As mentioned earlier in this chapter, the first large-scale resort is supposedly underway in the Caribbean. The success of such a project in the region has the potential to bring more investment. The project is located in the Limón district, about an hour’s drive from Cahuita and Puerto Viejo. Limón already has a tourist industry of a kind since it is a stop-off point for many Caribbean cruises.

The area has plenty of room to grow, however, as there aren’t many nice hotels in the city itself and only a few tourist-oriented shops. The belief that crime is rampant in the Caribbean – especially in Limón – has been a primary damper on tourism growth in the region. The belief is somewhat justified, but often exaggerated, especially considering the rising crime in the rest of the country. In any case, local communities in the Caribbean are working very hard to reduce crime (see below.)

In sum, tourism is still in its infancy in the Caribbean, meaning that it’s a great place for long-term investment. In the Puerto Viejo area, people are wary of large investors who plan to do massive developments. Many locals and expatriates, including some realtors, prefer that hotels and developments remain small, in order to maintain region’s ecological balance.

This doesn’t mean that locals and expatriates don’t want or need investment in the area. It just means that they want the right kind. As happened in Manuel Antonio, people want to make sure the environment is protected as the development happens. In the case of Puerto Viejo and the surrounding area, the residents want to protect the environment before there are any regrets. Others who expressed less adversity towards the larger developments still stress the need for anything larger to be built within the community to be done properly.

Realtors have noticed more investor interest in the area and the more built up the Pacific gets, the more likely it is that interest in this beautiful part of the Caribbean will increase. Sales of farms and large parcels of land are already becoming popular, though the titling issue and the wildlife reserve controls the pace of sales and development to a certain extent.

Tourism really is the mainstay of the Puerto Viejo and Cahuita economies, and therefore most investments are made within this sector. However, Limón is home to Costa Rica’s largest port, and is the mainstay of the city’s economy.