Costa Rica all set to welcome American visitors again

Costa Rica will soon reopen its doors to American tourists — but only from six states. Starting September 1, residents of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont will be permitted to travel to the Central American country, according to an announcement made by Costa Rica’s tourism board.

“In these six states, there has been a very positive evolution of the pandemic and their epidemiological indicators are of high quality,” Gustavo Segura, Costa Rica’s Minister of Tourism, said in a statement.

In order to enter the country, American travellers will be required to present a valid driver’s license that shows they’re a resident in one of the approved states. Tourists entering Costa Rica are also required to fill an online health form prior to arrival and present negative results from a COVID-19 test administered within 48 hours of arrival. 

As of August 19, Costa Rica’s borders have opened to international tourists from the European Union, Europe’s Schengen Zone, the UK, Canada, Uruguay, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, China, and New Zealand.

According to the Embassy of Costa Rica, the country’s travel and tourism industry is worth an estimated $1.7 billion per year. Costa Rica usually sees more than 1.7 million visitors annually.