About 40 tourism companies in the northwestern Guanacaste province are gearing up to hold a job fair Friday and Saturday in the province's capital city of Liberia, according to a statement from the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals (ACOPROT).

These companies specialize in tour operation, lodging, ground and air transportation and car rental, among other services, and are looking to fill 1,158 jobs in areas including reception, maintenance, food and beverage, entertainment, customer service, tours and administrative services.

More than half of these jobs require a second language, and most are looking to hire English speakers.

The goal of the job fair is to take advantage of able workers in the Guanacaste province, the statement said. This benefits the region by reducing unemployment and benefits the companies by saving them the cost of bringing workers to the area from San José and other cities to fill these jobs.

In the last regional job fair held in 2005, about 3,000 people looking to fill the 568 jobs available. This year, the event's organizers expect an even bigger turnout.