Editor’s Note:  the article below is an important one; it highlights just how misinformed many Americans are regarding crime.  Americans have been conditioned to be fearful of anything and everything . . . unless it is American, of course.  The statistics reveal a very different story.  Americans living in Costa Rica are living in a FAR safer country than the United States.  Please do your own research!

Deadly Crimes in Costa Rica. The safest country in Central America.

By Scott Oliver from WeLoveCostaRica FREE MEMBERSHIP — SIGN UP NOW

One of our VIP Members recently wrote that a very uninformed ‘friend’ told her that: “San Jose is the most dangerous city in Central America, first and foremost…” She added that: “Dont be surprised if you get mugged… Its kinda a part of life in Central America.”

To which I politely reply …

What a load of crap!

The numbers do vary a little depending on the source but no matter what statistics you look at, Costa Rica remains the safest country in all of Central America.

1. El Salvador has a homicide rate in 2009 of 76 per 100,000 inhabitants
2. Honduras has a homicide rate in 2009 of 66.8 per 100,000
3. Guatemala has a homicide rate in 2009 of 48 per 100,000
4. Panama has a homicide rate in 2009 of 24 per 100,000
5. Nicaragua has a homicide rate in 2009 of 13 per 100,000
6. Costa Rica has a homicide rate in 2009 of 11 per 100,000

Crimes in Costa Rica. The safest country in Central America.

Don’t take my word for it though, there are many different sources where you can find this information so please take a look for yourself.

When you do, you’ll see that Costa Rica’s homicide rate is lower than the rate for a few major cities you might recognize like Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Columbus, Memphis, Baltimore, Washington DC, Atlanta, Kansas City, Cleveland, Miami, Oakland, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Newark, Buffalo and Mobile…

And do you think you will be singled out because you’re a Gringo living in Costa Rica?

How many US citizens were murdered in Costa Rica in 2009?

According to the Deaths of U.S. Citizens Abroad statistics compiled by the US Department of State, the answer is one person!

If you are genuinely fearful for your life in reading these statistics, don’t go to the mall, don’t go to a restaurant, don’t leave home! Lock all your doors and windows and stay exactly where you are! Please….

In over ten years of living here, I have never been mugged and none of my family have ever been mugged and yes! I walk in the city of San Jose practically every day and often at night.

Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1. Costa Rica Real Estate Scams & How To Avoid Them, 2. How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, and 3. Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore.

Herradura First Costa Rican Hotel To Complete Medical Tourism Training Course

Inside Costa Rica
In the first course of its kind, 250 staff members of the Ramada Plaza Herradura in San José, Costa Rica, completed a two day training program, “Caring for the Medical Tourist”, created and delivered in Spanish by Medical Tourism Training.

The hotel staff enjoyed the mix of information, demonstrations, discussions, and questions and answers, all aimed at helping them deliver better customer service to the hotel’s medical tourism guests.

Hotels and resorts in Costa Rica are catering to medical tourists as a way to diversify and expand their client base while increasing revenues by offering services to guests before and after they receive medical treatment.

The required changes to customer care vary depending on the type of medical care guests receive. The challenges and opportunities offered by serving medical tourists require careful planning and thorough preparation. Preparing staff members is a key factor to successfully serve the needs of medical tourists.

The two-session, interactive introductory program is based on real-world scenarios.

Each session is two to two and one-half hours long and covers topics including:
• Introduction to medical tourism and medical tourists;
• Cultural awareness and cultural norms;
• Providing customer care pre-op and post-op;
• Impact of staff behavior – body language, eye contact;
• VIP customer care service for medical tourists;
• Caring for accompanying guests;
• Identifying and handling biohazardous waste;
• Wheelchair assistance;
• Recognizing serious emergencies;
• ABCs of first aid;
• What to do in an emergency;
• What to do after an emergency.

