Sustainable Tourism in Costa Rica

Support for Local Communities: Often, an influx of tourism can result in an upheaval in terms of the key industries in a local area. When this happens, locals who are used to living and working in a certain way can find themselves pushed or priced out of their owns or villages, as prices increase and they find the economy shifting to service industries.

Many sustainable tourism initiatives in Costa Rica aim to support local communities and provide economic benefits to the local population. For example, tour operators help locals who practice traditional ways of living, such as coffee farmers, to adapt their business by bringing visitors on tours. This allows tourists an insight into authentic local culture, whilst providing local business owners with a new stream of income.

It also protects these traditional practices and ways of life. Unfortunately, the world we live in dictates that if an enterprise isn’t profitable, it’s unlikely to continue for long. By making these coffee plantations, traditional villages and small, independent fishing operations profitable thanks to tourism, sustainable travel ensures these ways of life are protected and that the local population benefits from tourism.

Use of Renewable Energy: Costa Rica has made a strong commitment to using renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal power. This helps reduce the country’s carbon footprint and support sustainable tourism.

In fact, in 2020 an incredible 99.78% of the power generated in the country came from renewable sources. With an abundance of waterfalls and rivers and thanks to it’s relatively high volcanic activity, Costa Rica can produce upwards of 85% of its energy from hydroelectric and geothermal power alone, with the rest coming from wind and solar farms.

All this means that hotels, restaurants and other amenities developed to accommodate tourists have a minimal impact on the environment, drastically reducing the impact of tourism on the overall carbon footprint in the country.

Promotion of Responsible Travel: The Costa Rican government and tourism industry are working together to promote responsible travel practices, such as reducing plastic waste and encouraging sustainable transportation options like bike rentals and electric vehicles. In fact, by 2035, it is the aim of the tourist board that all vehicles in the country will be electric.

The government has taken a firm stand on pushing sustainable tourism, and by passing laws on deforestation and in designating 26% of the land as protected, they have made the first key steps to ensuring the natural environment remains untouched.

As well as this, the government has overseen the development of the ICT, the government agency in charge of promoting sustainability in the country, and also the country’s tourist board. This means that sustainability and travel are inextricably linked in Costa Rica, and all marketing and messaging when it comes to promoting the country as a tourist destination is centred around responsible travel.

This, in turn, attracts visitors with an interest in travelling sustainably, and helps educate travellers about the virtues and benefits of responsible travel for locals, travellers, and the environment.

Costa Rica is a leader in sustainable tourism, and its efforts to preserve the country’s natural resources and support local communities are commendable. By choosing sustainable tourism options, travellers can help protect the environment and preserve the unique beauty of Costa Rica for future generations. At Not In The Guidebooks, we are always working on making our own offerings more sustainable, whilst educating our travellers on how they can travel more responsibly. Take a look at the sustainability section of our blog for more tips and features on sustainable travel.