Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation & Inn, has been recognized by the global conservation organization as the “setter” of sustainability standards year on tourism.

This is a Rainforest Alliance award given annually to companies or individuals with serious commitments to sustainability, conservation advocacy and improving the environment coupled with support from the community where they operate.

Finca Rosa Blanca, owned by the family Jampol Osman, has the highest category (leaves) of the Sustainable Tourism Certification, issued by the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo. It also has Rainforest Alliance certified sustainable management for the good of the plantation.

Glenn Jampol and owner Teresa Osman during the past two decades have given 5% of the proceeds from their bar and restaurant for community projects in Costa Rica, thus allowing the construction of a new library, dining room and a computer center at the local school and a recycling center.

“Finca Rosa Blanca has been involved in sustainable practices for 20 years … and I think that was elected because he has created a model that demonstrates that responsibility and sustainability are tightly integrated with the quality and financial stability,” Jampol said.

Today 144 companies have some degree certificate and nine of them with the highest ranking.

Costa Rica was made head of sustainable tourism and not going to be easy to overtake.

To this has an element that gives confidence in that area to the visitor: the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST) that delivers the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and that qualifies one to five points symbolized by blades, with five being the maximum value.

This is being implemented since 1997 and the last evaluation took place on 18 January. Since then, six hotels (Villa Blanca, Harmony, White Fincarosa Shelter, Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge, Rio and Lapa Yes do not), and three agencies (Horizons, Act and Symbiosis) have the highest rating, corresponding to five sheets.

The CST goes beyond green tourism environment. It also has to do with the relationship of the tourist company with more immediate social environment.

“The certificate includes the human side,” including “respect for the values, customs, and the relationship with the community, local job creation …” stresses Maria Amalia Revelo, deputy manager of ICT.

Costa Rica was a pioneer from the government in implementation of social responsibility as an axis, years before they started talking about it as an added value for companies. “There are similar models overseas but are private and CST is well known for being strict, transparent and authentic,” says Revelo.

One certificate is Aurola Holiday Inn hotel in downtown San Jose. With four points (leaves) of sustainability is the most senior of the CST in the national capital. “The hotel is joined to the efforts of ICT in their work to make the tourism sector with operations environmentally responsible and supportive communities,” said Laura Arguedas, sustainable management consultant who worked on the implementation of the TSA in the Aurola.

This hotel has three programs with the neighborhood: aid in maintaining the Simón Bolívar Park, developed the project “Cuadra”, working with waste disposal and cleanup of the area, and coordinates workshops on influenza A for workers and neighbors.

“Many countries speak of nature, but failing to protect their people,” said Revelo, for whom “this program impacts the community and sustainable development becomes a reality.”

In the area of travel agencies, Simbiosis Tours, specializing in Community-Based Rural Tourism is one of the three that have the highest qualifications. “It is important to us. More and more customers request it, “said Dayana Amador, coordinator of quality and sustainability of Symbiosis.

Tourists increasingly aware, “smarter” in Costa Rica for a model different from other parts of the world, said Amador.
Last week, a team of American digital television channel, Live Well, ABC Corporation, was recorded in sustainable tourism projects with four or five leaves.

With more than a million visitors annually, Costa Rica is now among the hottest vacation destinations in the world. Offering some of the most beautiful and exotic locations, this small Central American nation is filled with a rich history, stunning beaches, dense jungles, steaming volcanoes, roaring rivers, gushing waterfalls and fantastic national parks. An ecotourists dream, Costa Rica makes for the perfect escape amidst some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world today.

Ideal for honeymooners, families, business executives and nature adventurers, this tropical country is home to some of the most amazing flora and fauna, not found anywhere else on earth. And while the rainforests here are lush and dense, the cloud forests of Monteverde and Santa Elena offer entirely unique and mystical surroundings to explore. The ultimate getaway for those seeking to leave the hustle and bustle of the world behind, Costa Rica is also an adventure hotspot with everything from surfing to mountain biking found here.

There are plenty of accommodations to suit every budget in Costa Rica, ranging from luxurious five star hotels to a number of reasonably priced resorts on the Nicoya Peninsula Coast. In most tourist towns, one can find a wide array of places to rent and stay at. However, in the more remote areas accommodation options can get rather limited; therefore it is a good idea to make an advance reservation or room booking.

There are numbers of good rent a cars in Costa Rica, so it is also important that you do your research and make sure you check out all your options before reserving a Car Rental Costa Rica.

