Costa Rica’s northwestern county of La Cruz in the province of Guanacaste inaugurated a new road connecting various coastal communities which is the result of a novel cooperation between local businesses and government institutions. The project is expected to open further economic development in the remote, underdeveloped region.

The National Roadways Council (Conavi) teamed up with Hotel Dreams Las Mareas and the Costa Elena development project to improve 14kms of Route 935 connecting the inland town of La Cruz , Guanacaste with El Jobo beach.

The private partners provided resources, equipment and labor for asphalting this section of the road which made previous access to the El Jobo beach difficult, said Conavi.

“It is truly satisfying … to see roadworks … that are the result of a combination of state and private sector resources, with direct contributions to communities who benefit from the improved roads and greater access to basic services,” said Minister of Public Works and Transportation Carlos Villalta.

The infrastructure, which also includes improvements to the bridge over the Salinas River, will open up greater development opportunities in the region, said Carlos Hernández, general director of the Costa Elena Project, which has been working in the region since 2008. The road will benefit neighboring communities including Tempatal, Puerto Soley and Cuajiniquil.

According to Hernández, opening the remote county to tourism has brought much-needed basic infrastructure to local residents, as well as greater employment opportunities, pointing to the local aqueduct Costa Elena built in the area.

The Hotel Dreams Las Mareas, on El Jobo beach, is 15 Kms from the center of La Cruz, and was opened to the public in November 2014. It is operated by the renowned American chain AMResorts, member of the Apple Leisure Group, one of the largest tourism conglomerates in North America.

The hotel was developed by the Costa Elena Project, whose investor group is focused on making El Jobo area a unique tourist destination with a variety of real estate, entertainment and hotel projects for both national and foreign visitors.

The project is led by Central American businessmen Carlos Pellas, from Nicaragua; Francis Durman and Ernesto Castegnaro, of Costa Rica; the Motta family of Panama, and the Mullen family from the United States.

The hotel construction represented an investment of $130 million, and has become an engine of economic and social development for the region and its inhabitants, thanks to the opportunities for employment, education, health and drinking water generated, said the company.

The Dreams Hotel offers 447 contemporary decorated rooms and suites for couples and also families with children to enjoy the all-inclusive offerings. It is surrounded by a paradisiacal natural environment, with a tropical rainforest and white sand beaches characteristic of this region of Guanacaste. With a sustainable development approach, the hotel is LEED certified: recycled resources were used in its construction and innovative ecological practices, such as daily energy and water saving techniques.