realty, which manages all the international sales.
If you would like more information on Grupo CondeDuque and Desarrollos del Pacifico’s current and upcoming projects, please visit there website at www.desarrollosdelpacifico.net or www.condeduque.net, or contact them by phone at 291-5544.

Foreign investment rising

2007-07-15T20:44:00.000-07:00

Source (www.journalcr.com) By Rosibel Pérez C.
In the southern part of Liberia, near the Daniel Oduber International Airport, the growth of real estate development projects has become one of the most important in the province because of the wealth of available resources. But the lack of planning could turn this growth into a future urban mess.
“The main investment dollars come from the United States, though there is no statistical information,” said Enrique Egloff, vice president of the Real Estate Development Council (CODI). “Development in this area is fueled by the expectations of expansion of the airport.”
In the surroundings of the airport, there are 24 projects with an investment of $19 million, according to the Municipality of Liberia’s Engineering Department. They all have their permits to begin construction as long as they comply with current rules regarding land use, number of levels allowed for each building, and others.
The main projects include businesses, warehouses, condominiums and residential communities, which span investments from $23,000 to $2 million.
“This growth should be in harmony with the environmental and the social, taking into consideration aspects such as health, education, roads and water resources,” Egloff pointed out.
Next targets
Developers have their eyes on the country’s coastal areas, with the Liberia-Carrillo-Santa Cruz coastal corridor being No. 1. The Garabito-Parrita-Aguirre corridor is the next target.
It’s important to highlight that the Liberia-Carrillo-Santa Cruz corridor encompasses 62 percent of projects and 75 percent of investment in residential developments outside of Costa Rica’s Great Metropolitan Area. Beyond the country’s borders, there are new destinations to explore in Panama, the country with the highest growth in the area. Nicaragua is another investment target due to the incentives given and the easy paperwork, in addition to the low land prices, all of which navigate in the current political uncertainty.
Strategic alliances
One of Costa Rica’s weaknesses as a destination for investors in the excessive paperwork that must be completed in order to obtain construction permits. That’s why a strategic alliance between the Federated Engineers and Architects Association (CFIA), the Real Estate Development Council (CODI) and the Costa Rican Chamber of Construction has created the Program for Competitiveness and Efficiency in Construction (POSECO).
This program seeks to influence the central government to eliminate unnecessary paperwork.
“There’s all this tramitología (paperwork and requirements) that is excessive and illogical, as there’s very poor control once construction begins and the developers do whatever they please,” said Olman Vargas, director of CFIA.
In addition to this alliance, CFIA offers a Web site where blueprints are okayed so they can be printed and taken to all the institutions that must provide permits. It is expected that by the middle of 2007, a platform of services that includes all institutions involved in the process will be implemented.
As Vargas sees it, the construction boom must be accompanied by plans to make sure public infrastructure can sustain growth, considering key services such as water, electricity and roads. He said one way to address this issue is to have the public and private sectors come together.
CODI is one effort to bridge the gap between both sectors. It is a private entity aimed at finding solutions to optimal land use as well as establishing legal requirements in accordance with real estate development.
“Our role is working with the government and public institutions to improve procedures,” Egloff said. “We work with the Environmental Technical Secretariat, the National Housing and Urban Development Institute, and others.”
Costa Rican growth has not been planned well and there has been little control of needed services. In addition, land prices are very low compared to international prices, all of which has given way to the current construction boom.
Near the Daniel Oduber International Airport, land is divided in two parts: urban zone and rural zone. The square meter is used to measure the urban zone, and the current price is $2.9 per square meter. The rural zone is measured in hectares, each with a fiscal value of approximately $681 — but the commercial value can grow up to 600 percent.
“Land prices are going to go up, and the boom is going to stop there, and that’s going to happen relatively fast,” Vargas said.

Flamingo / Tamarindo area remains a hot market

2007-07-15T20:43:00.001-07:00

Source (www.journalcr.com) By Dave Casey
The stretch of Pacific Coast between Flamingo and Tamarindo has been developing steadily for more than a decade, and it remains one of the hottest real estate markets in Costa Rica despite soaring prices and concerns about inadequate infrastructure.
Denise Shantz, sales manager for Century 21 Coastal Estates in Tamarindo, tells a personal anecdote when asked about the rise in property values there.
One of the agents found a real estate brochure from 1998 while rummaging through a desk drawer in the office recently.
“It was hysterical,” Shantz said. “Condos at Pueblo del Mar were listing for $66,000 and being sold at $55,000 or $58,000. Now those condos are selling from $175,000 to $178,000.”
Shantz, a Canadian who has lived in the Tamarindo area almost six years, was looking for a home for herself three years ago. At the Villas Mariposa, which she described as “very nice, very private,” units were selling for about $90,000.
“Now we have one of them listed for $259,000,” Shantz said.
But Shantz believes prices in Tamarindo have peaked out for the time being because of the hundreds of new condominiums and houses coming on the market.
“I think we’re going to see a bit of a shift,” she said when asked if sellers were being unrealistic in their asking prices. “I hate to use the word correction.
“We say to our clients, ‘Do you want to list it or do you want to sell it?’ People have to be realistic and realize that they can’t just keep asking higher and higher prices, especially for luxury homes. They end up having them on the market for a year or more,” Shantz said.
Some would-be sellers “don’t just put their price up by $100,000, they will put it on the market for a half million dollars or more at one jump,” she said.
Currently, Shantz said, condominiums are the big market.
“Some developers are being more realistic and some are not. There are so many (units) coming online now, the competiton is fierce. It’s a buyer’s market now,” she said.
“What’s been interesting this past year with the condos is that we’re seeing a lot come on the market in the same range -- from $300,000 to a half million. The lower end stuff has sold much more quickly. Anything we’ve got for less than $200,000 gets snapped up very quickly. But most developers don’t want to build low-end.”
So what advice would Shantz offer to a new developer?
“Right now in this area, get a little more realistic. Look out for the middle class guy. Not all of us have a half million dollars to spend on a condominium.”
Another change in recent years is that the market is moving inland, Shantz said. “Tamarindo already is pushing out toward Villareal. You see more developments in Santa Rosa and Hernandez -- smaller gated communities,” she said.
“You get some people who are retiring down here and who are middle class. They can’t afford to be in Tamarindo, or they don’t want the hustle and bustle of downtown Tamarindo. They want to be close enough to utilize the amenities but live in a more tranquil setting.”
Despite the changes in availability and pricing, Shantz foresees continued success for the real estate market in the Tamarindo area.
“I think any coastal area -- it doesn’t matter whether in the U.S. or Canada or in Costa Rica -- it’s always going to be prime real estate because people simply want to be by the ocean,” she said.
While Shantz is cautiously optimistic about the Tamarindo area, some real estate professionals in Flamingo believe that property values in that community have not even approached their potential worth.
Bob Davey, broker-owner of Century 21 Marina Trading Post, scoffs at the idea that property there has peaked.
“Ridiculous,” he said. “It’s the beginning of time for us. We’re just at the start.”
Although the company handles properties throughout Guanacaste, its office is in Flamingo and that community is where it does a significant portion of its business.
“You can’t get a piece of property here for less than $1 million,” Davey said. “We have a great project in Playa Grande, with lots in the low hundreds. People are buying them sight unseen from the United States. It’s very early on for this market.”
One reason Davey cites for his enthusiasm is the current administration of Costa Rica President Oscar Arias and what it is doing to sustain good development by improving infrastructure and security.
“This administration has put it in place a good plan,” Davey said. “The last administration didn’t do anything. They might have even gone backwards.
Davey said some visitors and potential investors “left here and gave Costa Rica a bad rap” because of its poor roads and other problems.
“It’s indescribable how poor the roads were. People were leaving here with back and neck injuries. And the (Liberia) airport experience was bad. There were the bad headlines we had for the past year -- the security situation got out of control. Not just for tourists; the foreigner residents and the locals were prey, too.”
But the creation of a new tourist police force and the decision by several coastal communities to hire private security is turning that situation around, Davey said.
Developers have helped fix some infrastructure needs, and the new administration is committed to improving roads, bridges and the airports.
“I’ve been here for 17 years,” Davey said. “I’ve watched every quirk and quiver of this market. It’s never been stronger.”

