Ecotourism in Costa Rica

Worldwide, tourism is one of the fastest growing industries and has been described as a powerhouse in the global economy. The main driving forces of the demand for (international) tourism are increases in prosperity in Northern countries, technical progress in areas of transportation and communication, demographic trends and changing lifestyle patterns. Tour operators and travel agents have responded to this demand by increased market segmentation and product differentiation. One fast growing market segment is ecotourism.

Ecotourism is "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well being of local people." The fact that the concept is not legally protected renders it vulnerable to expropriation and misuse, a practice sometimes referred to as "green washing." Notwithstanding the danger of misuse, the net impact of ecotourism for Costa Rica's environment seems to have been positive so far. Tourism is Costa Rica's top foreign earnings generator.

The economic benefits of tourism for the host country are often less than what they may seem at first sight. In many instances, tourist revenues "leak" out of the host country's economy through import of the inputs for tourist services and because of the international appropriation of profits. The Costa Rica case study calculates that in the case of Costa Rica's ecotourism, however, almost 40% of the tourist revenues accrue to local providers of goods and services, a percentage that is high in comparison with conventional international tourism. The Costa Rican government is presently at a crossroads with respect to its tourism policy: it can harness its ecotourism sector and invest in limited but sustainable growth, or it can continue to capitalize on its "green" image (and eventually run it down) by embarking on a strategy of mass tourism.

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