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HEY EVERYONE. We know you know this, but sometimes we have to be reminded of what you already know. When traveling you ALWAYS have to be leery of getting on honest answer. In Costa Rica, like most countries, the 'go between' or the 'middle man' can make a pretty good living collecting commissions on directing you, the tourist, where they want you to go. So, when your tour operator, tour guide, taxi driver recommends a certain 'place', just know there's a reason and it's not necessarily because it's a good place or they have your BEST interest at HEART. See what happens for example when you ask someone in our town, La Fortuna, which Hot Springs they recommend, Tabacon or Baldi. Check this Video out and be reminded of what you already know.

Now for the video -

Hey guys, Im Michael Alan and Im DAngelo from http://www.TravelCostaRicaNow.com Today, were going to talk to you guys about something you already know. Were just going to remind you. Were just going to remind you, and it happens all over the world so were not trying to beat down on Costa Rica for this But it is commissions and referral basis what people are getting paid to refer you somewhere. Yeah, right you got to know when your tour guide, your taxi person, or your tour operator is directing you to a certain place or to do a certain thing Oh, this is the best souvenir shop! This is the best restaurant! Youve got to know theres probably going to be an agenda attached to it and youre probably going to get gringo priced. Which is true. For instance a lot of taxi drivers in San Jose are known to tell you that your hotel is no longer there or that its booked and theres no longer availability just so they can try and get you to another hotel where they get a commission off of you. yeah, you know people are going to direct you to the place where theyre going to get the bigger commission. Now were not saying that thats a bad think Its not a bad thing at all thats how the tourist industry is ran Yeah, were not saying that a place is necessarily bad where they direct you. It could be great thats not the point. We just wanted to inform you about it so when it comes to a restaurant or something you know that there might be better options if you go a block away or to the next restaurant over. .. and they have a reason as to why they are directing you to that thing, that tour, that hotel, that restaurant, that souvenir shop. Now for us personally, we would rather eat at a place like this with authentic food. Probably its going to be cheaper, and probably even better then a place like this. Like this where its going to be more touristy (cafeteria style restaurants), the menus are all going to be gringo priced. The food may or may not be good were not saying its not, were just saying its probably going to be higher priced. And for us When we get a souvenir from a country wed rather like to see it being made like this. Nice authentic, nice piece of work done by a local as appose to this. Souvenir shops where you dont know if its even made in this country its mass produced somewhere else. Right oh, a good example here... theres two hot springs Baldi (hot springs) and Tabacon (hot springs) their pretty famous Now theres more than those two hot springs in the area, but those are the two more famous hot springs Now one pays a commission and one doesnt who do you think that theyre going to recommend you go to when you ask them Hey, whats the better hot springs? Baldi Baldi Baldi Baldi. what about this Tabacon place? It offers noting! Its a historic hotel that was at one point considered a top hotel. But in standpoint of hot springs it offers nothing more. Hey, whats the better hot springs? Always the one that pays the commissions. Which here is Baldi. Oh, one more thing if anyone tries to sell you land they probably dont even own it. They are also the go between, and they may or may not have your best interest. More often than not they dont have your best interest, and lands a whole nother thing when it comes to commission base. I would be leery who you ask and where youre going to go get land. So, just remember when people are directing you some place, whatever it is, there might be something attached to it. Were not saying its good or bad were just saying dont forget alright, so Im Michael Alan. And Im DAngelo from TravelCostaRicaNow.com hope it helps PEACE!

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