This paper provides a simplified approach toward estimating the cost of capital for a small company of the tourism sector. This is accomplished by dividing the hurdle rate into the return of the specific industry in a specific country, and a specific risk premium dependent on the size and age of the company/projects. We illustrate our proposal with investment estimations in lodging accommodations along the northern coast of Chile where tourism represents an important source of income and jobs. The estimations were validated through a survey carried out among entrepreneurs of the sector. The results suggest that our method is realistic and practical, and could be adapted to economic sectors other than tourism and to other countries.