Costa Rica, more environmentally friendly

U.S. survey among ecotourists puts us first in the world.

Negative points are waste management, sewage, mega-hotels, and large monocultures.

In the minds of American eco-tourists, Costa Rica is the only brand positioned as green, thanks to its national parks and the carbon offset program in air travel (voluntary payment of fees for pollution).

This emerges from the first study of the “Traveler” Green Green CMI; U.S. consultancy specialized in environmental issues and sustainability.

Costa Rica’s green image returns to the first international and certainly benefits to an item that needs to recover after a very tough year.

Tour operators are an important part in selling the image of the country, inviting the visitor to experience the rich natural urge him to care for and protect. In addition, work on the impact it can cause and take actions to conserve and manage natural hazard.

Despite positioning, Costa Rica has serious flaws in environmental matters in areas such as garbage or sewage, among others.

However, not surprisingly, the national tourism sector has reacted with glee at this news, which places Costa Rica as a destination leader in sustainable tourism.

“For one who works as a hotelier in ecological tourism, is a compliment,” said Geinier Alvarado, manager of The Cusinga Eco Lodge, Uvita (South Pacific), who asserted that we must avoid the big developments in the sector, otherwise sustainable tourism is done, there may be a “negative impact” to the conflict with the image projected beyond our borders.

The news confirms the image of Costa Rica in the world according to Pablo Vargas, general manager of Café Britt, a company that has striven to give a profile of sustainability abroad, not just the brand itself, but the country in general.

But the mismanagement of solid waste, untreated sewage, and entangled with environmental legislation are negative weight factors, which have to work.

The tourist “gets a good impression, a false view” of the country’s environmental problems, criticized Germain Marin, president of the environmentalist Coecoceiba Friends of the Earth.

The reality in this matter is much more complex, with issues such as environmental and social impacts of large monocultures, massive construction hotel in Guanacaste, irrational use of water by these, and “social exclusion of indigenous groups”.

“Six years ago we lost the north of sustainability, but fortunately recovered two or three years ago,” said Will Aiello, CEO of Horizon Tours, a travel agency that has the five leaves of the Certificate of Sustainable Tourism, the highest rating granted in this country for good environmental and social practices.
However, the country’s position within the ecotourism and sustainability allowed entering with great force in a growing market niche.

Aiello believes that the survey will make much of those who require these services turn their eyes to our country, on which “puts a big neon sign.