SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN COSTA RICA AMID CRISES 1

Sustainable and Ecotourism in Costa Rica: Analyzing Implications and the Impact of

Crises and Pandemics

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Introduction

This study will look at how sustainability and eco-tourism work in Costa Rica. It will

also concentrate on how these things function when there is a crisis or pandemic. Costa Rica,

known for its many plants and safe way of keeping nature, is a great example of how to doof

effective nature tourism right. This study study will find outexplore why Costa Rica is so

pretty in nature. It will discuss its big forests and neat beautiful beaches. It will also list the

various types of animals from all over the world to see them. It will also demonstrate how

rules have been an important part in supporting sustainability in its travel business (Mowforth

& Munt, 2015). These Some of the rules involve efforts to save nature, getting the

community involved, and doing business in a friendly way to the Earth. All these things are

essential for keeping Costa Rica's unique way of safe travel going. Also, the study paper will

look at the country's problems. It will with a focus on how health problems worldwide and

bad economics damage tourism. It will look into how these problems affect Costa Rica's

efforts to make tourism safe for nature and steps taken to lessen adverse effects. This study

aims to learn more about how Costa Rica keeps progressing with tourism while protecting the

environment. It gives essential tips that solve other places' problems, ensuring tourism is eco-

friendly.

The Nature of Costa Rica as a Destination

Traveling from the UK to Costa Rica typically involves an indirect flight, as no direct

services are available. Flights from cities like Manchester usually include a layover, often in

London or Seattle, with airlines such as United, Delta, and KLM, which often have the

cheapest fares. The complete trip to San José, Costa Rica's busy capital, takes about 16 hours

and 5 minutes or more. It depends on how you go and how long you must wait (Edgell,

2019). When visitors tourists reach Costa Rica, they are greeted by a land filled with many

living things and beautiful nature. There, people can see a wide range of areas and animals.
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This makes it a fantastic place for those who love nature. Costa Rica, a beautiful place in

Central America, is an excellent spot for nature-loving tourists. The country is decorated with

different things that suit all kinds of hobbies.

People who love nature are attracted to national parks like Manuel Antonio and

Corcovado. They are full of animals, from howler monkeys to unique birds. The Monteverde

Cloud Forest Reserve gives a magical experience with its foggy treetops, while the Arenal

Volcano is a beautiful setting for walks and hot waters. Costa Rica's coast is a happy place

for people who love the beach. The Pacific and Caribbean shores have clean beaches like

Tamarindo and Puerto Viejo. These are great places for surfing, sunbathing, and snorkeling

(Bramwell & Lane, 1993). People who like excitement can do zip-lining, rafting, and diving.

These activities help them to enjoy different places. In addition, Costa Rica's dedication to

protecting nature and living in a way that lasts adds to its attractiveness. People can see

firsthand how they protect nature, like watching sea turtles lay eggs in Tortuguero. This mix

of beautiful nature, fun adventures, and greenness makes Costa Rica an excellent place for

travelers looking for good experiences.

Definition and origins of sustainable tourism

It means using resources to meet our needs now without taking away future

generations' ability to meet their needs. In tourism, being sustainable means thinking

carefully and carefully about travel. This involves trying to avoid harmful effects on the

environment, people in local areas, and money spent. The idea of staying true to the

environment and communities when on vacation arose because people wanted to know how

bad regular tourism activities were for nature and the people living there (Bricker et al.,

2012). It aims to make a fair that lets you have fun at a place's nature and culture sites while

ensuring they stay safe. Sustainable tourism needs thoughtful planning and control so tourism
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activities are done with care for the local area and people. This helps to keep things clean and

lets people benefit from tourism.

Ecotourism is often viewed as a segment that focuses on environmentally responsible

travel. It mainly targets safe travel to nature spots, protecting the environment, and bettering

local peoples' health. The connection between staying green and nature-based trips is very

close. Both care a lot about not hurting the environment and making things better for the local

communities. However, these trips are even more focused when it comes to being close to

nature. Tourism that is good for the environment is different from colossal tourism. Mass

tourism is when lots of people go to the same place. It often hurts the environment, changes

culture by making everything the same, and can make money unequal. (Ceron & Dubois,

2003) For example, big cities or famous beaches visited by many people every year can have

problems like pollution, destroying nature, and turning culture into something that can be

bought and sold. On the other hand, good tourism supports smaller trips. This type of

traveling focuses on caring for nature, keeping traditions strong, and bringing financial

benefits to local people. Costa Rica ensures that nature is taken care of by limiting the

number of people who go to national parks. This helps to keep parks safe for wild places.