Build in Guanacaste, and investors will come

2007-07-15T20:41:00.000-07:00

Source (www.journalcr.com) By Peter Freeman
The road leading to Costa Blanca del Pacifico, a luxury resort in Guanacaste, is flawlessly paved. The roads winding through the hills of the surrounding Papagayo Bay are also perfectly maintained. They’re a dream come true to the foreign tourist coming to Costa Rica with recounted horror stories of potholes and muddy banks around every turn.
The government is not the first to thank for the smooth ride, however, but rather the resorts, who have personally laid and maintained the roads that service their properties.
Maintaining even roads is only a part of a more general practice in Costa Rica’s tourism industry: privately filling the holes in public infrastructure and services left undeveloped by the federal and local governments. Holes that, to the foreign tourist coming to the country to travel or retire in luxury, are aggravating. The developers are taking the same attitude towards the country’s local economies, as well. If their guests can’t find the high scale stores and restaurants in town that they’re accustomed to, the resort will build the facilities. If the medical services available in town don’t meet the guests’ standards, the resort will build a clinic that does. Because many of the foreigners entering the country these days are here to live long term, they are bringing with them their standards of living acquired in their home countries - well developed first-world economies like the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Few are able to better observe these trends than Michael Simons of Remax Tres Amigos in Playa Hermosa, the most successful Remax agency in the world outside of the United States.
“There is a very good camaraderie between the developers here. They understand that they have to bring in the water and the electricity because the government isn’t going to do it. Because they’re making the money here, not the government. And its not the buyers’ responsibility, either - its the developers’. And most of them are doing a good job,” Simons said.
Nowhere yet has private investment been as noticeable as in Costa Rica’s seventh and largest province, Guanacaste. The northwest region is currently experiencing a development boom, receiving 59 percent of real estate investment nationwide last year. “Location, location, location” still being the central tenet of real estate value, Guanacaste’s close proximity to the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste, is the heart of the region’s rapid growth. Proximity to the airport is so important because, as Brad Schaepp from Costa Blanca del Pacifico said,“many tourists are looking for a base camp.” The flight to Liberia from Miami, Florida is two hours long; three hours from Houston, Texas. Costa Rica is a quick, convenient flight for many, and they want the time it takes to get to a hotel or second home, drop off their suitcase, and hit the sun to be relatively as short. After touching down, tourists only have to travel half an hour to an hour to reach Guanacaste’s most popular beaches. From the Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, it usually takes four or more hours to reach the same destinations.
When Liberia’s airport first began servicing direct international flights three years ago, only 50,000 people a year were arriving. In 2005, 300,000 travelers landed and 450,000 came through the airport in 2006. Continental Airlines, who uses Liberia as its Central American hub, will soon double the number of weekly flights from eight to sixteen. Yet many are finding that the terminal is already too small to accommodate the traffic. It is not uncommon to have to wait outside for a taxi or shuttle to avoid the crowd inside. Of course, there is a canopy to provide shade from the sun. But it is provided by the local businesses receiving guests, not the airport itself.
The nature of the tourism market in Guanacaste is one of isolation on a number of levels. “We’re not really competing with the central Pacific,” Schaepp said. “It’s a different market.”
It’s true, the market in Guanacaste is unique, mostly because of the mega-resorts and residence communities that seem to be popping up everywhere. Enormous tracts of land – 200 acres or more - are being developed to be self-sufficient, virtual towns. Playa de Coco, a small beach town twenty minutes from the airport in Liberia, will soon become the model of this development trend in Guanacaste. Ten minutes north around the corner is Papagayo Gulf, dotted with mega-resorts, including Costa Blanca del Pacifico and the Four Seasons Resort, Peninsula Papagayo. Fifteen minutes south is the Papagayo Golf Club, a mega-resort and residence community with the region’s only golf course. In Coco, the Pacifico Beach Club is under construction and will soon be a model of an integrated business and residential community.
The Pacifico Beach Club looks like a luxury hotel in Dubai might look. Its design is clean and stylish, the beach side pools are carved into a stone patio, the water coming flush to the edge, and the tanning mattresses laid out match the beige tents and deck chairs. This area and the clubhouse are look like an oasis closed off from the beach by a large Guanacaste Stone wall. The guests socializing are noticeably international, speaking Russian, Polish, French, English, and Spanish, amongst other languages. Uphill from the club is 175 acres of land cleared for the development of 500 residences in total, including town homes for one or multiple families, custom built homes, condos, and vacant lots available for purchase and private development. Pacifico has already laid the access roads and utilities. New construction, aside from having to pass a loose architectural review, is up to the buyer to design. Pacifico is hoping that this freedom to design will produce a varied landscape of homes, rather than the matching housing complexes that many tourists find dull.
