June 26, 2020
Pro Image Association urgently calls on the Government to save the tourism sector.
Pro Image Association Costa Rica expresses its highest concern about the daily layoffs and closures of businesses as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, especially in the tourism industry.
Silvia Vargas, President of the association, stated that the tourism sector is aware of the need to prioritize the safety and health of citizens; therefore, prevention and compliance with the restrictions dictated by the Ministry of Health are fundamental. However, the tourism industry is currently experiencing the greatest crisis in its history and urgently needs measures to seek its resurgence and re-generate jobs. “Our industry is one of the main sources of employment and economic development in each of the regions of this country, generating more than 211,000 direct jobs and 400,000 indirect ones. It is urgent to clarify that the tourism sector has been preparing with the professionalism and responsibility that has always characterized it, and for weeks now, it has all the necessary protocols and measures to start the urgently needed reactivation process,” said Vargas.
The tourism activity has been the hardest hit economically, where hundreds of people are affected; left without work, with reduced working hours, and with great uncertainty. “We make a vehement call to the government of Costa Rica to prioritize tourism where it deserves to be and to open the borders in July 2020. We already have our protocols ready, and we cannot wait any longer,” said Mauricio Aymerich, a Pro Image executive.
Likewise, the Board of Directors of the association urges government authorities to maintain a fluid communication with representatives of the tourism sector, in order to prioritize needs and achieve the reactivation of this industry.
Pro Image Costa Rica is a non-profit organization dedicated to the international promotion of Costa Rica as a tourist destination and currently brings together more than 100 companies from different areas of tourism.