Designed to ensure measurable results, the knowledge check component to the training sessions confirms that the participants are able to identify and recall the key points. A post-training evaluation ensures that the program is meeting the needs of the organization. Following the training the trainers prepare a report containing the results of the program evaluations as well as actionable steps for senior management to improve their medical tourism services.

The training focused on the unique demands of international health travelers and is the first completed by new company Medical Tourism Training. Medical Tourism Training’s affiliated company, healthcare consultancy firm Stackpole Associates, compiles quarterly surveys of the hotel’s current and past guests, of all kinds, to evaluate their awareness of medical tourism and to plan for improved hotel services for medical tourists. The company is developing other training programs designed to have a broader appeal to healthcare providers, agencies and others in the medical tourism field.

Medical Tourism Training’s Elizabeth Ziemba says that healthcare providers lose customers because they are not meeting the service expectations of international health travelers, “Prompt and polite communications are essential to success in this sector that is relationship driven. Every phone call or e-mail that goes unanswered or employees that react poorly to foreign customers lose business. Our program train staff, instilling effective, proven skills that can transform relationships with medical tourists.”

The company is also offering “Medical Tourism Guests: The Right Choice for your Hotel or Resort?”

This 90-120 minute presentation is designed for senior management teams that are expanding services for medical tourists and their accompanying guests. It addresses the planning and management issues vital to creating and tailoring services for the medical tourism market.

The Medical Tourism Industry Showed its Strength

By Cristiana Garita

On April 26^th, 2010, 450 health service providers from 15 Latin American countries gathered at the Ramada Herradura Hotel Convention Center to participate in the first Latin American Global Medicine and Wellness Congress held in San José, Costa Rica.

The event, which was declared of public interest by the Costa Rican government, caught the eye of many top companies and key decision makers involved in the medical tourism industry, like insurance companies, self-insured businesses, and benefits managers, as well as many potential investors both from the private and public sectors.

From left to right: Dr. Antonio Acosta-Rua, managing partner Health Choices Costa Rica; Rodrigo Arias, Minister of the Presidency; Daniel Yepez, partner Health Choices Costa Rica; and Allan Flores Moya, Minister of Tourism.

Rodrigo Arias, Minister of the Presidency, Allan Flores Moya, Minister of Tourism, and the Minister of Health, Dr. Ana Morice visited the location to launch this new yearly event.

Also attending was the Minister of Competitiveness, Jorge Woodbridge, who commented this is a prime opportunity to bring together the Tourism and Medical industries so that both could present their offers, highlighting the first-class quality service provided by Latin American health institutions.

This setting allowed the guests to confirm that this fresh, but rapidly growing, medical tourism sector is an economic reality, and were able to acknowledge its potential for their businesses’ bottom line.

Minister Rodrigo Arias confirmed that Costa Rica has the right characteristics and a competitive advantage in developing medical tourism due to its geographical position, weather conditions, political and economical stability, and the worldwide recognition of its quality health services and environmental protection principles.

Representatives from Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Canada, Cuba, Ecuador, the United States, and Costa Rica, among others, presented their services to a very varied and plentiful audience, through interesting stands and rich promotional materials.

Among the businesses that participated in the event were: Clínica Bíblica Hospital, La Católica Hospital, CIMA Hospital, Clínica Unibe, Clínicas de Audición (Hearing Clinics), Dental Cosmetics, White Lilly Spa, Hertz, Mind and Health, Cosmetic Dental Care, Medical Textiles, JW Marriot, Nature Air, Beacon Escazú Hotel, and Holiday Inn.

READ FULL ARTICLE

Love her or hate her, the election of doña Laura Chinchilla as the first woman president of Costa Rica signifies the majority’s choice for both the continuation of current policies, and the change in cultural perspective that her presidency represents.  She officially takes power on May 8^th with support from other women in the government who now represent 23 of 57 public posts.

