Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, March 25,  2003

Emergency Tourism Task
Force Created to Prevent Crises
Fearing wartime fallout in Costa Rica's tourism driven economy, industry and government leaders yesterday announced formation of a Special Emergency Tourism Commission to develop a damage-control strategy.
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Exit-Tax Change Takes Flight Next Month
The first phase of implementing a flat exit fee for all travelers will take effect one month from today -- April 25 -- when the exit tax for all foreigners leaving the country by air will be adjusted to $26, according to Article II of Law 8316.
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Teachers' Strike Announced for Today
When students at the nation's public schools arrive for classes today, many of their teachers could be otherwise engaged, should they choose to heed a union call for a day-long strike to protest salary payment irregularities.
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Acting Classes
Skené Theater starts acting classes Level I today. Classes run for three months, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. Info: 224-5564.

Tuesday Night
Don’t miss tonight’s concert at the School of Music of the University of Costa Rica featuring music by Benjamín Gutiérrez, Victor Bruns and Michael Glicka. Yamileth Pérez, Pilar Redondo, Isabel Jeremías and Gerardo Duarte will delight the audience at 7 p.m. Free at room 107. Info: 207-5565.

Round Table
Bishop Antonio Sozzo, Vatican representative in C.R.; Eduardo Lizano, former president of the Central Bank; Lic. Javier Chávez, Minister of the Public Works and Transportation and Deputy Emilia M. Rodríguez will discuss the participation of the Catholics in Politics, at 7:30 p.m., Centro Universitario Miravalles, road to Sabanilla, 125 m. east of the sports center of the UCR. Info: 225-5507.

Emergency Tourism Task
Force Created to Prevent Crises
By Amanda Schoenberg
aschoenberg@ticotimes.net

Fearing wartime fallout in Costa Rica's tourism driven economy, industry and government leaders yesterday announced formation of a Special Emergency Tourism Commission to develop a damage-control strategy.

Although Tourism Minister Rubén Pacheco said the war in Iraq has not significantly affected tourism in Costa Rica during the first week, he expects its effects will be felt in some way or another.

William Rodríguez, president of the Costa Rican National Tourism Chamber (CANATUR), said any act of terrorism within Central America would result in the bleakest possible scenario for tourism. However, he added, a lengthy war in Iraq and any additional act of terrorism in the United States would also negatively affect the industry.

While preparing for the worst, the commission is focusing on an emergency strategy to expand the Central American market as a viable alternative to an industry dependent on North American tourism, especially during the traditionally high season of Holy Week, according to Rodríguez.

As part of the regional push, the emergency commission will suggest to the Costa Rican government that visitors from other areas in Central America be allowed to visit Costa Rica for up to 72 hours without having to pay an exit fee.

The commission also will lobby airlines to be more flexible with passengers, allowing cancellations and date changes without penalties.

"There is no industry greater affected than the airline industry," said Costa Rican Airline Association President Tomás Nassar, who called for airlines to learn from the industry's mistakes following Sept. 11.

Nassar said this time airlines couldn't and shouldn't expect the government to bail them out, but should instead focus on imaginative ways to maintain tourism while reducing costs.

Further solutions to the inevitable tourism slump will be discussed at today's Cabinet meeting.

Read Friday's TT print edition for full story.

Exit-Tax Change Takes Flight Next Month

The first phase of implementing a flat exit fee for all travelers will take effect one month from today -- April 25 -- when the exit tax for all foreigners leaving the country by air will be adjusted to $26, according to Article II of Law 8316.

Under the current system, tourists pay $17 in exit taxes, while Ticos pay $42 and foreign residents pay $63. The new law, which has been in the works for more than a year, will level off the exit taxes at $26 for everyone over one year.

According to the law, revenue collected from the new exit taxes will be divided between the central government ($12.15), Civil Aviation ($12.85) and $1 for efforts to modernize state-run airports in Liberia, Limón, Pavas, as well as 27 other airstrips around the country. The government has not yet decided if the new tax will be collected in the current form of timbres (exit stamps), or a new electronic payment system.

For the next year, Costa Rican nationals, in addition to the $26 exit fee, will continue to pay an additional $17 tax to the central government, according to Article 12. The flat $26 fee will be phased in for everyone by April 25, 2004.