Costa Rica received a double-whammy to its tourist business this year. First, the US Government downgraded the country from a Level 1, to a Level 2 status as a tourist destination, apparently due to an increase in crime, especially armed robbery and homicide. This represents a possible loss of some 1.4 million US tourists. Then, of course, came coronavirus COVID-19, an international buzz-kill for tourism all over the world.

In recent years, Costa Rica has suffered three well-publicized murders of tourists: Carla Stefaniak (USA), Arantxa Gutierrez (Spain), and Maria Trinidad Matus (Mexico). Only Stefaniak’s killer has been brought to justice with a mild sentence of 16 years for her savage murder. The negative press these three cases received severely damaged Costa Rica’s reputation as a safe tourist destination. Costa Rica relies on its tourist industry for 13% of the jobs nationally, and at least 8.2% of its GDP (gross national product). Alarms went off in the Tico tourist industry when tourist groups began to cancel after Costa Rica was demoted to Level 2, and news of the three tourist murders became known.

Commented Randall Rivera, Director of the well-known radio news show Noticias Monumental commented “The problem is not the US lowering Costa Rica’s security qualification. The problem is that it’s true and they are right! If we don’t like it, then let’s make a safer country.”

Part of the problem Costa Rica has with security is the influx of Nicaraguans who come south to work in a more robust tourist industry. They are willing to work for lower wages, and more importantly, are harder to screen for criminal records and delinquency, due to poor record keeping in that country. Such was the case with the killer of Stefaniak. He was a Nicaraguan working illegally, with an untraceable past. Hotels and other tourist establishments need to be more careful in their selection of employees.

There is a new law moving toward passage in the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica which will make higher penalties mandatory for crimes against tourists. This should serve as a powerful deterrent to those who prey on foreign tourists visiting Costa Rica. It is anticipated that the new law will pass this year, modifying the Penal Code (Codigo Penal), and hopefully offering more protection to tourists.

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