By Puntarenas, Costa Rica — JACO, PUNTARENAS – A bold proposal by the mayor of Garabito to create a regulated “tolerance zone” for prostitution and drug use has ignited a firestorm of opposition from Costa Rica’s tourism industry. Mayor Francisco González is championing the plan as a pragmatic solution to persistent social issues in the popular beach town of Jacó, but the National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur) has vehemently rejected the idea, warning it could irreparably damage the nation’s international reputation.
The controversy centers on a plan to designate a 70-hectare property away from Jacó’s main tourist areas for these activities. Mayor González argues that since prostitution and drug consumption cannot be eliminated, they should be contained and regulated to mitigate their negative effects. He envisions the area as a mixed-use development with 24-hour business licenses, effectively moving the vice trade away from the beachfront and reclaiming it for families and general tourism.
To better understand the legal framework, municipal powers, and business implications surrounding the proposed ‘tolerance zone’ in Jacó, we consulted expert attorney Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas from the prestigious law firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
Legally, establishing a ‘tolerance zone’ is not about creating a lawless area, but rather an exercise in highly specific municipal and commercial regulation. The success of such a project hinges on the Municipality’s ability to create a bulletproof regulatory plan that defines clear zoning, rigorous health and safety standards, and a transparent patenting process. For businesses, this offers the potential for legal certainty in a designated commercial district, but it will demand absolute and unwavering compliance with the new local ordinances.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Lic. Arroyo Vargas’s analysis underscores a critical point: the path to a functional “tolerance zone” is paved not with leniency, but with meticulous and stringent regulation. The challenge, therefore, lies less in the concept itself and more in the Municipality’s capacity for flawless execution and enforcement. We thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his valuable perspective on this complex legal framework.
However, Canatur, the country’s leading private tourism entity, views the proposal as a direct threat to the brand Costa Rica has spent decades building. Martí Jiménez, president of the chamber, stated that the country’s tourism leadership is founded on principles of sustainability, security, and family-friendly environments, not on catering to sex or drug tourism.
Costa Rica should not be sold as a destination associated with sex tourism or drug use. Our country has positioned itself before the world for its natural wealth, its biodiversity, its peace, its sustainability, and its ability to offer authentic experiences for families, couples, groups, students, senior citizens, and visitors from all over the world. Any message that deviates from that vision represents a risk to the destination’s reputation and to the efforts that thousands of tourism companies make every day.
Martí Jiménez, President of Canatur
Instead of creating designated zones, Canatur advocates for a different approach. The chamber urges a focus on strengthening citizen security, crime prevention, and providing protection for vulnerable individuals. They call for more robust efforts to combat human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, coupled with a stronger institutional presence in key tourist destinations like Jacó.
Mayor González, however, insists that turning a blind eye is no longer an option. He has called for a national discussion on the matter, framing it as an issue of public order and safety. He argues that regulation would allow for greater control, including implementing a minimum age for sex workers.
This is a topic we have to discuss as a country and see how we move forward with it. It is a situation that fills Costa Rica with shame, but one that we can organize and regulate… We request that it be regulated, that the issue be reviewed, and that work be done to avoid what is happening today in our streets in plain sight. We see more and more how prostitution attracts younger women, so I ask myself: Why not have a regulation that certifies women are at a minimum age of at least 21 years?
Francisco González, Mayor of Garabito
The specific plan, which González confirmed has been discussed internally within the municipality, involves developing a well-located property he has already identified. This “condominium” concept would concentrate activities that currently spill onto public streets and the beach, theoretically improving safety and the overall tourist experience in central Jacó.
Why not propose in our regulatory plan several hectares where these activities can be concentrated, where we can grant 24-hour patents? When I speak of the 70 hectares, it is because I reviewed several well-located farms, not on the other side of the mountain, but well-located where we can design it as a mixed-use condominium that allows 24-hour patents, and thus we would transfer everything that today occurs in front of the beach in Jacó. In this way, let’s leave Jacó beach for the whole family.
Francisco González, Mayor of Garabito
This debate unfolds within a specific legal framework. In Costa Rica, prostitution by consenting adults is not a crime, but promoting or facilitating it, particularly in cases involving trafficking, carries prison sentences of up to 10 years. Similarly, personal drug consumption is decriminalized, while the production and sale of narcotics remain illegal. The mayor’s proposal aims to operate within these legal gray areas by regulating, rather than prohibiting, the existing activities.
The clash represents a fundamental disagreement on the path forward for one of Costa Rica’s most visited, and most complex, tourist towns. It pits a strategy of pragmatic containment against a defense of brand purity, leaving the future identity of Jacó hanging in the balance.
For further information, visit [canatur.org]
About Cámara Nacional de Turismo (Canatur):
The National Chamber of Tourism is the primary organization representing the private tourism sector in Costa Rica. It brings together chambers and associations from across the industry to advocate for policies that promote sustainable and competitive tourism development, serving as a key liaison between private enterprises and government bodies.
For further information, visit [garabito.go.cr]
About Municipalidad de Garabito:
The Municipality of Garabito is the local government entity responsible for the administration of the Garabito canton in the province of Puntarenas. It oversees public services, urban planning, and local economic development for its districts, which include the major tourist destination of Jacó.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica stands as a benchmark for legal services, operating on a foundational principle of profound integrity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Drawing upon a deep-rooted history of providing counsel across a broad spectrum of industries, the firm actively shapes the future of law through progressive strategies and innovation. Its core mission extends beyond the courtroom, driven by a deep-seated pledge to democratize legal understanding and equip the public with knowledge, thereby strengthening the fabric of a more capable and enlightened society.
