The discussions about the management of ecotourism as a resource, including the development of national parks, control over foreign investment, provision of business incentives, and regulation of certification programs are particularly useful. Heres how to experience the best ecotourism costa rica has to offer. This project, as well as other statistics garnered from ecotourism endeavors in costa rica, proves to refute what ecotourism critics have warned about. Ecotourism is an alternative for us to practice tourism without causing negative impact in the environment, enjoying the wonderful surroundings that nature offers.
Conservation strategies, protected areas, and ecotourism in costa. Costa ricas landscape has fascinated travelers for centuries, establishing costa rica as a popular tourist destination hintzen 2014. Get to the heart of costa rica with one of lonely planets indepth, awardwinning guidebooks. Some critic doubt that countries can receive much economic benefit from international tourism because most major expenses, like travel, are arranged though businesses outside of the country. The new key to costa rica guidebook key to costa rica guidebook. The 495page new key to costa rica gives you all the information you need to plan an ecofriendly costa rican vacation. The discussions about the management of ecotourism as a resource, including the development of national parks, control over foreign investment, provision of business incentives, and regulation of certification programs are.
Globally we are witnessing growing environmental destruction, particularly to the natural resource bases of underdeveloped countries. Other organizations, such as sustainable tourism international and the international ecotourism society also provide certification, accommodation listings, and information. Costa rica s landscape has fascinated travelers for centuries, establishing costa rica as a. Despite of the still present menace of deforestation, costa rica has a fairly good environmental record. The certification of sustainable tourism cst is a costa rican program intended to balance three basic factors within the tourism industry. Rios tropicales has the largest private rainforest reserve on the pacuare river in costa rica. The complete guide puts the best of costa rica at your fingertips. The lsu agleadership class xiii experienced the rainforests on the arenal hanging bridges and. The strong emphasis on sustainable practices and development of protected areas has boosted ecotourism in costa rica to a large degree. Within the last two decades costa rica has become an extremely popular ecotourism destination and in 1992 was named the number one ecotourism destination by the u. This paper, based on a comparative study in costa rica, explores some of these issues. Conservation strategies, protected areas, and ecotourism. Whether or not ecotourism in costa rica will prove to be sustainable in the longterm remains to be seen. Nowadays a major ecotourism and adventure hotspot, costa rica also attracts scientists.
Ecotourism in costa rica is a robust industry because the country was one of the earliest adopters of connecting naturewildlife conservation with responsible travel costa rica has been ranked among the worlds best ecotourism destinations on more than one occasion, and became the first country in the americas to ban hunting in 2012. These factors include the companys interaction with natural and cultural resources, the improvement of quality of life within local communities and economic contribution to other programs of national development. Costa rica is considered one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. In order to increase the likelihood that ecotourism achieves goals of sustainable development in costa rica, all of the key actors must to begin to take more proactive measures in order to ensure that ecotourism is carefully planned and implemented. Opportunities and threats to local sustainable development. Forestybased ecotourism in costa rica as a driver for positive social. For more than three decades, however, nat hab has been guiding guests through costa ricas natural wonders. Costa rica is known as one of the premier sites to study and experience highaltitude tropical cloud forests and nature conservation forsyth, 1988. Costa rica is a central american country with a land area of 51,100 sq km and a population of nearly 3. Ecotourism development in costa rica is a concise, clearlywritten, and balanced portrait of ecotourism as a development strategy in costa rica. Costa rica is one of the few countries in the wold that has a certification program for sustainable tourism. Costa rica boasts over 3,221,000 acres of protected land including 26 national parks, 58 wildlife refuges, 32 protected zones, 15 wetland areas, 11 forest reserves and 8 biological reserves. Its greatest benefits in the social, economic, environmental and cultural areas have helped put the little country of costa rica onto the international map awareness setting costa rica as a worldwide leader and a success story of how ecotourism can positively impact a whole country as long as it is done properly, at an early stage of.
It therefore offers a unique possibility to ground test the economic, social and environmental impacts of ecotourism compared with other employment. Costa rica national park map, costa rica go visit costa rica. Costa rica maps visit costa rica costa rica tourism. From pristine beaches and jungle waterfalls to highaltitude coffee farms, costa rica. Biodiverstiy and tourism in costa rica march, 2001 6 1. These studies provide greater context for understanding how ecotourism plays out against other. Costa rica is one of the worlds most popular ecotourism destinations, with travellers drawn to national parks, reserves and rainforests. It combines low cost and easy accessibility with a stable government and a friendly exchange rate.
Ecotourism in costa rica sustainable eco travel vacations. With over 300000 national park visits per year, costa rica is among the worlds first eco travel destinations. View a large printable pdf of costa rica map guanacaste escape adventure. To assess local communities attitudes towards ecotourism and its ability to influence conservation and sustainable development on the island. Ecotourism in costa rica is one of the key activities of the tourism industry in the country. And costa rica s ecotourism is made up of not only responsible choices, but bucketlistworthy experiences. For example, in costa rica, ecuador, nepal, kenya, madagascar and territories such as antarctica, ecotourism represents a significant portion of the gross domestic product and economic activity.
View a large printable pdf of costa rica ecoadventure tour map. Costa rica itself and the incredible ecosystem with all the birds, flora and other creatures, was the highlight. Sustainable tourism, ecofriendly travel, green hotels, responsible tourismits a jungle of terminology out there. However, costa rica is not immune to the pressures of deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture cia 2003.
