Irazu Volcano National Park: Boosting Tourism in Costa Rica with a New Infrastructure

The Costa Rican government recently inaugurated a new infrastructure in the Irazu Volcano National Park. In addition to creating new parking areas, an exhibition room, and access control points, this infrastructure boasts the Potrero Cerrado Viewpoint. All of these additions are designed to benefit tourists who visit the region.

Although Costa Rica is known for its many incredible volcanos, the Irazu volcano is the highest. Standing 2.132 miles above sea level, people have easy access to the site, which is only about 20 miles from the city of Cartago. In all, the Irazu volcano has five craters, as well as mesmerizing views. Especially when the skies are clear, visitors can see both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and with a good telescope, it is easy to see the Nicaragua Lake.

To complete the new infrastructure, the Costa Rican government took out a loan through the Inter-American Development Bank for more than $870,000 USD. The loan, which was executed by the Tourism Program Strengthening Project, focused on a new project to improve the current tourist infrastructure. However, the money will also be used to help with the development of new construction projects in protected areas, those with tremendous potential, and those in part of the priority zones. All of this is designed to promote tourism for the beautiful land of Costa Rica.

Mario Coto Hidalgo, executive director of the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), stated, “With this new infrastructure, the Environmental Administration expects to attract more visitors, and with this, have higher income and financial sustainability for the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), and in particular for the Protected Wildlife Areas. All these improvements translate into a social-economic and environmental benefit for the municipality and the nearby communities.”

This entire area where tourists visit is called Prusia, and it features 10 miles of trails that are perfect for natural exploration. It also has an average year-round temperature that ranges between 41 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit, there are a number of mountainous rivers, and because of its position and altitude, it is the ideal location for Costa Rica’s telecommunications.