Tourism is good for the economy of Quepos and Manuel Antonio, and it gives me work as a taxi driver. More visitors can mean more passengers and more income. But the relationship is not as simple as it looks.
Most of my money is earned during the high season. My fixed costs continue for the whole year. I still have to pay for the car, insurance, permits and maintenance when there are fewer tourists. At the same time, prices in the region have risen because of tourism.
The extra traffic also damages the roads faster and puts more wear on my car. Many visitors drive in conditions they do not know well, so the risk of accidents increases too.
Illegal taxis are another problem. Tourists often cannot recognise the difference between an authorised taxi and an illegal driver. Every passenger who chooses one of those cars is work lost for someone like me, even though I pay for the necessary licence, inspection and insurance.
Even with these difficulties, I genuinely enjoy tourism. Driving allows me to meet people from countries I will probably never visit myself. During a journey, passengers tell me about their lives and ask me where they should go. Sometimes I feel less like a driver and more like a local adviser or confidant.
That trust is something I value, but it can also put me in a difficult position. Tourists regularly ask where they can buy drugs.
If I answer that question, I can lose my licence, my car and my freedom—and put my whole family’s future at risk.
Helping somebody find drugs would make me involved in trafficking. I could spend years in prison. A visitor may think it is a casual question, but for me the consequences could destroy everything I have worked for.
I have received even worse requests. Some foreign passengers once asked me where they could find underage prostitutes. I immediately made them leave my taxi. If it happens again, I will not only refuse. I will drive them directly to the police.
I also have some less serious advice. Many visitors try to negotiate every price: taxis, meals, tours and almost anything else. But Costa Ricans usually work with fixed prices. Official taxi fares are set by law, so a licensed driver cannot simply invent a cheaper price.
An illegal taxi may look cheaper, but it may be uninsured, uninspected and much more likely to overcharge you later.
When tourists insist on bargaining, they often push business towards illegal drivers instead of getting a genuinely better deal.
I enjoy meeting visitors and helping them discover our region. In return, I ask them to respect the position of local drivers: use licensed taxis, accept the official fare and never ask us to risk our livelihoods by helping with something illegal.