Not only has Costa Rica elected its first woman president  (only the 5^th in Latin America, but one of more than 50 the world over since 1960), they have done it by a landslide, as Chinchilla nearly doubled the percentage of her nearest contender, Ottón Solís.

In my local neighborhood of Atenas, there was a marked air of festivity surrounding this year’s election.  The area was draped in the green and white of Chinchilla’s PLN party; caravans and parades would follow.  Costa Ricans who I spoke to said they had never seen such voter turnout and enthusiasm.  While Americans were screaming at their TVs during the Super Bowl, the same level of emotion could be observed by Costa Ricans in front of their TVs:  arguing, debating, and speculating, but fully absorbed by the event.

Doña Laura has been criticized by some as being a puppet-like extension of former President Arias, serving as another “president for the wealthy.”    Since the do-nothing presidency of Abel Pacheco, however, Costa Rica has been observably transformed.  Many were fearful of the swift action proposed by Arias after 4 years of sloth by Pacheco, which produced a very thin victory for Arias in the last election.   But, it seems that an objective look at the state of the nation by most Costa Ricans has led to the conclusion that the current development and change that is taking place will indeed benefit nearly all Costa Ricans.  Moreover, the policy extension can be seen as a willingness to walk the fine line of luring and placating all-important foreign investment, corporate business interests, tourists, and retirees.   If Costa Rica can continue to walk this fine line between the fast-changing modern world, and the slower, Pura Vida-defined world of its heritage, it will continue to be a shining example on the world stage.

Chinchilla has extolled the policies of President Arias, and certainly has not indicated any change in direction to what she cites as, “solid growth and development.”  She intends only to “propel them forward.”  She has also responded to polls that overwhelmingly show the concerns of most Costa Ricans:  crime, insecurity, drugs, and domestic violence.   She promises tighter border control, improved police equipment, and not to shrink from addressing some of the underlying “Machista” attitude taking place behind closed doors.  She believes that by reducing poverty and focusing on the needs of women (with a possible nationalized daycare system), empowerment will follow as opportunities are equalized.

Perhaps the largest gap between perception and reality is with the country’s ailing infrastructure.  The new San Jose-Caldera highway opened under fanfare and media attention, and now provides the ability for people to sail along on a straight, flat road.  However, it is also true that many key bridges, roads, and the nation’s ports remain in poor condition – the president-elect would do well to shore up those lacking areas, lest she encounter more accusations of putting the interest of foreigners, businesses, and the wealthy ahead of the average citizen.

It is a momentous time for the small country of Costa Rica.  As a foreign resident myself, I cannot identify as intimately as Costa Rican citizens with what is at stake, culturally, but I am overwhelmed by the courage and involvement of the people of Costa Rica in coming to such a historic vote.

Michael Anthony

San José - Caldera Road Open, Finally

Finally, after more than three decades of planning, promises, starts, stops and delays, the San José - Caldera highway, though some prefer to call it a road, is a reality and travel between the interior of Costa Rica and the Pacific coast is at least 45 minutes faster.

However, Ruta 27 is not cheap. A round trip between the Sabana, San José and PuertoCaldera, Puntarenas, costs ¢3.860 in tolls (¢1.930 in each direction), for the 77 kilometre trip that takes less than an hour.

On Wednesday, Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, officially inaugurated the road wich for some moments was open to the public from Orotina to San José, who were met by protestors at Pieades (Cuidad Colón exit), having to turn around and take the San Rafael exit that weaved around the La Reforma prison and ended up at the Panasonic.

Protestors were out early in the morning to stop the inauguration and opening of the highway.

A truck dumped debris on the road under the bridge at Piedades and then about 50 protestors maintained a road block all day long, waiting on the presidential motorcade to arrive, to make their concerns known to president Arias.

However, the presidential motorcade took the San Rafael route, avoiding the roadblock, to attend the inauguration ceremony at Orotina.

The road officially was opened to traffic Wednesday night and the toll stations began collecting at midnight.

