September 5th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) The first freshwater beach in Costa Rica could become a reality soon as part of an ambitious plan to give new life to the tourism sector in the Lake Arenal area, including the communities of Tilarán and La Fortuna de San Carlos.
The ambitious project, which will carry a cost of about $3 million, would be developed on Lake Arenal, which produces a large amount of the country’s electricity. Construction could begin in two years.
The first stage of development will include a port, floating docks, public areas, shops and a conference center, in addition to the formation of small beaches with sea sand, according to Leovigild Villegas, president of the Northern Zone Chamber of Tourism (CATUZON).
Villegas said that the project would increase tourist arrivals to the area by 20%.
The project is currently waiting on permissions from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), which is in charge of the lake.
Lake Arenal is the largest freshwater lake in the country and produces about 70% of all electricity in the country.
