Hotels in Costa Rica Worried

Hotel owners in Costa Rica fear recent power outages could hurt their bottom line, according to a statement released yesterday by the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels.

They’re afraid their guests will cancel reservations as they learn of Costa Rica’s energy crisis, which has been evident since an unplanned massive blackout occurred April 19. Smaller, scheduled blackouts have since become the norm as the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) rations the country’s insufficient energy supply.


The institute has blamed low water levels at hydroelectric dams and broken thermal energy plants as two of the main causes of the rationing, which it says will continue until the rainy season begins (TT, April 27).

Small and medium hotels, which make up 90% of the country’s hotel industry, have been the hardest hit, since they lack funds to buy generators or keep them operating for several hours a day, said the chamber’s vice-president Ana Gabriela Alfaro, according to the statement.

The Tico Times