In a recent development at the Costa Rican Legislative Assembly, deputies of the governing party have effectively blocked an initiative aimed at reducing the cost of flights to Central America and the Dominican Republic. The Social Democratic Progress Party (PPSD), led by Congresswoman Pilar Cisneros, filed 63 substantive motions against the bill on Monday, significantly impeding its progress. The bill, proposed by Eli Feinzaig of the Liberal Progressive Party (PLP), seeks to facilitate regional travel with round-trip fares of less than $126.
Feinzaig argues that the measure would benefit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by allowing them to explore markets and services in the region, while also boosting tourism. Under the proposed legislation, for flights from Costa Rica to Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, the departure tax would be reduced from $27 to $14. This reduction would apply if the ticket cost does not exceed $80 before taxes for round-trip travel, or $40 for one-way travel.
Additionally, the bill stipulates that the total taxes and airport fees charged to travelers must not exceed $23 in each country. However, the government has expressed reservations about the bill. Laura Fernández, Minister of the Presidency, stated that the government prefers the text to be discussed in the Tourism Commission rather than being fast-tracked through the plenary.
Fernández raised concerns that low-cost flights might tempt tourists, who cu.
