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Tourism Declaration Requirements

What is a Tourism Declaration?

The Tourism Declaration is an acknowledgment granted by the Costa Rica Tourism Board to every company in the field that voluntarily requests it.

For this, they must comply with technical, financial, and legal requirements indicated in the Regulation for Tourism Activities and Companies.

These requirements guarantee the legality of the tourism activities and reach one of the main objectives of the department; they also contribute in the accomplishment of the highest quality of Costa Rican tourism products.

It is important to clarify that the operations of the tourism declaration have no cost.

Applicable Legislation:
  • Regulation of Tourism Activities and Companies
  • Law 6990 Incentives Law for Tourism Development
  • Promotion of Community Rural Tourism Law
  • Regulation for Lodging Companies
  • Travel Agency Law
  • Law 7600 Law on Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
  • Law 8220 Law on the Protection of Citizens from Excessive Administrative Requirements and Procedures
  • Related Decrees and Declarations

Requirements to Obtain a Tourism Declaration

Who can apply?

  • Natural Persons
  • Legal Entities

What must be the state of the company?

  • Companies in operation
  • As a project (companies that still do not operate)

Details of the Declaration

Benefits of the Tourism DeclarationWhat type of companies can have a Tourism Declaration?How can I begin the procedure?
  • Be included in one of the official ICT lists (and web)
  • Receive ICT training
  • Mandatory requirement to obtain a tourism contract.
  • Obtain categorization
  • Establish the link in ICT web site
  • Choose CST (Travel Agencies)
  • Access to updated information on market behavior
  • Access to promotion through the Web Page www.visitecostarica.com
  • Participation in international tourism fairs.
  • Possibility to participate in International Cooperative Campaigns with majority travel agencies and airlines.
  • Possibility to participate in Campaigns in specific areas, in coordination with local hotels, in order to offer special tourist discounts.
  • Possibility to distribute materials in ICT Tourist Information Centers located in Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport (Liberia), ICT Building (La Uruca), and Edificio de las Academias in front of Lehmann Bookstore (San José Centro)
  • Recommendation to obtain the patent of indefinite closure, previous approval from ICT (in the case of gastronomic companies)
  • The declarations DO NOT GRANT:
    • Liquor patents
    • Tourist referral from ICT
    • Fiscal exoneration of any kind
  • Lodging Establishments:
    • Boutique hotel: Minimum 5 rooms
    • Country houses, cabins and hostels with 7 rooms
    • Hotels
    • Water Transportation
    • Rural Tourism companies

    • Community rural tourism companies
      Operation Methods: Condo-hotel and Shared Time

  • Travel Agencies: Issuer and recipient.
  • Gastronomic Companies, and Nighttime Amusement Centers
  • Themed Activities: Tourism Related Recreation and Leisure Activities
  • Vehicle Rental Companies
  • Airlines
  1. Recopilar los Requisitos Legales y Técnicos
  2. Presentar Documentos Completos en la Ventanilla Única del ICT

Tourist Declaration Documentation

As from the last reform to the Regulations on Companies and Tourism Activities, included in Executive Decree No. 41370- MEIC- TUR, published in Scope 203 of the Official Journal La Gaceta of December 07, 2018