If you plan on staying in Costa Rica for more than a few weeks, renting an apartotels is a good way to save money. Apartotels are like hotel rooms, but they come with an equipped kitchen and other amenities. If you are backpacking though the country, bed and breakfasts B&B’s are a much better hotel option to consider, as they are very affordable and economical. However, if your budget is a little more flexible then cabinas is the ideal alternative. All inclusive resorts, private lodges, cabins and inns are the best if your traveling budget is more flexible.

The building will have 701 rooms within a farm of 380 acres at Playa Matapalo in Sardinal, Carrillo, Guanacaste.

The Spanish firm will invest $ 150 million in the project and uses only 5% of available land (19 hectares).

That portion of the property includes the Hotel Riu and at least one more than the company plans to develop in the medium term.

The following is a kind hotel Palace (another mark of the chain), said Roberto Echeverria, attorney in Costa Rica for the Spanish company in the country.

“Within the chain handle different levels of five stars. For example, the Riu (under construction) is five stars, but focused on a family market with adolescents. The Palace is a sophisticated, adult, the official explained.

Currently, the building of the first Riu employed 1,500 employees.

Echeverria said that once opened the hotel hired 413 people and generate an estimated 1600 indirect jobs.

“We have estimated that local suppliers (fruits, vegetables, services, etc.) will invest $ 80 million annually,” said the lawyer for the chain.

He added that payment of an estimated payroll of $ 2.5 million per year.

The project of the Spanish firm is friendly to nature.

Andrés Shum, Cocorí hotel owner in Playa Bonita, perceives in the environment. “We had to make an investment, because the gap is large in Limon. So I started the study two years ago and gave us permission when the crisis began. ”

The extension of 1,000 meters of the hotel did not stop the crisis, because there’s a high expectation for ads in port investment in the medium term.

Give the award of new work in ports, private sector proposals for the extension of Route 32, the train from coast to coast, a bus and Megaports already approved $ 80 million loan from the World Bank for the project Limón City port.

The sea breeze evokes investment. The mayor of Limon, Eduardo Barboza, estimates that in the coming years will receive a Lemon private investment of over $ 2 million, the trust that comes into local businesses for ads by the Government, in which there is a stream of Venezuelan and Italian investors.

There is optimism among the local businessmen, but also caution. Anita McDonald, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Limón stated that the private sector is reacting. “We feel that we are given the opportunity to grow.”

However, he cautioned that there is a lag and image problems.

Tide of cement

Limón is far from becoming a boom like the one that lived Guanacaste, but it is the only province that speeds up the pace in the building when all other brakes.

Limón in 2008 represented only 4% of new buildings, the last of Costa Rica, according to data from the Federal College of Engineers and Architects. Rose to 11% in the first quarter of 2009, and is in fourth place.

To make this leap, Limón grew from 73% in square meters in the first quarter of 2009 compared to 2008.

San Jose managed just one positive, with 10. The other provinces showed negative performance.

The drive was also recorded in the building permits as reported by the Chamber of Construction. Limón had a growth of 42%, while the rest of the country blamed the effects of the crisis in the activity, with significant falls.

In this provincial map, the central canton of Limon was the great protagonist, with 53% of meters lifted away Pococí 23%.

This does not mean you have a rash of buildings. Oscar Leon Wing Ching, Chairman of the Engineering department of the Municipality of Limon, said that the people are preparing for potential business opportunities with the expansion of the Panama Canal and the announcements of projects in Limon, but cautioned that there is a process of informal constructions being corrected.

70%

Growth of private construction in Limón, the first four months of 2009 to 2008. The other provinces fell.

73%

Increased construction in Limon, the first quarter of 2009 compared with 2008.

43%

Growth in building permits in the first quarter in Limon compared to 2008.

“We created a cross-check since October, with the documents’ location under ‘, which is now broadcast in the city, and the collaboration of JAPDEVA, which seeks to provide services to regularize their status,” said Leon.

The result is a scenario in which the works of trade grew more than fourfold, while the industrial doubled.

In the landscape Limonense are beginning to sprout lots of more shipping companies, factories, buildings, service terminals cooling. “Increased building permits large. I can tell you that revenue from licenses, the City receives four times more than they earned four years ago, “said Leon.

Feet on the coast

The acceleration of activity shows a large private component: new private construction rose by 70% in the first quarter, while across the country fell 51%.

Lemon was the only province with positive numbers in this row. However, McDonald noted that part of that growth can be associated with the large backlog of infrastructure in the Caribbean, the result of years of abandonment and insecurity.

