Ecotourism

The Costa Rican Red Eyed Tree Frog

  When you think of ecotourism you think of an exotic country or place that has a peaceful natural environment and wildlife that you can observe. Costa Rica is by far the number one country when it comes to ecotourism and it’s one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. This country attracts tourists from all walks of life who want to see national parks and protected areas first hand. As ecotourism continues to develop, it continues to give Costa Ricans a way to generate employment and income.

   There are many benefits that come from a country that promotes and thrives off of ecotourism. Since all of the national parks and reserves are located in different areas of the country, how does Costa Rica’s economy benefit from your visit exactly? Let’s say you find a good deal on plane tickets, so you fly down to San Jose to have a vacation of a life time for a week. You’ll either rent a car, get in a taxi or take a bus, which is the most economical way of transportation here, to a local hotel or resort. You’ll probably want to travel and explore this tropical paradise to see all the best beaches and national parks, which in most cases charge a $15 entrance fee. During your trip you’ll want to eat at some nice restaurants, try some typical food and of course buy souvenirs at some local shops or street vendors from the places you’ve traveled to. So besides your flight, the local hotel accommodations, transportation, dining in restaurants and various souvenirs you’ll pick up along the way, you’re probably going to contribute to local businesses in areas that have struggled in the past, before ecotourism had taken off.

The Costa Rican Blue Morpho Butterfly

   Knowing about the country’s history, you’ll know that due to its small internal market and undersupply of raw materials, industrialization doesn’t have a good chance to develop or expand. It has relied greatly on the exportation of agricultural products, mostly coffee, bananas, sugar and meat, which is another reason why ecotourism has helped with the national economy. The national parks have 70 protected areas and are covering around 21% of the nation’s land. Costa Rica is a small country in general, made up of 19,730 square miles (51,100 sq. km), so to have 21% of the land protected, close to a half a million acres, makes it even more environmentally friendly for tourists and anyone else who loves nature and wildlife.

   Since traveling is a very popular trend now a days, Costa Rica is cashing in on the millions of people who visit here per year. Many would agree that the reason behind the national success of ecotourism is due to its location being close to the United States. Because of its enjoyable climate and accessibility, only 3 hours from Miami, about 49% of tourists that come here are from North America.

   Costa Rica is an ideal place for anyone to visit. Lots of countries in Central America are green and beautiful and have much to offer as well, but not all of those countries have an economic stability, low crime rate and high growth rate like Costa Rica. With having such a rich biodiversity and ecosystem, you can see why so people travel here. Ecotourism is also in many ways meant to educate and entertain tourists. Hopefully by experiencing the beauty of a national park or reserve first hand, tourists will be motived to help protect their own town’s environment. Ecotourism attracts millions of tourists to Costa Rica each year, but it’s just one of the many activities you can do while visiting this tropical paradise on your trip.