Tourist arrivals by plane to Costa Rica have increased 11.3 percent in the first nine months of this year, in comparison to the first nine months of 2006.  Air passengers represent about 78 percent of the total tourists that visit the country, the rest arriving by land or sea.

Costa Rica News — Liberia International Airport Courtesy of Nacion.Com

According to the National Tourism Chamber, Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport alone has seen an increase of 16.3 percent, or about 45,000 passengers, from the past year.  It is expected that about 450,000 passengers will pass through the airport in 2008.  The Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose experienced an increase of 9.8 percent.

Despite the increase, the Daniel Oduber Airport has yet to increase its capacity to handle the incoming passengers.  The money invested into airport improvements for this high season will be spent on airplane upkeep and improving flight operations conditions.

A new terminal for the airport has long been discussed, and it is hoped that the bid packet for construction will finally be released in early November of this year in La Gaceta, the official government newspaper.  The General Authority of Civil Aviation (DGAC) originally hoped to have the top bidder chosen last July.  Part of the delay has been due to the negotiation of four boarding bridges, an increase of $3 million to the $12 million expansion project.

If all goes to plan, the bidding should be awarded by March 2008, the construction should begin during the second semester of 2008, and it should be completed in preparation for high season 2009.

Some companies that have expressed interest in the bidding include the current administrator of the international airport in Houston in Texas, and administrator of an international airport in Montreal, Canada.  The winner will be responsible for completing the expansion, and managing the airport for the next 15 or 20 years.

The new terminal, designed to hold 1,500 passengers, will welcome tourists with cultural relics and themes from the region.  It will include airline counters, a shopping area, food court and eight boarding gates.

For this year’s high season, to minimize some of the crowding and long lines, hotels are beginning to allow customers to pay the airport tax before arriving to the airport and flights are being organized so as to not overlap throughout day.

This high season, the terminal is expected to receive 60 international and 70 local flights per week.

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Filed under: Costa Rica News on October 24th, 2007