The home sites are starting at $75,000 for a .22 acre lot with a 324 square meter buildable pad lot size. Jayson Matthews at Pacifico considers this price a steal, pointing out that, “you can’t find any comparable property in Coco for under $100,000.” The most expensive plots are priced up to $275,000 for .52 acres and a 736.7 square meter buildable pad lot size. A range of already built homes are also available with a variety of custom features and design aspects, although, as Matthews said, “the view is the most important factor in determining price.”
Pacifico’s largest selling point, however, is its savvy for community design and development. First of all, the community is gated with only one guarded entrance. “Security is a huge issue,” said Matthews. Secondly, when the buyers move in (the first closings are set for late March, 2007) they will be able to shop at Pacifico’s retail village, which will include a design center, a furniture store, and an AutoMercado, as well as various other upscale businesses. It will be open to the public, although is designed to serve the wealthier Pacifico residents. One must wonder if the jobs created by the village will balance out the economic division it will create between Coco town and Pacifico’s residents.
Such a push to the economy by developers is not an unnatural step, however, and many think that it is necessary. As Simons points out, “it always takes a while for infrastructure to catch up to growth. The same thing happens in the United States.” Simons is optimistic that the Costa Rican government will pick up speed. “In time, the government will take [such development] over,” he said. “They are doing their job already. Look, roads are better, the airport is bigger. Things will improve, especially with the new president.”
Neither are developers looking to crowd out the local economy. Costa Rica is internationally recognized as a country that takes care of its residents and its environment during economic transitions. Dave Reynolds, the owner of the Papagayo Golf and Country Club, attributes the success of his mega-resort and housing community to an intelligent, considerate business approach. Papagayo offers 138 plots for purchase (only 26 are left). Most are 1.25 – 3 acre plots at about $22 per square meter, located on and around their golf course. The houses built are ranging from $400,000 to $650,000 and the 130 condos available have been going for between $240,000 and $325,000.
Reynolds has seen that customers want to stay and live at the Club for two reasons. One, the golf: “one fifth of tourists come to Costa Rica to play golf,” he says. “And the census went up accordingly. We really don’t have any competition in the region because we are the only resort in the Coco area that has a golf course.” Secondly, however, Reynolds has been very sensitive to customers’ demands that the resort pay attention to the impact it is making on the community, especially with regard to the environment. For that reason, Reynolds only cut 52 old growth trees on the property, planted 3,000 fruit trees, and preserved 18 percent (82 acres) of the land as green space in order to maintain wildlife corridors. In addition, Papagayo uses a type of grass on the course that lives on salt water. This allows the resort to avoid using insecticides and fungicides, as well as limiting the runoff of fresh water into the surrounding coastal area. “It is usually seen as a loss not to develop land, but this sort of conservation does not loose any money,” Reynolds said. He attributes this to a clientele that comes to Costa Rica with a particular eco-friendly profile in mind and are pleased to know that they are not damaging the country’s rich environment - one reason they came in the first place.
Guanacaste’s profile is undoubtedly changing. It is many times more expensive than it was a couple of years ago, but still very cheap to the wealthy foreigners that are driving the market. As Simons points out, “most clients laugh at the prices. They see how cheap it is and say, ‘I’ll take two.’” A $300,000 house in Playa Hermosa, for example, would go for $2 million in Hawaii. One of the attractions of Costa Rica is that it’s less expensive than Florida, the Caribbean, the Virgin Islands, and Hawaii, the most comparable alternative locations. As cheap as it may be, however, it’s still all relative, he says: “Most of my transactions are in cash, and if a client doesn’t have that kind of money, he’s probably not looking to come to Costa Rica anyway.” In addition, those moving to Costa Rica right now are those who are here to retire or have a second or third home. Most of them have $300,000 or more in the bank.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie celebrated New Year’s at the Four Seasons, Peninsula Papagayo. They drove out to the resort on a well paved road and did not have to worry about the high-speed Internet in their room failing, as the publicly provided Internet service sometimes does, because Four Seasons provides its own service off the public grid. Guanacaste is at the forefront of Costa Rica’s tourism boom and is the first to see these sorts of pushes towards privatization. With the pending passing of the CAFTA (a free trade agreement between Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and the United States), Costa Rica is gearing up for a largescale privatization of the state-monopolized telecommunications and securities industries, as well as a general economic aperture. Many see Guanacaste as the vanguard of this transformation, simply anticipating the inevitable nation-wide sweep. Much change has already taken place, but the market is still young and still a good investment on any level. And why not? The roads are nice, the shopping is great, and the beaches are beautiful.

