Key information:

• Costa Rica is a popular tourist destination welcoming millions of visitors every year

• It is renowned for its environmental conservation efforts trying to be leading carbon neutral country

• It has an abundance of biodiversity and has mastered the concept of eco-tourism

Ecotourism is tourism in natural surroundings that has a reduced impact on the environment + supports conservation efforts. It is more sustainable than commercial tourism

An example of small scale ecotourism is Monteverde cloud forest spanning 10,500 hectares with approx. 250,000 people visiting a year. This mountain wildlife reserve is home to 3,000 different plants, 400 species of birds and 100 species of mammals.

Environmental:

• roads are left unpaved because tarmac is invasive to wildlife

• tourists stick to guided pathways reducing footpath erosion + trampling

• noise pollution is limited by turning mobile phones off

• flash photography is prohibited limiting light pollution

the increasing number of tourists however has encouraged more accommodation and facilities to be built which in turn causes loss of land and forest.

• hotels and lodges must be built eco-friendly but inevitably some damage occurs

Social:

• Santa Elena high school teaches students from a young age about the importance of protecting their environment by providing hands on experience

• education is a long-term solution as the knowledge can be passed down generations

• a range of activities available to tourists make it an exciting and cultural destination for tourists

Economic:

• one of the main successes if that while having minimal impact of the environment, Monteverde still attract 250,000 people a year which is very important for both the local economy and the overall GDP of Costa Rica