![]() Increasingly, Costa Rica is becoming reliant upon tourism as a source of income the number of tourist arrivals in 2000 had more than doubled compared to the number of tourists a decade earlier. In 2000, revenue from tourism accounted for 21% of Costa Rica's total exports. Ĭurrently, tourism ranks as Costa Rica's second highest source of revenue. On 16 June 1931, Law 91 was passed, creating the National Tourism Board, which operated until it was replaced by the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo on 9 August 1955. Generally, tourists came from overseas, entering the country through the Port of Limón, then commuting to San José by train. History of tourism Ĭosta Rica first began the development of its tourism industry with the creation of the country's first private hotel, the Gran Hotel Costa Rica, in 1930. This is largely because prostitution is not illegal, but many of the activities surrounding it are illegal, such as pimping. Also it was reported that about 80% of the sex tourists are from the US. ![]() A study estimated that "up to 10% of tourists who come to Costa Rica engage in sex tourism", with as many as 10,000 sex workers involved, many of whom are immigrants. Despite government and industry efforts, the child sex trade has also been a problem. Sex tourism in Costa Rica can easily be attributed to the rapid growth of international tourism in the country, and the country is being promoted as a popular destination for sex tourism. Sex trafficking, child prostitution and HIV are problems in the country. There is a red-light district in the capital, San José, known as Gringo Gulch. Many of them are from Colombia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and other Latin American countries. There are estimated to be 15,000 prostitutes in the country. Prostitutes who register with the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) carry an ID card and are entitled to a free health check every 15 days, as well as being able to receive support and assistance. The large growth in sex tourism prompted the Government of Costa Rica to introduce a voluntary registration scheme for prostitutes. Prostitution is common and is practiced openly throughout the country, particularly in popular tourism destinations. Nevertheless, many of the activities surrounding it are illegal, as the law forbids promoting or facilitating the prostitution of another, and therefore pimping, brothels, or prostitution rings are illegal. Costa Rica's legal system is based on Roman law rather than common law, and so for prostitution to be illegal it would have to be explicitly stated as such in a penal code, and it is not.
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