The triple bottom line concept revolves around three key pillars: environmental,

social, and economic sustainability, which is very important in the tourism industry. This is

clear in different ways in Costa Rica. For the environment, Costa Rica has given a big part of

its land to save it. They have many national parks and reserves run by them. It helps local

communities with tourism by having tourists have closer contact with them. This leads to

sharing culture and money benefits (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006). In terms of money, Costa Rica

has created a way of doing tourism that helps local companies and safe actions. This

includes places to stay that are friendly to nature and tours. This makes sure tourism lasts

for a long time. Enjoying Costa Rica's beautiful scenery and rich culture in a way that keeps
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them safe for future generations is more than just sustainable tourism. It means ensuring that

these unique gifts last forever. The country's promise to make tourism last a long time

presents a route ahead for careful and careful travel.

Challenges to implementing sustainability in tourism

Bringing in environmentally friendly tourism is hard because you must consider

simultaneously making money and preserving nature. Many places people visit for fun, like

beaches and cities, need tourism to make money. This can cause too much building and harm

the environment. It can destroy animals' homes and use essential things like water, food, and

air. A big problem is making sure everyone gets money from tourism. Big tourism companies

often take most of the money, and local communities do not get much in return (Dillard et al.,

2009). This difference can mess up local traditions and customs. Tackling these problems

needs a significant, all-around method. Governments and businesses must firmly promise to

follow eco-friendly ways. This could mean creating rules to reduce environmental harm and

including local people in decision-making activities.

Educating visitors and locals is significant; they need to know why following eco-

friendly habits is essential. Tourists should be told to help local shops remember the

correct values, while locals need teaching and tools to join in on good travel practices.

(Dimoska 2006) Good behavior in travel is essential for sustainable tourism. Supporting new,

eco-friendly ideas is very important. This means using places that help the planet and get

energy from renewable sources, which lessens harm to nature and shows you care about

making these places last for future people. Even if it is hard, if we work together and all agree

to care about sustainability, we can create a way of tourism that helps both places and their

people.

Impact of Tourism on Costa Rica

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The tourism industry in Costa Rica, where people travel in an eco-friendly way, has

dramatically affected the country. This has been both good and bad. This impact can be

categorized into three main areas: social, economic, and environmental.

Social Impact

Tourism in Costa Rica has positive and negative effects on people there. On the bright

side, it has brought people's cultures together. This lets visitors mix in and live like locals.

This connection helps keep these cultural habits safe, adding to the value of Costa Rica's

history. In addition, many tourists have led to better roads, healthcare, and schools in local

areas. This helps those living there and improves their lives (UNWTO, 2011). However,

some things could be improved. The local culture can get mixed up when more people visit a

place. Old ways of life might be forgotten as tourists do activities more focused on them. This

can make the local people lose their sense of who they are as a group. Besides, too many

people in busy tourist spots is a big problem. Many people coming in, especially at busy

times of the year, can pressure local things and change daily life for locals (The United

Nations, 2003). This can also change the peace and natural feel of these places. It affects

people living there as well as visitors. It is essential to deal with these problems. This way,

tourism will help Costa Rica's social life while ensuring it does not harm local customs and

people's happiness.

Economic Impact

Tourism in Costa Rica has had a significant effect on the economy. It offers benefits

and challenges for Costa Rica's economy. Positively, the tourism business has given lots of

jobs. This helps in many areas. Jobs have grown in areas linked to the travel business, like

hotels, tours, attractions, and other helping industries like food and drink, transport, and

stores (Essex et al., 2005). This significant increase in jobs has helped improve many people's

lifestyles in Costa Rica. This has boosted the whole economy and made it more steady.
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However, depending mainly on tourism as the primary source of income can have adverse

effects. One big problem is that the country's economic matters can easily be affected by

changes and unexpected happenings on a big scale, like times when the economy fails or

health crises like pandemics.

