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    - Photo via Institute of Pacific Ports - |
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Published on Tuesday, January 11,
2022
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff On Monday the Artisan Market was inaugurated at the Puntarenas Beach Cruise Port in Puntarenas Province. The market was built next to the Plaza del Pacífico with funds from the Institute of Pacific Ports and managed by the Association of Artisans of Puntarenas. The new market will provide a space for tourists to taste and buy craft beers and coffee made in Costa Rica. Plus, there’s about 60 local artisan shops selling handicrafts, jewelry, clothes, among others. According to Juan Ramón Rivera, president of the institute, the new must-see market is now included on the tours schedules to promote the sale of handicrafts by tour operators. The market opening coincides with the arrival of more than two thousand tourists who came by way of two cruise ships.  According to the institute, the first cruise to arrive was the Zuiderdam of the Holland America Line from Guatemala. Minutes later the Seven Seas Explorer of the Radisson Seven Seas line arrived from Panama. On the Zuiderdam, 537 crew members and 893 passengers arrived at the port, while 537 crew members and 457 passengers arrived on the Seven Seas Explorer. The tourists were welcomed with a show exhibiting Costa Rican folk music and dances. Visitors also took several tours to different areas of Puntarenas Beach and the cantons of Esparza, Monteverde and Tárcoles. In addition, members of "The Port Can" community organization provided maps to the visitors with information about places to visit in the area. According to the Tourism Institute, the average cruise tourist spends approximately $137 a day purchasing souvenirs, food, tours and lodging, among others. Each cruise tourist must pay a toll of approximately $1.50 to enter. The money is collected by the Municipality and then transferred to the institute, authorities said. The Ministry of Health established that tourists and crew must follow strict sanitary guidelines to avoid contagion of covid-19, such as: * At least 95% of travelers must be fully vaccinated against covid-19, which includes the crew. The remaining 5% must be children who don't yet have access to a vaccine. * Passengers planning to explore Costa Rica and debark must fill out the Health Pass web form 72 hours before their arrival. With the reopening of the cruise season in Puntarenas, strategies are being developed to improve the services offered to tourists. The most common services being exchanging dollars or withdrawing cash from the bank, package shipments, among others. In the case of the Caribbean Coast, authorities expect the arrival of at least 104 cruise ships during the 2021-2022 cruise season. Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Department of State upgraded their recommendations for travel to Costa Rica. ----------------- What should authorities do to boost cruise line arrivals? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com   
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