Real Estate in Costa Rica is maturing

2007-07-15T20:38:00.000-07:00

Source (www.journalcr.com) By Peter Freeman
The real estate market in Costa Rica, in response to booming investment and international attention, is entering a stage of sophistication. With better financing options, more established developers, and more savvy consumers and businessmen alike, Costa Rica is a secure and transparent investment. As the market matures, however, it is also tightening, and prices across the country are reacting quickly. Nevertheless, very few buyers are feeling excluded from the rush and the full gamut is making the plunge.
Costa Rica, with an average annual growth rate of 4.5 percent over the past ten years, has become increasingly seen as a strong and sustainable economic environment for both foreign and domestic investors. Where the country used to rely on exportation of produce like bananas and coffee, real estate is the currently indispensable market.
The economic environment over the past few years has reflected investor confidence in Costa Rica. Capital investments in 2006 grew at a rate large enough to cover the public sector’s account spending. There were $1.89 billion worth of private capital investments in 2006, which translates into 8.7 percent of Costa Rica’s gross national product (GDP). Similar investment in 2005 was limited to $1.4 billion – 6.8 percent of the country’s GDP.
According to Dr. Luis Massalles, Costa Rican economic think tank analyst, a large portion of this investment is coming from foreign direct investment in real estate. Real estate FDI alone accounted for 1.1 percent of GDP in 2005, and Masalles expects it to amount to a similar figure for 2006 and continue to grow.
The real estate hot spot last year was the northwest Guanacaste region, Costa Rica’s seventh and largest province and home of some of the country’s most coveted beaches. In 2005, Guanacaste captured 53.2 percent of real estate FDI. The San Jose province, including the Central Valley, captured 25.4 percent. The Puntarenas province, including Jaco, Manuel Antonio, and the South Pacific, received 29.7 percent. Alajuela received 12.7 percent, Cartago 7.9 percent, Heredia 13.7 percent, and Limón 4.4 percent.
Guanacaste is dominating both the volume and nature of real estate investment in the country. It has some of the country’s most beautiful beaches and can be quickly reached by the Daniel Odubar International Airport in Liberia, the province’s capital.
The controlling trend is the development of resort and residence communities designed to provide the services and amenities of a full town. The Los Suenos Resort in Jaco was the leader of this trend, although communities like Pacifico Beach Club and the Papagayo Golf Club in the Playa de Coco area seem to be popping up everywhere. Like the course of development booms everywhere, infrastructure and services have taken a while to catch up to the speed of construction in Costa Rica. Instead of waiting for the government, such projects are taking the initiative to flesh out the local economies with anything from luxury furniture stores to medical clinics. The Four Seasons, Papagayo Peninsula in Guanacaste provides its guests Internet access from their own private grid, for example, because they feel it is more consistent than the service provided by the government run monopoly, from which the rest of the country connects.
The condominium market is also in full swing in areas of Guanacaste like Tamarindo, and the rates of appreciation are offering various opportunities for investors to make a quicker profit than through the purchase of land. Many think that prices have peaked in the area, however, for the time being.
The Central Valley is becoming a less expensive alternative to the beach, as well as having access to more developed infrastructure and governmental services. In addition, the Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose is centrally located in the middle of the most populated suburbs. For those who are raising a family, the education is notably superior to the options in periphery, especially for private schools.
In contrast to the residential developments dominating the coastal regions, the driving force in the Central Valley is commercial construction. Most of this investment is in speculation of a future residential boom, although many think that it is outpacing residential growth and an over saturation of the market is occurring.
In the southern Nicoya Peninsula region, prices have been shooting up for the past five years. Properties are appreciating at rates between 20 and 100 percent and the low-end market is becoming non-existent as a lot of any size five minutes from the beach can’t be found for less than $150,000.
The low end market is still robust in the South Pacific regions of Golfito, however. The Caribbean side is largely undeveloped and cheap, although has not seen much investment due to security concerns.
Countrywide, analysts are seeing the beginning of a boom, and there are a number of reasons why the market is growing now and will continue to grow. Due a number of factors regarding Costa Rica’s economic and political climate, Costa Rica is, according to Jim Gale at Paradise Brokers in Dominical, “one of the best and most secure real estate purchases in the world.”
The number one reason Gale cites is accessibility, principally convenience of travel to and within the country. There are now two international airports - the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste and the Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose - welcoming almost 1.7 million tourists last year. The large majority of those tourists are still form the United States, who fly here in two hours from Miami, three from Dallas, Texas, for example. After touching down, the beach can be as close as 20 minutes away from Oduber, never more than a three hour car ride from Juan Santamaria.
The second most influential factor is an aging demographic of buyers sitting on retirement funds. Gale has seen evidence of the baby boomer generation putting the same pressure on foreign markets as it has in the United States. 70 percent of his customers are from the United States, he says, mostly looking for a retirement getaway.
Second home sales surged this past year, equalling a third of the market in the United States; Costa Rica is the size of West Virginia. Most attribute the attractiveness of Costa Rica to the growth potential, citing the figure that properties can appreciate three or four times before they reach the price of a comparable property in the United States or Europe.
Another motive to get away has been the rising concern over terrorism amongst United States citizens. Aside from creating a drive out of the States, Costa Rica, with a long tradition of democracy (some say Latin America’s longest, although Venezuela would debate that) and no standing army, is a refreshingly peaceful option.
Gale, along with investors around the country, have seen a recent maturation of the financial markets. The availability of financing, especially through pre-packaged mortgages and standardized plans, has attracted investors that may have been wary to put money into the country before. “Investors and buyers alike are not willing to invest until they see that these things are already underway,” says Brad Schaepp of Costa Blanca del Pacifico in Guanacaste. “Now, we are seeing the market become more sophisticated. The process is becoming standardized.”
Financing options are also expanding on all levels, says Schaepp. “Banks are competing for mortgage financing, where before, investors were financing themselves or reaching out to private lenders. Approved financing options are taking off, as well. “I am very excited about [Banco Nacional] organizing around qualified projects,” Schaepp says.
The market to the south in Manuel Antonio is seeing a similar development. Banks there are starting to offer 30 percent down financing with the option to defer payments, for example. “This is a new thing,” says Richard Lemire from Manuel Antonio Estates, one of the area’s leading real estate agency.
The standardization of the financial market is only one aspect of the progress Costa Rica’s real estate market has made. The growing market has also created more sophisticated business standards. Investing and developing in the country is becoming a more educated, professional practice. One only has to Google ‘Costa Rica’ to learn the in’s and out’s of the whole process of investing here. Much of this information is intentionally made clear by the development companies as an effort to ease buyers’ tension about dealing long distance “Developers are coming in to build up the marketing and advertising markets,” says Schaepp. “As well as more professional P.R.”
The businesses themselves are internally more sophisticated, as well. “Projects are coming in with an understanding of pro forma,” says Schaepp. This is a necessary step to reassuring and attracting capitalized investors. “This security is driving up investment because it is much easier to foretell how the process will run and how the market will reward the investment,” Schaepp says.
Costa Rica also has famously low taxes. Today, a homeowner has to pay four percent property taxes. Setting aside alternatives in the United States and Europe, Costa Rica is seen as a better investment than its neighbors. In Panama, for example, property taxes are payed on an accumulating scale that adds up to almost six percent once the value of the house exceeds $100,000. In Nicaragua, taxes are lower than in Costa Rica but the political situation is tenuous for foreign investors. In addition, there are no capital gains taxes on properties in Costa Rica and the rates of business taxation are comparably low.
No matter who you are, you will not be restricted from owning property in Costa Rica. This is not the case in Mexico and most ofCentral America and is a huge draw for foreign buyers looking to retire and put legalities behind them.
What buyers are demanding once in Costa Rica is recreation and convenient amenities. Costa Rica is the land of recreation, ranging from the extreme rip cord rides through the rain forest canopy to the decidedly safe suntanning. The retiring demographic, while probably more active than the average, is favoring the more leisurely activities. According to Dave Reynolds at Papagayo Golf Club in Guanacaste, one fifth of foreigners coming to the country are coming to play golf. The second largest leisure activity is boating and fishing, and the proximity to a marina is increasingly determining where homeowners settle.
No matter what the taste, Costa Rica is internationally recognized as being able to deliver. If one can’t already find satisfaction in the existing landscape and economy, it can probably be created. The range of possibility is has been attractive to the range of real estate investors; what is actually attracting them is the increased sophistication of the financial market. With it, the business community on both sides of the transaction is maturing.
For its seemingly irrational fluctuations and high prices, there is a firm foundation being laid to the real estate market to support a sustained growth to match the country’s strong economic progress.