“Lemon has lived for years with a bad image of violence. To ensure investment, should be changed and we have projects in the House as one of video security “he said.

The rebound in activity and investment announcements are hoping to cut that way, but there are outstanding issues.

Leon warned that could present problems with water in the medium term, as well as growth opportunities.

There are also constraints for the control of buildings. The Engineering department has seven staff for their work, and no vehicle to conduct site inspections.

This will require that special attention to planning, to update the Regulatory Plan for the city of Limon pipeline, and the definition of the Coastal Plan Regulator.

In addition, there needs to be evident from the goals in the process: the Port City project aims to make cruise tourism as a source of income, but currently there is little room for visitors.

Rooms with tourist declaratory spent 10% of the national total in 2004 to only 4% in 2008, according to Mideplan. But the mayor Barboza says awaiting developments. “We need to walk a lot in this, we don’t have a Four Seasons or Marriott, but there are proposals for local investors,” he said.

The mayor’s prediction is that the tide of construction, which originated a few years ago, is sustainable and will generate some 4,000 jobs in coming years.

This would reduce unemployment, the main social problem in the province (6.9%, while the national rate was 4.9% according to last measurement).

This would help to meet the expectations of investment are realized, and lemon is no longer the Cinderella.

The property is located approximately one mile away from the Manuel Antonio National Park and eight kilometers from Quepos.

The hotel will have 240 residential designs within an environment of a four-star hotel, along with hospitality services.

Jade is a trademark owned by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and is sharpened to The Registry Collection Exchange Program, the luxury exchange program offered by Group RCI.

Other attractions will be a private beach club with oceanfront cafe, a bar with lagoon shaped pool, cabanas and a wild river, a luxury resort pool with 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean, cabins and services swimming pool, a lobby with a nine-story atrium and a waterfall of more than twelve meters. This means there is investment in Costa Rica, despite the crisis today.

In addition, a health center, aerobic exercises and 185 meters square, Tico, an elegant Latin fusion food restaurant, a spa, and an area for meetings of more than 550 square meters.

Internal residential

The residential area will have four designs: The Forest – 49 square meters with a bedroom and a bathroom; Miramar – 100 square meters with two bedrooms and two bathrooms; Pacific Blue – 112 square meters with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and Buena Vista – 68 square meters with a bedroom and a bathroom.

Prices for pre-construction range from $ 250,000 to $ 750,000.

To date, Jade has invested about $ 200,000 in water-related improvements in Manuel Antonio. Have also begun local scholarships and training.

Is scheduled to be completed in December 2010.

For her, it’s easy because it does often as Marketing Manager of Portafolio Inmobiliario SA (Pinmsa), a firm that develops one of the largest buildings in the capital. Its cost is estimated at more than $80 million.

The project will be developed over a period of three years which will culminate in 2010. It is the largest building complex to be built in the capital of Costa Rica.

The first phase was the medical tower, which came into operation in 2006, where medical clinics are located in the Cima hospital. Avenida Escazú is located opposite the road Próspero Fernández and west borders with the medical center.

In June to open the hotel Residence Inn, Marriott brand in the chain and in July will be the turn of a block of buildings to house business on the ground floor and offices on upper floors.

The film will arrive in September. This is the first cinemas Imax Corporation that the signature affixed to the country in association with Televisora Repretel.

They are high-tech screens, whose size is 10 times larger than the conventional format, as recalled Federico Zamora, director of corporate relations of the company policy that Imax has signed contracts with the technology to operate in the country. Giant screens had to wait at least three years to find a suitable building site with the (multiple floors).

Televisora Repretel found here the ideal place to operate the cinema: an estate of eight hectares Pinmsa became partners three years ago and was thought to have a complex business, entertainment, homes, health care and hotels.

To purchase and live

The shopping includes four designers worldwide: Adolfo Dominguez, Max Mara, French Connection, Salvatore Ferragamo and Pianegonda. Its marketing manager, Sylene Campos, said to be at least 25 restaurants.

In the office building and trade that gives one side of the main road Pinmsa aims to locate a school of dance, fitness center and exhibition halls.

The first phase of residential units will include 96 apartment-type houses with one or two bedrooms.

Although not yet designed, the project includes three towers located near the cinemas. By October of 2010 and the first will be built.

The sale process has not been affected by the crisis, said Fields, because it began three years ago and is a high socio-economic segment.

Minimized the risk seeking future tenants with sufficient purchasing power, interested in security and modern infrastructure.

“We will give priority to those who want to live there because we want to bring life to any proposal,” said Campos, referring foreigners could eventually buy an apartment as a second home and be living just a few months.