Even though the road is now open and the tolls are being charged, parts of the road is still missing signaling, bus stop bays, lighting and rail guards.

What the road means to many is a savings in time, fuel and wear and tear on their vehicle.

Some prefer to call the highway a road, since it is for the most part a two lane road that weaves between the mountains, not much different than the other roads that lead to and from the Pacific, but with tolls.

Until yesterday, the only routes to and from the Pacific  coast from San José was the Cambronero or the Desmonte (Aguacate), which took almost two hours to make the trip between San José and Puntarenas.

The new San José - Caldera road now means the trip takes less than an hour and no mountains to climb or descend.  Also, the new road offers passing lanes at points where there some gentle climbs, allowing slow moving traffic to the right.

Whatever you call it, a road or a highway, to paraphrase president Arias during the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, the new highway will be a boost to tourism.

Source: Inside Costa Rica

Costa Rica Beach Championships

As a former college and beach volleyball player, I was thrilled when Atenas Costa Rica was chosen to host the beach and indoor volleyball championships for the 2010 Juegos Deportivos Nacionales (National Sports Games). Beach sand and bleachers were shipped in to the Central School Park where three courts handled the men’s and women’s under 21 tournament. In addition, the gym in Atenas was retrofitted with new sport court volleyball flooring for the indoor tournament.

The event welcomed teams from all over the country and offered a great time for Atenas residents. Admission was free to the public who enjoyed the high level of competition and various food vendors. The men’s championship match for the two-on-two beach event was this Saturday. There was standing room only to watch the final between Escazu and Atenas. Escazu entered the championship match undefeated, while Atenas lost one match (to Escazu) and had to climb through the loser’s bracket to face Escazu in the final.

Both teams were highly skilled and athletic which made for an epic battle. The lively crowd was overwhelmingly routing for their hometown team and their energy proved to feed the underdog Atenas duo. Raúl Sandoval and Julio Álvarez of Atenas won the first game to the delight of the crowd, before narrowly losing the second game to force the tie breaker.

A skirmish broke out in the crowd during the second game between several Atenas fans and a single Escazu fan which caused a break in the action followed by loud chants of “Ole, ole, ole, viva Atenas!” Atenas jumped to and early 4-to-0 lead in the final game to 15, and they never looked back. With the crowd cheering wildly, the Atenas duo claimed the 2010 Beach Volleyball Championships.

In a country that is crazy for soccer and not much else, Atenas has created a legacy in volleyball. The success of men’s indoor team who are also perennial national champions has spawned youth programs for boys and girls. Their success also brings pride to locals and resident expats. The event was such a success in Atenas that the commission is considering Atenas as the regular host of the volleyball games for years to come.

For volleyball players and teams in the U.S. interested in touring and playing Costa Rica teams, a new tour company is offering volleyball tours in Costa Rica. Your teams of all ages can come to play local competition and enjoy the many attractions of Costa Rica. Find out more information at http://www.costaricavolleyball.com/.

Jeff Hickcox – Author of the Real Estate Investing Guide – Costa Rica

President Oscar Arias’s recent visit to Puntarenas highlights the excitement surrounding the opening of the Costanera Highway which will connect San Jose to the beaches in 50 minutes, and every area in between in a fraction of the time we are all accustomed to.  The fact that it will open in the height of the travel season will be a boon for the Costa Rican economy and vacation travelers alike.  In Atenas, where we are located, we expect to see many city dwellers consider moving out to the country now that they can commute to the city in 20 minutes.  Let’s see what this will do to home prices.  But for those considering a safe place to purchase land or a home, Atenas will be the one Central Valley town that truly benefits, as we have an exit from the highway that leads right into the town center.

The day is soon approaching when you can travel from San José to points like Playa Jacó, Caldera or Puntarenas in under one hour by way of the new San José – Caldera highway that is nearing construction.