FIFCO Unloads Stake In Paradisus Playa Conchal

2007-07-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

Source (www.thebeachtimes.com) By Staff Beach Times
Florida Ice and Farm Company, Costa Rica’s brewing and real estate giant, has unloaded its stake in the Hotel Paradisus Playa Conchal, one of Guancaste’s most prestigious all-inclusive resorts.Reserva Conchal, the parent company of the 930-hectare (2,297 acres) real-estate development project of the same name, in Cabo Velas, has sold a 90 per cent stake in the 302-room hotel to Caribbean Property Group, a US investment fund.The deal is worth $135 million.Under the arrangement, Florida Ice and Farm Company (FIFCO) retains a ten per cent interest in the hotel, which carries the Meliá brand.“The reason we did this is because we are not hotel operators or owners,” said Carlos Francisco Echeverriá, head of public affairs for FIFCO, late this week.“We wanted to keep a minimum ownership only in as much as it is closely related to our real estate business,” Mr Echeverriá said.FIFCO also retains the Garra de Leon Golf Course, as well as the remaining 700 hectares outside the hotel.The deal has been several years in the making.It began to move when FIFCO acquired three key Costa Rican assets of SAB Miller, one of the world’s biggest brewers with brewing interests or distribution agreements in more than 60 countries across six continents.Specifically, FIFCO wanted the Central American bottler, Embotelladora Centroamericana S.A. (ECSA), the drinks distributor, Distribuidora Centroamericana de Bebidas S.A., and critically, SAB Miller’s 42.5 per cent interest in Reserva Conchal.That gave FIFCO an 85 per cent interest in the Cabo Velas property.“As the controller of Reserva Conchal, we decided to sell our majority shareholding in the hotel business,” said Mr Echeverriá. “We formed a new company and now own just ten per cent, while CPG owns 90 per cent.”The Caribbean Property Group manages the Caribbean Real Estate Opportunity Fund 2005, an investment fund of private capital of $500 million. It is sponsored by Goldman Sachs and includes Perry Capital and about 15 other, smaller investors.According to Jorge Volio, the Chief Executive Officer of Volio Capital, since January 2006 CPG has embarked upon an aggressive acquisition campaign. “They raised a fund from sophisticated, US investors, of about $500 million which gives them the opportunity to leverage the capital across about $2 billion in assets,” said Mr Volio.“The purpose of the fund is to acquire ongoing concerns with cash flows already happening.”Volio Capital represents CPG in Central America, and Mr Volio negotiated the latest deal.CPG has concentrated on four types of acquisitions --- hotels and other assets in the hospitality industry, office buildings, commercial and retail properties, plus industrial facilities.In Costa Rica they have acquired the Fiesta Premier Hotels in Papagayo and Puntarenas. In a deal with the Hilton Hotels Corporation, those properties have been re-branded a Hilton Hotel and a Doubletree by Hilton.In Costa Rica, the investments of CPG include the industrial free zone of Global Park, plus the Court Marriott Hotel in San José. The group also owns hotels in the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and Aruba.Mr Volio said there were no plans to alter the operations of the Hotel Paradisus Playa Conchal.“There are no plans to re-brand the property,” Mr Volio said. “The Melia is a successful hotel, it is profitable, and we would not have done this if it were not.”Both sides in the negotiation say they expect the deal to be finalized when due diligence is complete, probably within about 60 days.Reserva Conchal is one of the foremost tourist developments on the Pacific Coast.It started with Paradisus Playa Conchal, the Melia-operated, five-star, 400-plus-room, hotel, finished July of 1996, and was followed a year later with the opening of the 18-hold Garra de León golf course.Under the 15-year Master Plan, the property will eventually be divided up into three main areas.A second resort is to be built, as well as another golf course, and an equestrian center. Plans call for more than 700 lots to be released containing a mixture of condominiums, duplexes, single dwelling houses, villas and in some cases, building lots.The group also plans to develop Los Altos, a small outcrop of land overlooking Playa Conchal from the south. Here will be a six-star, 70-room, boutique hotel, high-priced condominiums, duplexes and villas all overlooking an isolated beach whose only access will be by boat.Reserva Conchal is known to be in active negotiations to begin building the second resort, to take advantage of the lack of all-inclusive accommodation along the coast. Management will not be drawn on how that hotel project might be developed.One possibility, given the recent deal over the Paradisus Playa Conchal, would be to simply sell property, allow other developers to build the hotel and use the facility to draw buyers for their real estate.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: www.century21incostarica.com
Website: www.northpacificproperties.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Century 21 At the Beach in Playas del Coco

2007-07-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

A new Century 21 office have been opened in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
The new office name is Century 21 At the Beach located in Playas del Coco.
Office Broker: Roger Vlasos
Broker's Email: roger@century21incostarica.com
Office phone number: 011-506-670-0397
Office Web site: www.century21incostarica.com

The Glare of a Spotlight as the British Arrive

2007-07-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

Source (http://www.thebeachtimes.com/) By Ralph Nicholson
They looked a little stunned by all the attention, 258 British tourists getting off a flight that had taken exactly 11 hours and 11 minutes, stepping into both Guanacaste’s heat and a throng of reporters, photographers and camera operators. But while it might have been just another annual vacation to the weary holiday makers, eager to get to their package hotels, to the tourist industry it is another indication the Costa Rican tourism industry is alive and kicking. When First Choice Airways, one of Britain’s leading leisure airlines, touched down in Guanacaste this week, it became the first direct charter flight from Europe to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. And if to indicate they mean business, the airline arrived with a huge, refurbished, Boeing 767-300. Which immediately caused a problem. Ground crew had practiced with the hand-made, manually-operated staircase, but when they pulled it up to the front door of the airplane, it didn’t reach. After some red faces, another staircase was pulled into place. “That’s part of the problem,” said John Pratt, ground operations manager of First Choice. “It’s a big plane, and this airport is really set up for the smaller, short-haul US aircraft.” Which is why Aviation officials agreed to ship from San José a Lantis Loader, a specially-designed freight-handler which will allow baggage to be lifted high enough to load in the 767’s cargo bay.
© Ralph Nicholson

