Tourism provides Costa Rica with $1 billion annual bonus

Given some improvements in infrastructure and security, along with training for young people in rural areas, tourism will generate 8 percent of Costa Rica's production.

That would mean an annual income of $4.5 billion, compared with the current level of 6 percent of GDP, according to a report from the central bank and the Costa Rican Tourism Institute.

Tourism would create 200,000 direct jobs -- 9 percent of the workforce -- mainly in lodgings, food, transport and medical services.