The new highway, that is missing completion between Santa Ana and Orotina, will shave off at least 45 minutes travel to all points on the Pacific coast.

A trip to Liberia that now takes 3.5 hours on best days will be just a little over 2.5 hours, meaning you reach the beaches of Coco, Hermosa for instance in less than three hours. Tamarindo and Flamingo will also be less than three hours away.

Quepos and Manuel Antonio will be less than 2 hours.

The reason for the current extended drive time is the winding of the mountains from the Central Valley, either over the Monte de Aguacate, a steep climb and drop of the more gentler pass on the Interameircana.

Either way, the drive is slow, slowed even more by large trucks and loaded buses and few passing lanes.

The new highway cuts through all that. The slopes and hills are gentle, the winding is to a minimum.

Inside Costa Rica took a rare look at the new highway on Christmas day when several of the guards manning the points of entry only for workers on the highway, let us pass.

It took only 13 minutes to drive from Piedades de Santa Ana to 8 kilometres east of Orotina (the guard at that check point did not allow passage), driving at an average 60 kilometres per hour.

The road is completely asphalted, what is missing is the final touches of completing the road markings, some of the barriers and of course, the toll stations.

For the most part the highway is a two lane road, one lane for each direction. However, near the intersections of Piedades (though the signage reads Cuidad Colón), La Guacima, La Garita, Turrucares and Atenas, the road opens up to four lanes and illuminated.

The road delivers what will surely be a very pleasant experience driving to and from the Pacific beaches and other destinations.

And since it is a toll road, like the San José – Santa Ana section, it will be lightly travelled, as the cost from Escazú (the first toll) to west of Orotina (the last toll) is ¢1.120 each way.

On Friday, December 25, 2009, 10:30am, Inside Costa Rica, with camera in hand filmed the new road from Piedades to West of Atenas (the only portion of the unopened highway we were allowed to travel).

Click here to go on a virtual ride of the new highway. Part 1.
Note, video is 30Mb (large) and may take some time to download on slow connections

Click here to enlarge map.

SOURCE

The 2,074-page healthcare bill certainly contains a lot to digest. One of the new tax provisions calls for a tax on elective plastic surgery. Costa Rica’s medical tourism has been rising as the costs in North America rise. Chrissie Long from The Tico Times presents a very clear and concise view of the benefits Costa Rica can expect in the wake of U.S. taxation.

By Chrissie Long
Tico Times Staff | clong@ticotimes.net

There’s at least one sector celebrating a proposed tax on plastic surgery in the United States, and that’s the people who cater to medical tourism.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of North Americans look offshore for tummy tucks, facelifts and breast enhancements, knowing they can pay a fraction of the costs they would have to fork over in the United States.

Costa Rica, a three-hour flight from the U.S., has absorbed a large percentage of patients and, with the addition of the proposed tax, medical experts expect a greater influx.

The 5 percent tax on elective cosmetic procedures was proposed as part of the 2,074-page health reform bill presented by the U.S. Democratic Party this month. The tax is expected to generate $5.8 billion to help fund the $849 billion health system overhaul.

But plastic surgeons in the United States have launched a campaign to prevent the tax, arguing that its effects would result in discrimination against women, who represent 86 percent of cosmetic surgery patients there.

“This tax is effectively a ‘soccer mom’ tax that will adversely impact mainstream American wives and mothers, who are the majority of plastic surgery patients,” said Dr. Renato Saltz, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). “As doctors, we understand and appreciate the need for health care reform, but taxing physicians and cosmetic surgery procedures to pay for the reform is not realistic or beneficial.”

ASPS noted that only 10 percent of the respondents on a recent survey reported a household income of over $90,000, “which clearly refutes the suggestion that elective surgery taxes are ‘luxury or ‘sin’ taxes affecting a privileged few,” according to a statement released earlier this month.

The bill was given a nod by the Senate on Saturday, Nov. 21 and will is currently awaiting further debate.