The flight, which will operate every Monday until October, is believed to be the first charter service with a first-class (or what First Choice call a Premium Star Class) section. All 60 seats were full for the incoming trip. Holiday-makers paid between $1200 and $2600 for the one and two-week packages depending upon whether they just wanted the sun and the beach, or were prepared to head inland. The flight also included 20 First Choice staff --- mostly vacation package sellers back in the United Kingdom --- who are in the country for two weeks, guests of their employer, so they can better sell packages. Rachel Holmes, from Dunstable in Bedfordshire, had won her trip because her travel agency had sold the most tickets to Costa Rica ---- 18 in all. Many others had also won the trips. “This is important,” said Alvaro Conejo, President of the Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism. “It is interesting because this flight is arriving during the traditionally low season and this could help stabilize the tourism industry.” For the Minister of Tourism, the arrival was more simple. “Something has to right with the destination when people are prepared to fly for 11 hours to visit Costa Rica,” he said.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: www.century21incostarica.com
Website: www.northpacificproperties.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Foreign Investment in Local Property Trebles

2007-07-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

Source (http://www.thebeachtimes.com/) By Leland Baxter-Neal
Central Bank Points To First Quarter in Puntarenas and GuanacasteForeign investment in Costa Rica’s real estate industry has nearly tripled in the past 12 months, according to Costa Rica’s Central Bank. By the bank’s estimate, mostly US investors and homebuyers bought at least $192 million worth of property in the first three months of this year, largely in the provinces of Guanacaste and Puntarenas. That compares to $70 million during the same period in 2006. The estimate excludes purchases of hotels, tourism businesses and deals worth less than $100,000, and is recognized to be likely short of the real figure. “Certainly, as the recent Central Bank study shows, an important factor in the increment of foreign investment in the last months has been real estate development and property acquisition by foreigners,” said the Minister of the Presidency, Rodrigo Arias. “Much of this development is related to the tourism industry, precisely one of the engines of the country’s economy.” In fact, real estate prices up and down the Pacific coast have risen over the last year, as Guanacaste’s market matures and the central Pacific looks to be entering its own boom. Real Estate agents up and down the coast told The beach Times this week the bank’s figures measure up to what they’re seeing in their areas, where business continues to be good with both price and demand rising. Development is also becoming more high-end, they concurred, with more sophisticated and environmentally conscious developers and buyers following the path beaten years earlier by The Four Seasons Hotel, on the Papagayo Peninsula. In the Central Pacific sales are booming, as condominium projects go up rapidly along the coast. Many investors are looking further toward the horizon, however, in expectation of high-end, name-brand projects like those that have drawn so much press further north. In Guanacaste, the high-volume land purchasing of past years has given way to concentrated development, as much of the valuable beachfront and ocean view property has been bought up and many of the projects that were sold under pre-construction deals are now under way. “We personally aren’t slow, but I know that the trend has slowed down an awful lot,” said Penelope Lent, of Lent Eckhart Properties, from her office in Flamingo this week. “The big parcels purchased in 2005 and 2006 are now going vertical,” she said. “There are all kinds of things in the pipeline, but they’re not available at this moment, and might not be available for another year.” Bob Davey, of Century 21 in Flamingo, however, described business as brisk.
© Zoraida Diaz

GRIEF-STRICKEN: The body of 19-year-old construction worker David Rocha Gonzalez lays on Penca Beach in Guanacaste. The man was struck by lightning during a short-lived but fierce electrical storm on Sunday. “Last year was the biggest sales volume year we’ve had, and our company has grown every year. So far, through June, we are way ahead of the pace of ‘06, and the end of the year looks strong,” Mr Davey said. “And it’s large, sophisticated investors, private and institutional, that we’re working with. “President Oscar Arias has really kicked into gear to follow up on his promises to improve infrastructure, and that’s really helped turn around the negative publicity we had over the last two years,” Mr Davey added. According to Les Nunez, of First Realty, in Guanacaste’s Playa Hermosa, land prices have “gone double, to double-and-a-half.” “Ocean views are $500 per square meter and up, easily,” Mr Nunez said. “There’s been reports in Tamarindo of $1,000 per meter.” Single family homes range from $600,000 to $1.5 million, and are being sold for about double what they got last year, he added, while raw land has, in some cases, “gone triple." Mr Nunez chalks up the jump in prices to the arrival of major name brand projects in the region, such as the Westin Hotels and Resorts and the Mandarin-Oriental. Some 20 high-end hotels are currently being planned or built for Guanacaste’s northern coast, which would add hundreds of rooms to the area’s offerings and represent hundreds of millions of dollars in investment. Mario Solano, an economist with the Central Bank who worked on the property investment estimate, said that, though tourism investment figures for 2007 are not yet available, it nearly tripled between 2005 and 2006. He expects this year’s growth to be “a little more than that,” which is a factor pushing real estate investment. “We see a relationship between the two. The Hyatt comes out promoting people to come stay at its hotel, and a lot of people are going to be interested in buying property in that area." That is precisely what has real estate agents in the Central Pacific, particularly around Jacó, excited. Last year, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced they would be building a St Regis Resort with residential elements in the central Pacific with Costa Rican development firm Genesis. In addition to 133 luxury hotel rooms, the project includes “49 condominium-hotel residences,” 42 “whole-ownership condos” and nine estate homes. In Esterillos, just south of Jacó, two golf courses and attached residential communities – Cabo Caletas and Del Pacífico – are under construction. In Jacó, an estimated 2000 condos are at different stages of development, from un-permitted plans to near-completion. “What’s happened is the central Pacific has really now started to move in a forward direction, with growth and bigger name projects with branding,” said Scott Williams, a real estate agent with 2 Costa Rica Realty. “Those things were before exclusively Guanacaste.”
© Files Beach Times

