IMAS To Open More Duty
Free Shops, Including at
Land Border Crossing
Points
Duty free shops will not
be something found only
at airports but at all
border crossing points
as part of an expansion
plan by the Instituto
Mixto de Ayuda Social (IMAS).
The IMAS, the state
agency currently only
operates the duty free
shops at the Juan
Santamaría (San José)
airport is looking to
increase revenue which
will help the agency to
have more funds
available to battle
poverty. In October the
IMAS will open its first
duty free shop at the
Daniel Oduber airport in
Liberia.
José Antonio Li,
president of IMAS,
explained that the plans
to open duty free shops
at the ports and land
border crossing points
is moving ahead,
negotiating for space to
set up shop.
In Limón, for example,
the IMAS is working with
the government on the
“Limón Ciudad Puerto”
project, expecting to
attract sales from
tourists coming off the
cruise liners. Working
with the Junta de
Administración Portuaria
y de Desarrollo
Económico de la
Vertiente Atlántica (Japdeva),
the IMAS says that
market studies are being
carried out.
At the land border
crossing points, the
IMAS pretends to offer
to sell appliances duty
free to those coming and
leaving the country, in
addition to the
traditional duty free
items of liquor,
cigarettes, perfumes and
gift items.
Li was clear to explain
that appliances will not
be offered at the
airports.
However, before all this
can happen, Li said that
the IMAS regulations
have to be amended,
which will include
having stores in certain
hotels where duty free
purchases can be made
and the merchandise
delivered at the
airport.
Li said that there is no
estimate on how much
sales will increase by
the expanded point of
sales, saying that the
opening of the Daniel
Oduber stores will
generate at least ¢2
billion colones for the
IMAS to invest in social
programs to help out
needy families.
The duty free store at
the Juan Santamaría (San
José) is open to both
arriving passengers as
well as those leaving,
making their purchases
to bring into Costa Rica
or take home when the
leave Costa Rica |
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