| An Anti-Price-Gouging
and Responsible Tour Operator campaign is underway in the La Fortuna
area, according to Christine Larson-Krishnan of Desafio Adventure
Company. Putting it very strongly, Christine wrote that, "We've
had it with people in the tourism business here in Costa Rica who
take advantage of tourists and charge exaggerated amounts so everyone
from greedy hotel receptionists, drivers, guides and others can get
their cut. Too often it's the unethical tour operator who keeps offering
higher commissions and therefore higher public prices that end up
cheating tourists and allow hotel receptionists to collect the commissions
under the table. It's sick the money some of these people make clandestinely!
It's getting out of hand and is reflecting in client satisfaction
polls that indicate tourists visiting Costa Rica do not feel they
are getting good value for their money."
In what Christine says is just
a start, the group proposes the following:
1) Fair salaries for employees with full-government benefits (CCSS,
INS, etc.) and possibilities for profit sharing
2) Reasonable commission rates of not more than 20% for tours and
services
3) Tours and services reviewed and approved by ICT
4) All government-required permits and licenses valid.
On the other hand, Christine reports that she and Suresh were very
pleasantly surprised by the good condition of the lake road on a
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recent trip to
their finca in Guanacaste. She wrote that last April, a delegation
from Arenal and La Fortuna met with the new Ministra de Transporte
Karla Gonzalez, who told them a complete overhaul of the road wasn't
in the MOPT budget. However, the project was subsequently put into
the national emergency budget with great results for the many tourist
vans, buses, and rental cars now traveling around the lake.
At the Tilaran end of the lake,
surprising progress has been made on the new Spanish-language lending
library sponsored by Las Damas del Lago. In November volunteers
made use of donated paint, lumber and expertise to prepare part
of the old school headquarters for the library. Helen Hollenbeck
writes from Florida that she has been able to acquire many more
books as well as several donations of money for the library. It
is located two blocks west of the Pali Market in a rose-colored
building next to the green school. When they finish painting murals
on the wall in front of the school, volunteer artists will paint
in front of the library a mural of children reading books.
Al Almeida from Arenal reports
that the Ministry of Health is planning a septic tank workshop in
January, realizing that the increasing lake pollution must be battled
by establishing strict design standards and a system guaranteeing
inspection before tanks are covered. We'll have more facts about
the workshop next issue.
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