STRATEGY ON TRACK: Minister of the Presidency Rodrigo Arias says the government strategy to attract foreign investment that will create jobs is still among President Arias’ priorities. Prices remain lower than in Guanacaste on the average, but have still increased dramatically, sometimes double, over the last year. Tim Kopatich, with Crystal Clear Realty, said that 1800-square-foot homes that his company is selling in Bejuco, south of Esterillos, have gone from $135,000 last year to $275,000 today. In general, however, he says prices in and around Jacó have increased about 35 to 40 percent over the last year. Jeff Fisher, of CR Beach Investment Real Estate, says prices in Jacó, Herradura and Playa Hermosa are up, and sometimes way up. “I worry when two-bedroom beachfront condos sell for more than $500,000, because the infrastructure hasn’t caught up with this new pattern of prices,” Mr Fisher said. “A year ago a two-bedroom beach front house was $375,000. It was cute that Jacó didn’t have any traffic lights or bike paths and had very few police. Now that prices have risen dramatically, its important that the new mayor and the chamber of commerce work quickly to demonstrate that changes are being made, as minor as putting a traffic light.” Mr Fisher added that, despite some extremes, the bulk of his condo sales are still around $250,000 to $350,000, and that condo prices in general have risen by about 25 per cent over the last year, while raw beachfront land has risen slightly more. “They’re asking $1000 to $1400 per square meter, while a year ago they were asking $600 to $1000,” he said. Most dramatic, however, has been the increase in rent for commercial space along Jacó’s main boulevard, Avenida Pastor Díaz, Mr Fisher said, where rent has gone from $300 per square meter to $1000. Mr Fisher said his buyers “are overwhelmingly buying condos, but a lot of my sales are also gated-community, single-family homes five blocks from the beach for $215,000. “Ninety per cent of the people are buying for investment purposes or for rental income. Ten per cent are telling me they want to move there,” Mr Fisher said. Further south, near Manuel Antonio, property values have risen less dramatically, according 2 Costa Rica Realty’s Williams. He estimates prices have increased about 15 to 20 per cent across the board. While raw beachfront land is now impossible to come by, 1000 to 1500-square-meter ocean view lots can be found for $250,000 to $350,000, he said.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: www.century21incostarica.com
Website: www.northpacificproperties.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Job opportunities on the rise in Guanacaste

2007-07-15T19:55:00.000-07:00

(source http://www.journalcr.com/)
(C.A. News) — From being a province traditionally dedicated to agriculture and livestock production, Guanacaste has been transformed in a broad epicenter of job options thanks to the tourism and real estate boom it now experiences.

The recent arrival of tourists and investors has generated jobs not only in the tourism and real estate fields, but also in areas such as services, transportation and commerce. Construction, hotels and real estate activities are, however, the ones demanding the most workers.

This boom has meant a sustained increase in employment opportunities for people of the province and also for professionals from San Jose’s metropolitan area, who migrate to Guanacaste attracted by the many and diverse jobs available.

According to data by the Homes and Multiple Purposes Census carried out by the National Statistics Institute, the working population in the Chorotega Region went up from 110,971 in 2002 to 130,529 in 2006, which shows how dynamic the job market has been in the area.

As of July 2006, there were 10,384 people in the Chorotega Region working in construction and 12,457 in the hotel industry. Real estate activities employed another 4,438 Guanacastecans.

Opportunities in many fields

Chances of finding employment in Guanacaste are now high and diverse, according to business people and representatives of the tourism and real estate sectors.

Mauricio Cespedes, director of the Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism (CATURGUA), said all trades and skills are sought after in the province now, since not only firms dedicated to tourism need qualified personnel, but also those that offer services related to this industry, such as travel agencies and transportation companies.

A similar opinion is that of Ignacio Pignataro, sales manager of the Tamarindo Heights project, who said the opening of shopping centers and real estate developments will generate better-paid jobs in the future.

“Guanacaste has depended on agriculture and livestock during a long time,” Pignataro said. “However, real estate developments and the opening of new shopping and business centers, office complexes and others, are beginning to create job opportunities that are better paid and have more growth possibilities.”

Tamarindo Heights, for example, employs 420 people, among them construction workers, sales personnel, administrators and accountants. Opening of the Garden Boutique Plaza shopping center, which belongs to the project, will soon provide even more jobs.

Randall Murillo, executive director of the Costa Rican Chamber of Construction, confirmed that demand in Guanacaste is high.

“There is a high demand in construction, so much so that we can’t find enough workers right now. We are needing engineering professionals, contractors and field workers,” Murillo pointed out.

Those interviewed agreed that the areas of services and commerce and the ones experiencing the largest growth.

An example is the expansion of renowned attorney firms to Guanacaste, as well as the opening of private banks in the province and the increasing demand for financial, accounting and administrative services. Likewise, the real estate industry has created openings for people experienced in sales to work as agents.

“The tourism industry generates employment in areas related or linked to its development, such as education, commerce, services and sectors such as construction, engineering and similar trades,” said Patricia Sanchez, director of Peninsula Papagayo Human Development.

This project, for instance, has 435 collaborators who work in different tourism, services and development occupations.

The opening of well-known supermarket, restaurant, pharmacy, gas station, car rental and shopping/office center chains is also an indication that employment in services and commerce is more abundant day by day. The Automercado supermarket chain will open new stores in Tamarindo and Playas del Coco by the end of the year, in alliance with the Tamarindo Heights and Pacifico real estate projects.

Murillo added that in terms of construction, every direct job generates two indirect positions in areas such as plumbing, electricity, gardening, transportation, and many more.

What do businesses need?

Although each productive sector and each company requires personnel with different characteristics, sources agree that knowledge of English is the main requirement of area employers.

“Knowing English is almost a basic requirement; it’s no longer an added value. Now the companies need people who also speak German, Italian and French, and many are betting on Mandarin Chinese anticipating the future,” said Cespedes, who added that knowledge of computer software is another key skill.

Companies such as Tamarindo Heights and Peninsula Papagayo indicated they also seek people with good service skills, strong work ethics and a sense of commitment.

“Attitude and the desire to improve, combined with an adequate academic background, are what we are looking for,” Pignataro explained. “To be successful in such a competitive market is increasingly difficult for those who don’t have the right attitude to carry out this kind of work.”

Murillo said that in the construction business, companies seek engineers who have some kind of specialized training. But he insisted that there are still gaps in the training of laborers and technicians in areas such as electricity and machinery, for example.

The growing competitiveness in the tourism and real estate industry have already created challenges, since finding enough bilingual workers in Guanacaste is some times complicated. Additionally, employers also have to deal with issues such as finding accommodations or providing transportation to workers who come from other areas.

Who works in Guanacaste?

Experts agree that shortcomings in academic training and the lack of experience of the locals in management positions are the reasons behind the migration of many professionals from San Jose to Guanacaste. Companies prefer to have qualified and experienced personnel, even if they have to bring them from other parts of the country or from overseas and have to invest more in salaries and operational costs.

For instance, 80 percent of the workforce at Tamarindo Heights comes from other provinces or countries. However, the developers hope that the inauguration of the project’s shopping center will mean more jobs for people from the area.

The opposite happens in the case of Peninsula Papagayo, where 87 percent of workers are Costa Ricans and 13 percent foreigners. Of that 87 percent, 76 percent are from Guanacaste, 18 percent from San Jose and 6 percent from the rest of the country.

