More than 530 thousand tourists will be entering the country in 2010 through the Liberian Daniel Oduber International Airport, according to projections made by the Guanacastecan Tourism Chamber (CATURGUA), based on statistics compiled from the historical records of the General Civil Aviation Directorate.
Since 2001 the arrival of tourists through this airport has maintained a steady growth until December 2007 when the number of tourists grew by 574%, going from 70,615 to 405,450, and by the end of 2008, according to CATURGUA estimates, growth is expected to be around 9.5%, an increase of 38,509 more tourists compared to 2007.
Looking ahead to 2009 and 2010, the Chamber forecasts an annual growth of 10% up to 2010 with a total revenue of more than half a million tourists who will use the Daniel Oduber airport as an exit and entrance to the national territory.
Given the importance of the airport, and ultimately the positive effect that this air terminal will have in Liberia for the development of tourism and economic growth in Guanacaste and across the country, we consider the urgent acceleration of efforts related to the bidding process for the new constructions of the airport a matter of extreme importance.
It is also essential to take urgent action to clear the trees and weeds from around the track as well as drainage for security reasons because these unfinished cleanup works are from six months ago. In addition, the modernization of the airport is vital given the large number of tourists who are planned to arrive in the country through this terminal, according to statistics, added the spokesman.