A major portion of the early ecotourism research is based on experiences from costa rica. Costa rica s push towards ecotourism began with the establishment of the cabo blanco national reserve in 1963 and the first national parks in 1971. It is bordered by nicaragua and panama in the north and south, respectively, and by the caribbean and pacific oceans on the east and west. Which tools and techniques were used in order to develop to one of the most popular destinations for sustainable tourism. The country is among many developing nations that look to ecotourism as a way of cashing in on the growing demand for this popular trend of travel. Ecotourism is often misinterpreted as any form of tourism that involves nature see jungle tourism. Along with the cheaper ones, there are some of the worlds most opulent and expensive options. We enjoyed the ability of the guide to spot and identify so many of the bird species at a glance. Sustainable travel and ecotourism in costa rica frommers. Ecotourism and sustainable development in costa rica. We saw 127 different species of birds alone the food was so delicious and the people were so nice. View a large printable pdf of costa rica national park map.
Costa rica description cost rica is a central american country of 3. This is a mission close to my costa ricas own philosophy and our costa rica ecotourism nature packages are perfect for the environmentally aware ecotourist. The trend continued and today the costa rican park system includes 70 entities and protects over 3,221,000 acres 1,303,492 ha. Annually, more than one million tourists visit the country, and the tourism industry has an annual. Ensuring excellent ecotourism, costa rica has devoted an estimated 26% of its land to national parks, wildlife reserves and protected lands. Ecotourism impacts in the nicoya peninsula, costa rica. Ecotourism activities in costa rica provides a combination of luxury and adventure activities, which includes visits to rich wildlife to experience flora and fauna, visiting volcanoes, hiking, river rafting, bird watching, whale watching, canopy tours, horse riding, bungee jumping, surfing and snorkeling are some of the few mentions. Ecotourism must account for social, economic and environmental implications, in order to succeed. Ecotourism has a great impact in the economy as a private sector and as part of the touristic activities in general.
Centering yourself on a surfboard or yoga mat, descending into batfilled caves or ascending misty volcanic peaks, hiking, biking or ziplining your only limit is your return date. We help you plan your trip to costa rica with unique maps of costa rica map. Costa ricas push towards ecotourism began with the establishment of the cabo blanco national reserve in 1963 and the first national parks in 1971. Avis on the map from the late 1980s until 1994, when perry relocated the system to a more accessible.
The osa peninsula is the last remaining section of costa rica s pacific coast where ecotourism is the dominant economic activity. Author beatrice blake has 30 years of experience in writing only about costa rica, and was instrumental in the development of the ecotourism movement that has made costa rica famous. Costa rica case study unedited working paper 1 1 introduction. Forestybased ecotourism in costa rica as a driver for positive. By the early 1990s, costa rica became known as the poster child of ecotourism. Study findings were mixed regarding ecotourisms effectiveness as a conservation and community development tool. Survey respondents saw legal restrictions as more influential than tourism in prompting declines in deforestation and hunting rates.
Introducing ecotourism to venado island, costa rica prepared by bjorn g. Ecotourism costa rica, information about ecology and. Costa rica maps visit costa rica costa rica tourism official. This is a mission close to my costa rica s own philosophy and our costa rica ecotourism nature packages are perfect for the environmentally aware ecotourist. September 2009 598 john rutter an ecotourism case study. Entrepreneurs and the cocreation of ecotourism in costa rica. Ecotourism has more promise for achieving sustainability than alternative types of land use such as agriculture, cattle grazing, logging, or mass tourism. It is one of the worlds top tropical wet forest research centers. The human development index places it as a highlevel country. Costa rica maps to help you plan your vacation go visit costa rica.
Summary of the socioeconomic situation in costa rica1. Figure 2 map of the osa peninsula and ecotourism study sites. The new key to costa rica guidebook key to costa rica. Keywords costa rica development strategy ecotourism impact assessment sustainable tourism 1 ecotourism. Tourism is one of costa rica s most important businesses, and they are blessed to contain all the key ingredients of the perfect tourist destination. The ecotourism boom began in the mid1980s and really took off in the 1990s with 800,000 foreigners visiting the central american nation in 1995, 1. Challenges and potentials of ecotourism as a form of. To obtain an understanding of the current state of ecotourism on zapatera island. With 28 national parks, 58 wildlife refuges and scores more protected nature reserves, costa rica offers so much to see and do that planning a trip on your own can be overwhelming. But no matter how you define it, costa rica is a beacon for sustainability and environmentally friendly tourism. Ecotourism costa rica the impacts on three guides it is hard to deny that ecotourism has benefited the nation of costa rica in a great number of ways. Prior to the 1980s, costa rica led the world in the highest rates of deforestation sdnp.
In costa rica, green travel is more than a buzzword. Every year, many thousands of visitors come to costa rica because of one simple fact. The capital, san jose, is in a valley with dormant volcanoes on either side. Environmental impacts and management emily mckeone, b. We help you plan your trip to costa rica with unique maps of costa rica ecoadventure tour map. The purpose of this paper is to provide a synopsis of the current issues facing ecotourism in costa rica. Costa rica ecoadventure tour map, costa rica go visit. Other exemplary operators include costa rica expeditions, 22570766 and costa rica sun tours tel 8662716263 in the u. Ecotourism visit costa rica costa rica tourism official. Costa rica has been the early playground for researchers, a country where theories and practices could be tested, measured, and evaluated. Ecotourism in costa rica perhaps more than anyone else, it was the two writers of a field guide about tropical birds that were responsible for the ecotourism movement in costa rica. Mar 07, 2014 twilas mike danna concludes our central american profile series with ecotourism in costa rica.
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