“The migration of professionals from urban areas to Guanacaste happens mostly in positions that can’t still be filled by local people because of training or experience, and that’s why it’s so important to promote training among Guanacastecans,” explained Sanchez, who added that Peninsula Papagayo works with national institutions to promote educational programs and employment fairs so that Guanacaste can take advantage of the opportunities brought about by tourism.

Institutions that work with Peninsula Papagayo include the University of Costa Rica (UCR), the National University (UNA), the National Learning Institute (INA), the Federation of Guanacaste Municipalities, CATURGUA and the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals (ACOPROT).

“Public and public universities, INA and other learning institutions became aware of the great need and opportunity in training competent workers, and have made strides to meet such needs,” Sanchez concluded.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: www.century21incostarica.com
Website: www.northpacificproperties.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

HERMOSA DEL MAR CONDOMINIUM

2007-07-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

Located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, and only 20 minutes away from Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Hermosa del Mar is nestled along the sparkling sands of Playa Hermosa with crystal clear waters flowing across the exotic tropical scenery......soothing ocean breezes await you in what will without a doubt become your private refuge.
Great Ocean View - only 200 yard from the beach.
One of the most exclusive project in Costa Rica.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: www.century21incostarica.com
Website: www.northpacificproperties.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com

Pacifico unveils model homes

2007-07-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

Source: www.journalcr.com
Edition # 94
(C.A. News) — Exotic, comfortable and nice. Those are the adjectives that come to mind when observing the eight homes recently inaugurated by the Pacifico project in Playas del Coco, Guanacaste. An open house was organized to unveil the project, giving the public the chance to enjoy its amenities and entice them to get one of the homes.

Pacifico is a development of the Jack Parker Corporation, of U.S. capital, which with more than 50 years of experience in the business saw on the Guanacaste coast an ideal place to establish a resort-style community that would include all services and amenities possible, in an exotic locale of great natural beauty.

The model homes are identical to the ones currently being built, all decorated by U.S. company Robb and Stucky, which has more than 90 years of experience in interior design.

In total, the development has 350 condos, townhouses and villas, in addition to 20 apartments for rent and 150 lots for home sites, some of which have a superb view of the ocean.

The project occupies 75 hectares, for an investment of $100.

The first stage of the project, which began in October 2006, consists of 56 homes. Construction of this first phase is expected to be completed by August, but already more than 40 percent of the residences have been sold. A total of 61 lots for home sites and 25 residences have been sold.

The Pacifico Beach Club House, which will be available to all homeowners in the first phase, is almost ready as well.

“We are very satisfied with the number of buyers and the pace of sales at Pacifico. In contrast with the real estate market in the United States, the Latin American market has not slowed down, and continues to be a interesting market for buyers from all over the world,” said Kerry Trowbridge, senior vice president for Jack Parker Corporation.

Convenience and amenities

The idea behind Pacifico is to provide residents all amenities in the same place, so that they don’t have to go out of the complex to enjoy them.

Benefits include membership in the Pacifico Beach Club House, which will have a bar, restaurant, recreational areas and a pool, and access to the ocean. A shuttle service will be offered in the future to residents to go to the beach.

In addition, residents will be able to enjoy the Sunset Bar, pools for adults and children, tennis courts, a health club and spa, BBQ areas and a kids’ play area. All of this can be enjoyed with the peace of mind of 24-hour security services in the complex.

About 26 percent of the project’s total area will be landscaped, allowing for enjoyable walks. Residents will be able to relax, exercise and enjoy a water pavilion.

Also part of the project will be an Automercado grocery store and the Pacific Retail Village, a shopping center with 12 business spaces for professionals, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants and a tour operator. Robb and Stucky will have its first art studio outside of the United States here.

Both the supermarket and the shopping center will be located at the entrance of Pacifico, and they are expected to open in December. They will cater both to residents and the community.

Luxury residences

Pacifico offers its clients three types of residences: lifestyle, clubhouse and townhouse.

The difference among them has to do with the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Townhouses are bigger, with four bedrooms and four bathrooms on three roomy levels. All homes have a garage, with space for one or two cars.

All residences come equipped with appliances, kitchen furniture and first-class accessories. They are also wired for phone, Internet and cable.

For interior decoration, Pacifico established a strategic alliance with Robb and Stucky, which took care of the last little detail in the homes.

If the customer so wishes, he or she can request a non-decorated house. But for those who don’t want to worry about interior design, Robb and Stucky offers four decoration packages: Bali, Tortola, Watercolors and Carmel, including furniture, dish sets, curtains, towels and even table decorations.

This is Robb and Stucky’s first job overseas. They had worked in Europe and the Caribbean, but only in sales. In the case of Pacifico, the firm decided to bring its own designers to work with local experts, in order to adapt its styles to the tropics.

Dan Lubner, Robb and Stucky’s marketing vice president, said what sets his company apart from competitors is that it offers large quantities, volume and reasonable prices, in addition to providing customers total satisfaction.

“It’s a combination of quality, low prices and volume. Besides, we make sure the service is delivered correctly, that everything is put into place”, Lubner said.

Lubner added that one unique aspect of Pacifico’s decorations is the use of impermeable materials in outside furniture, with the goal of protecting them from water and salinity. The colors were also carefully chosen to be in harmony with nature.

Great expectations

Pacifico was conceived to be built and sold in five years. However, sales have been so good that the developers are considering accelerating construction.

Company calculations were conservative, as they initially estimated there will be 100 sales per year during four years. But in only five months there have been 86 sales.

Trowbridge underscored that an interesting situation has taken place: lots have been very well received, especially by Costa Ricans. Of the 61 that have been sold so far, 54 percent have been acquired by Ticos, followed by 36 percent by Americans.

This means that Costa Ricans are seeing Playas del Coco as a great investment opportunity, and not only as a traditional vacation spot.

The homes, on the other hand, have been bought mostly by Americans.

Jayson Matthews, sales team leader in Playas del Coco, said the buyers are many and very different.

“We see young families, retirees, people from Canada, Bermuda, the U.S. Locals are buying too, as they like the amenities of Pacífico,” Matthews said, adding that people invest in Costa Rica because they like the country, its people and the pace of life.

Home and lot prices start at around $150,000.

Trowbridge qualified this first international endeavor by Jack Parker as “a very positive experience,” as they have had the opportunity to work with very good professionals, both in the United States and in Costa Rica. Thanks to this, they are thinking about starting other projects, most likely in Guanacaste.

The project will continue collaborating with the community of Playas del Coco by donating money to pave the roads, beautify the boulevard and protect water sources.

Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Website: http://www.northpacificproperties.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com