Costa Rica, a global showcase for ecotourism

From ecological crisis to global model

Located in the heart of Central America, Costa Rica is much more than just a tropical destination. It is a living laboratory of sustainability, a country that has managed to transform an ecological crisis into a driver of development.

It all began in the 1980s. At that time, intensive agriculture geared towards exports (coffee, bananas, pineapples) ravaged the country's forests. Forest cover, once 53%, fell sharply to less than 19%. It was a silent catastrophe for a land where nature is a second religion.

Costa Rica's bold gamble on ecotourism

Rather than persisting with this model, the government opted for a bold shift: making nature conservation an economic pillar. With the support of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), the country redefined its trajectory around a keyword that has become a symbol: ecotourism.

“A form of responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, benefits the well-being of local communities, and involves interpretation and education.” - The International Ecotourism Society, 2015.

Pioneering and visionary policies

Reforms followed in quick succession:

• 1993 – National Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development, a roadmap praised around the world.

• 1996 – Blue Flag Environmental Program, rewarding communities committed to sustainable development.

• 1998 – Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST), a pioneering label recognized by the World Tourism Organization as “one of the programs that has changed the practice of tourism.”

Measurable success

Three decades later, the results are spectacular. More than a quarter of the country is now protected, divided into 152 natural areas comprising national parks, biological reserves, and wildlife refuges. These areas are home to unique biodiversity, representing nearly 5% of the world's species in a territory barely larger than Switzerland.

A journey to the heart of sustainable balance

Walking across suspension bridges in the Monteverde forest, watching sea turtles lay their eggs in Ostional, or listening to the howling monkeys in Corcovado National Park is much more than just a travel experience: it is an immersion in a model of society where nature, education, and community form a single horizon.

Faced with the challenges of climate change and overtourism, Costa Rica continues to innovate: renewable energy, participatory reforestation, community-based rural tourism. Far from being a simple green label, ecotourism in Costa Rica has become a collective commitment, a way of rethinking our relationship with nature.