The province of Limon is considered by many the “ugly duckling”  or the “Cinderella” of Costa Rica, neglected by many government administrations, the inhabitants of this province complain of the abandonment they’ve lived in.  The reasons for this are really not clear at all, as it is the country’s main port, 80% of the exports and imports go/come through Limon. Aside from this, the Caribbean coast is a true jewel when it comes to its beaches and lush raw nature; its cultural diversity also makes it a unique and appealing touristic destination.

The city of Limon, the heart of the province, has a reputation as a dangerous place with high crime rates and big drug problems… but is this really true?   The short answer is: not really, according to statistics from the OIJ (Judicial Investigation Department), San Jose is the province that presents the highest crime rates, that is not surprising, considering the majority of the population is concentrated in this province. The second most “dangerous” province is Alajuela. Limon falls fourth in the charts.

The truth is that Limon’s main problem is the lack of opportunities for its people, both in terms of education and employment; but perhaps this is about to change.  The unemployment rate according to 2014 study was of 12.7% way above the 9.5% average of the rest of the country.

In august of this year the event “Invest in Limon 2016” organized by the Caribbean Sustainable Development Group took place at the Costa Rica Marriot in Belen, with the participation of developers, investors and business owners  that are considering the benefits of investing in this province motivated specially by the construction of APM Terminals.  Also, the third International Conference of Investors and Caribbean Expo – Limon, Costa Rica 2016 (Conferencia International de Inversionistas y Expo Caribe Limon), took place August 29 and 30 in the port city of Limon. The organization of this event hopes to encourage the commercial trade between Costa Rica, Central America and the Caribbean and the establishment of small and medium size enterprises.

The investment currently being made in the infrastructure of Limon such as the modernization of the port hopes to contribute to the revitalization of this province,  part of the challenges faced include the need to invest in education and skill development especially for the young population.

A free trade zone of Venezuelan investment Group Isiven will open its doors this year and it’s expected to generate between 200-300 jobs just as the beginning and a total of 600-1000 as it comes to its completion, companies from the countries of Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Brasil have already expressed their interest in establishing their operations here.

Limon is a province with great potential that has yet to be properly utilized for the benefit of its inhabitants and the country as a whole.