The Salvadorian group Agrisal will invest in Costa Rica about $15 million to build its first hotel outside of their country.

Eduardo Quinones, director of the hotel division of Agrisal, reported La Nacion that the property will operate under the Holiday Inn brand and will be located in Escazu, close to the CIMA hospital.

“We did a very thorough analysis and we agree that Costa Rica has the best conditions for this first hotel outside of El Salvador. You have done an outstanding job in positioning the country in tourism, “he said by telephone.

Commented that the first stone will be placed in September, with the idea that the hotel opened its doors in late 2010. Its construction will generate 300 direct jobs, and just over 150 permanent opening.

The arrival of Agrisal to the country not happen alone. The Salvadorian group did with dumbbells chain InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which currently has four hotels in San Jose.

The agreement was signed with IHG in 2007 and not only for the opening of the Holiday Inn in Escazu, but six other hotels in the rest of Central America.

Agrisal will invest $70 million at the opening of seven properties in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua in a period of five years.

New option. The Holiday Inn will have 10,000 square meters of construction, spread over six floors and a basement. The new hotel will have 163 rooms, 800 square meters of meeting rooms for activities, spa, gym, restaurant and pool on the terrace.

Quiñónez noted that this new hotel option is “green” since it will plant wastewater treatment systems, low lighting (and take advantage of natural light) and intelligent systems. Furthermore, all its internal and external practices are compatible with the environment.

The Holiday Inn is betting on executive tourism, but not excludes the so-called medical tourists. Apart from its merits, Quiñónez said they will offer competitive rates.

“We know that competition is tough, but is healthy. Costa Rica has the best hotel platform at the regional level, but we offer a differentiated product, “he said.

Although premature, the executive did not rule out that Agrisal invest in another hotel in the country. Everything depends on the results of its first hotel outside El Salvador.

To the minister, now also offers a good time to start new hotel projects in Costa Rica.

Benavides met with businessmen Mallorcans at the Chamber of Commerce of the town, said the Spanish and international media entity.

The purpose of the visit was to inform entrepreneurs about business opportunities in the country and attract investors to tour the area and other real estate business.

Furthermore, it is intended that authorities of both countries exchange experiences on their territories.

Benavides told international media that Costa Rica aims to benefit from the knowledge of the islands on desalination of seawater for use in the tourism industry, from large and medium professional education.

On the other hand, wants to offer their knowledge on sustainable tourism.

ICT boost local tourism and decides how to revive the industry.

The first opening is planned for late 2010 in Jacó, Garabito. The second building will be opened in late 2011 and is located in Playa Azul, Santa Cruz de Guanacaste, as announced the signing on its website.

The group, originally from Palma de Mallorca and 75 years in the hotel business, has signed a management contract for both buildings, whose construction cost $ 301 million.

The amount for the construction of the hotels will be borne by investors, whose origin is not revealed by Barceló.

The hotel chain will manage them under their brand Barceló Premium (highest category).

The announcement of the company is at a time when the country has experienced a significant decline in tourist arrivals.

The press release, the group qualifies as Guanacaste and Puntarenas as “two of the most recognized for its spectacular beaches and lush vegetation.”

With the opening of Barceló Jaco Beach and Barceló Playa Azul, the corporation will reach 1319 with six rooms in the country. With that number of hotels, Costa Rica will become the third major country in Latin America for the group.

The first in importance is Mexico with 12 locations, followed by Dominican Republic, where Barceló manages 11 establishments.

The Spanish company operates in Costa Rica the hotels San Jose Palacio and Palma Real in the capital as well as Tambor Beach in Puntarenas and Langosta Beach in Tamarindo, Guanacaste.

The Hotel Barceló Playa Azul, in Guanacaste, is intended in part to serve tourists who come to medical treatments. The building will include a hospital, a health and beauty center with 60 rooms and a research center.

In total, the hotel will have 248 rooms and 50 villas, plus a shopping center. The complex will cost $ 237 million in total.

The other hotel, Barceló Jacó Beach, will feature 150 rooms and investments exceed $ 64 million, this is good for the sector of investments in Costa Rica Real Estate news of this area.

In recent years, Barceló Hotels & Resorts has strengthened its presence in Central America.

In late February Barceló Managua opened a five-star hotel of 147 rooms, the second operating in Nicaragua. The firm is one of the oldest hotel chains in Spain and ranks among the 24 largest in the world. Have 185 hotels in 15 countries under the brands Premium, and Barceló Comfort.