Guanacaste Celebrates
183rd Anniversary
Though today is not a legal
holiday in Costa Rica,
as the July 25 holiday
legally moves Monday
July 30, the
celebrations in
Guanacaste continue as
usual as the region
celebrates its 183rd
anniversary of the
Anexión del Partido de
Nicoya, formally making the
province of Guanacaste part of
the Costa Rica.
The annexation took
place on July 25,
1824.
It would be hard to imagine
today a Costa Rica without Guanacaste, the province
with the greatest growth in real
estate development and
tourism.
In fact, many believe that
Guanacaste is living its
greatest real estate boom ever
following having been a poor and
far away province for many
years, dedicated to the raising
of livestock and agriculture.
Tourism has allowed Guanacaste
to do a 180 degree turn
since the opening of the
Daniel Oduber
International airport in
Liberia that sees more
than 100.000 tourists
each year, tourists that
at one time had to fly
into San José and then
travelled by land to
their destination in
Guanacaste.
Today, vacationers from
the United States and
Europe can be on the
beach in less than half
an hour after landing
instead of the four to
five hours only a few
years ago.
The biggest change is noticeable
in the once small town of
Liberia that has now grown into
a small city, with a shopping
centres, hotels and even a
cinema, the first movie
theatre outside of the
Central Valley. Liberia has
undergone over the last few
years a dizzying change.
Development in Guanacaste has
grown a rapid rate.
Development has not only
concentrated in Liberia. The
small town of Santa Cruz is now
becoming an important commercial
centre. Papagayo has attracted
developments like the
Four Seasons Hotel, a
world class hotel
charging up to us$500
per night for a standard
room.
Tamarindo has seen a real estate
development explosion. Flamingo,
Brasilito and Conchal all have
grown during the last
five years. Playas del
Coco, Hermosa and Panama
are keeping pace.
Many local businesses have seen
the opportunities of Guanacaste.
Major retailers who once only
catered to the San José market
have sprung up almost overnight.
Major local and
international aw offices and accounting firms
are now establishing roots in Guanacaste,
as have the
international real
estate organizations
like Re/Max, Century 21,
Coldwell Banker, etc.
Banks and financial
institutions have sprung
up almost overnight.
There was a time when
the Banco de Costa Rica
(BCR) and Banco Nacional
(BN) - state banks - had
a branch in Liberia. Now
they have a branch in
every community
The private banks was
well, led by Scotiabank,
now have branches and
ATM's in all the
communities as well.
An banks have seen the benefits.
In Liberia, for example, where
only the Banco Nacional and
Banco de Costa Rica - both state
banks - had branches, now there
are six banks. Private banks are
opening branches in beach
communities where only the state
banks would be present.
The Cámara de
Turismo de Guanacaste (tourism
board) says that
visitors not only come for
the beach and relaxation, but
also in search of business
opportunities and retirement
homes. Though the
exact numbers vary,
experts say that
foreigners have invested more
than us$200
million dollars in property in Guanacaste
in the last couple of
years.
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