Kiwi family the Tyrrells, Jane, Fraser and sons Archie and Tana, are selling their plot of Costa Rican paradise. Photo / Costa Rica Rios
Kiwi family the Tyrrells, Jane, Fraser and sons Archie and Tana, are selling their plot of Costa Rican paradise. Photo / Costa Rica Rios
A Kiwi couple living in pristine Costa Rica have decided to give another family the chance to relocate to Central American paradise - all for less than the cost of a day’s surfing.
The Tyrrells, who have been running ecotourism company Costa Rica Rios in Turrialba since 2007, have decided it’s time to sell up now their two sons Archie and Tana are getting older. However, they say they wanted to make it affordable for the right person to take over the company.
So, they are raffling off a new life in Costa Rica at $81 a ticket.
“Our inspiration came from seeing an Aussie family do the same thing in 2016 when they raffled off their dive company in Micronesia,” says Jane Tyrrell.
“We thought it would be a really fun way to be able to let someone into this lifestyle.”
The company is in Turrialba, the whitewater and adventure capital of Costa Rica. Photo / Costa Rica Rios
“We would love the winner to be someone with an adventurous spirit,” says Jane, who ideally would like it to go to someone in a situation similar to the one they were in when they took over the business.
“Ideally, someone who wants to move to Costa Rica to run the business.”
The couple worked in tourism together in Queenstown after meeting as backpackers. 16 years later, they have two children and a tourism company in central Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Rios runs rafting and kayaking trips in what they call the “whitewater and adventure capital of Costa Rica”, with a team of nine Costa Rican staff and guides.
Starting a new life as the owner of a Central American tourism business sounds like a pipe dream, but thanks to Costa Rica’s relaxed residency laws, the winner would qualify for residency.
The Tyrrells hope the company's new owner will relocate to Costa Rica and run the touring company. Photo / Costa Rica Rios
The Inversionista-class visa requires holders to have US$150,000 in property, stocks, or a business in Costa Rica.
“Our real estate alone is worth over that value,” says Jane Tyrrell.
“We feel this would make a great Christmas present/stocking-filler.”
With a draw scheduled for February 1, it could make someone’s New Year a very exciting one.
They are hoping to sell at least 25,000 tickets for the company, which would value the company at around $2 million. However, if they fail to hit their target or cannot hand over the business, the winning entry from the draw will get at least 75 per cent of the proceeds, and their ticketing partner will get the remainder.
The Tyrrells hope that if the sale falls through for whatever reason, the winner can put a sizeable chunk of cash towards starting a new life in Costa Rica.
Thanks to a relaxed investor visa programme, it has become popular with retirees and expatriates. Costa Rica is also one of the few countries that observes jus soli - or unconditional citizenship for children born on Costa Rican soil - as one Australian tourist discovered recently.
