Minority Chamber plans trade mission to San José

The Minority Chamber of Commerce kicks off the first U.S. trade mission to Costa Rica, this week.  The mission’s goals include increasing export opportunities for U.S minority companies, investors recruitment and advocacy on behalf of the chamber’s international programs. 

An estimated 20 U.S. minority companies will have a chance to explore new opportunities in Costa Rica, and will gain firsthand market experience through meetings with key government officials and potential business partners, said the chamber.

The objective of the mission is to assist U.S minority exporters and importers in establishing representatives in Costa Rica, said the chamber, adding that this is because many of these firms do not have the resources or experience to go into the international marketplace and locate a representative without assistance.

“Costa Rica’s economic growth rate rose by 6.8 percent and their commercial development is diversified with tourism/hospitality services, information technology, and medical equipment/instrumentation taking prominent roles," said Doug Mayorga, national director for the Minority Chamber of Commerce.

The trade group will be headquartered at the Hotel Radisson Royal, said the Miami-based chamber.

The chamber also said it was opening a trade office in Escazú as of March 20 in the HSBC building near Muiltiplaza.

Special to A.M. Costa Rica

$1 Billion Dollar National Face-lift

Costa Rican roads, trains, ports and airports will be getting a billion dollar face-lift, government officials said Monday. A regional development bank has granted Costa Rica a loan of $850 million and the government will add $200 million to that for a total infrastructure investment of one billion dollars.

Funds will be put to work immediately. The minister of transportation, Karla Gonzalez, said the highway stretching between Manuel Antonio National Park and Dominical Beach will be completed by 2009.

The loan is also meant to help airports. Ms. González said that funds would mainly go to the new international airport in the southern region near Palmar since the airport in Libería already is receiving funds from other sources.

This bodes well for all of us currently invested in the Southern Zone. For those of you that may still be on the fence, act now! Dominical is soon to be one of the hottest tourist destinations in Costa Rica and once the road is paved between Quepos and Dominical, property values are guaranteed to rise and rental incomes will be strong and steady.

By Elise Sonray; A.M. Costa Rica staff