October Marks the Start of Cruise Season and Brings More Tourism to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica’s Caribbean port town of Limon is getting ready for the coming cruising season, and has sworn that each and every tourist arriving at its port will be treated like a king or queen. The businessmen of the tourism world, the Chambers of Commerce and Tourism, as well as many drivers and tour guides are ready to welcome the passengers in style and with professionalism.

Even though the season usually starts in October, this years gang of tourism experts are already prepared to cater to the yearly influx of tourists. Over 90 directors working in tourism received training in Limon, by taking courses on subjects such as “The Service of Excellence” and “The pride of Minibus and Taxi drivers”. The courses were offered thanks to help from Adam Cesareno, Vice-President of the Caribbean Association of Florida, who came here specifically to train residents of Talamanca, Siquirres, Limon, Guacimo and Pococi on how to best welcome and treat the tourists.

Many attended the course and learned how to improve the service that they are giving. Language courses were also on the menu and many have now learned to speak English or have improve their existing skills. “Each individual tourist should be treated like a special guest”, Cesareno said.

The Costa Rica Tourism Institute (ICT) and the Board of the Administration of the Ports and Economic Development of the Atlantic Slopes (Japdeva) were responsible for these events. Japdeva focused on the creation of various formation procedures in which company directors from the province of Limon gained valuable knowledge and experience. More than 15 million colones (about $30,000) was spent to provide the training, and it is a very little price to pay considering that last year 131 cruises reached the port of Limon, bringing thousands of tourists to the area.

The city itself has undergone a few face-lifts over these past years, and the reputation Limon has as an unsafe and violent city is slowly but surely fading away. Some incidents, like tourists getting robbed in the market of the port itself, seriously damaged the industry, as well as some violent crimes that took place in the area.

Despite this, Limon and destinations such as Cahuita and Puerto Viejo remain some of the most visited and popular spots of the country, where the Caribbean culture can be tasted and experienced. Far from violent, the laid back and relaxed atmosphere, typical of the Caribbean culture, is what attracts visitors, together with its music and its food. Limon is an excellent introduction to the world Costa Rica Travel, with its lush and green landscape, beautiful sea and soft white sand, and its Caribbean culture plays an important role in its popularity and in being one of the top destinations in Central America today.

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Filed under: Travel on July 14th, 2008