The tourism business can take a big hit in tough times like these. This can lead to

problems for people whose jobs depend on it. One more concern is how money made from

tourism is shared unevenly. Usually, a lot of the money from tourists goes to big firms and

worldwide chains. This leaves small, local shops with just a tiny part of the profits (Goodwin

& Santilli, 2009). This difference can cause money problems in the country. Local businesses

need help growing big and strong. It is essential to deal with these money issues so that the

good things from tourism are shared and Costa Rica's economy stays strong as worldwide

changes happen.

Environmental Impact

Costa Rica's way of making tourism good for the environment has significantly

improved. However, it also faces problems because tourism significantly affects the toll on

nature. A big win is keeping most of its land safe. This helps to protect different habitats and

adds to lots of living things. This commitment not only protects nature but also improves the

travel experience with clean natural sights, bringing tourists from all over the world. Even

though there have been efforts, tourism still affects the environment in different ways

(Henama, 2016). Pollution is a big problem, coming from trash made by tourists and fumes

from travel. Making places for tourists can hurt animal homes, harming local animals and

their natural places. Also, having visitors, especially many at busy times, can change how

animals behave and live. Also, too many tourists can put much pressure on Costa Rica's

natural resources like water and energy (Telfer & Sharpley, 2008). This need can cause the

use of resources and put more pressure on the environment. To keep its environment safe,
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Costa Rica must encourage people and businesses to do good for the Earth. Putting money

into suitable green structures like clean energy and intelligent ways to handle trash can help

protect the environment. This lets us keep nature safe for future kids to enjoy.

Balancing the Impacts

Using intelligent, eco-friendly methods, Costa Rica is trying hard to keep tourism

impact fair. One crucial plan is helping travel during low-traffic times. This helps reduce the

number of people in famous tourist spots, lessening the pressure on local supplies and aid.

Motivating guests to visit less popular places is another way. This takes away pressure from

everyday tourist places and helps share money from travel all over the country (Matarrita et

al., 2010). Also, Costa Rica is putting money into lasting buildings and the like. This means

choosing clean energy sources and using suitable waste-handling methods, which are needed

to reduce the environmental damage caused by travel. These projects show that Costa Rica

wants to keep its pretty nature safe and respect its culture. This gives people who visit the

country a good time.

Contemporary Research on Sustainable Tourism Policies and Guidelines in

Costa Rica

Studies show that Costa Rica's rules for tourists emphasize ways to help the

environment and protect nature. Costa Rica is famous for its intelligent ways to protect the

environment and sustainably use tourism. They have rules in place to save natural things and

get the most profit from tourists. This is mainly discussed by Spenceley and Meyer

(2012). These rules involve reducing the number of people allowed in national parks and safe

spots. This keeps a good balance with nature and helps protect the natural world. The travel

business is encouraged to use green methods, such as using clean energy, reducing waste, and

promoting ways to save the environment. Sustainability certificates for hotels and travel

companies also show this promise.

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One significant aspect of Costa Rica's way is involving the community in tourism.

The government and tourism industry work closely with communities to involve them in

making decisions. This ensures local people get good things from tourists and helps keep

their traditions and culture safe. Moreover, the country focuses a lot on teaching tourists and

residents how to save nature and use resources carefully (Strydom et al., 2018). Visitors

should follow local rules and care for the environment. Meanwhile, locals get information

and tools to join eco-friendly tourism activities that also help them. These all-around rules

and guides show how much Costa Rica cares about a green tourism plan.

Conclusion

This study shows how Costa Rica is very dedicated to saving the environment and

helping people in a way that does not hurt nature. It focuses on protecting the environment

and making communities better. Important discoveries show Costa Rica's valuable methods,

like limiting visitors to nature spots and promoting green actions in tourism. Involving local

people in choices about tourism helps keep the country's nature and tradition on track. These

steps have also helped create money-making opportunities from travel. In Costa Rica, they

have some things to fix in their way of ecotourism. Suggestions include making tourist spots

more different and telling people to visit less famous places to share tourism rewards evenly

and ease up the load on bustling destinations. Investing more in eco-friendly structures,

especially clean energy sources and intelligent waste handling, is significant. It is also

advised that both tourists and locals improve their understanding and learning about eco-

friendly actions to promote environmental preservation goals further. Working with other

countries and sharing the best ways to do things can improve Costa Rica's sustainable tourism

model. Going forward and finding new ways, Costa Rica can be an example of green tourism.

It can show how to balance caring for the environment, protecting culture, and having a little

money boost.
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