The expansion work at the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste began early last year and were supposed to be conclude before the end of the year, however, after several delays the additional 4,118 square meters (44,326 square feet) in boarding gates and 417 square meters (4,488.55 square feet)of the main lobby as well as new infrastructure for counters, stores and additional baggage carousel were finally inaugurated.

The official inauguration had the presence of President Carlos Alvarado and the Minister of Tourism, Maria Amalia Revelo this Saturday, joining representatives of the Inter-American Investment Corporation (Coriport), the airport’s administrator.

“We recognize tourism as the motor of the national economy and its multiplying effect to improve the quality of life of thousands of Costa Ricans”, commented President Alvarado.

“We are adding efforts to diversify the market of flights to Liberia, an objective we have been working on along with the airport’s concessionaire and the Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism”, stated Revelo.

This expansion increases the airport’s capacity by at least 300 thousand more passengers, going from the average 1.1 million travelers (entering and leaving the country) that it currently attends in a year to 1.4 million.

Between the months of May and June the Costa Rica Tourism Board announced three new flights to Liberia, Aeromexico, Sunwing and United, while Air Canada also confirmed the increase in the frequency of their flights.

Aeromexico will offer service between Mexico City and Liberia becoming the first flight that will originate from a country other than the United States and Canada to the Guanacaste province. Service will begin November 10, 2018 and will extend initially through April 21, 2019 with two flights a week.

Sunwing will offer the route Vancouver, Canada to Liberia, Guanacaste starting December 23.

While United currently operates the route Houston to Liberia twice a week and Air Canada will increase the frequency of its flights from Montreal and Toronto to Guanacaste.

Close to 72.7% of the travelers entering the country through the Daniel Oduber Airport originate from the United States. So far this year this airport has received 287,355 international travelers according to information from the General Directorate of Migration.

Unfortunately, the afternoon of this Saturday travelers reported long lines at the immigration counters of the Daniel Oduber Airport due to a glitch in the electronic system.