
What Does Sustainable Tourism in Costa Rica Mean to Us?
Sustainable tourism implies making a positive impact on the environment, society, and economy of the place we are visiting. At the very least, it means doing everything we can to avoid making a negative impact on destinations.
For Camino Travel, that means conserving and preserving ecological and cultural integrity, promoting social and economic equity, understanding cultural differences, promoting community involvement, and placing greater emphasis on education. We believe that anything that isn’t sustainable will eventually disappear. That is why we actively take actions against practices that aren’t sustainable in our own operations, as well as the operations of our partners and providers.
Sustainable Practices in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is famous for prioritizing sustainability. By 2050, Costa Rica has pledged to be 100% carbon neutral. In fact, in 2018, Costa Rica achieved international renown for its carbon-neutral electricity. 98% of its electricity in 2018 came from renewable sources, such as hydropower, geothermal power, wind power, and solar power.
Additionally, over 25% of Costa Rica’s forests are protected, between national parks, biological reserves, and wildlife refuges. Together, this system of protected land creates natural corridors that allow wildlife to thrive and migrate freely. Costa Rica also has the second largest marine protected area in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, after the area around the Galapagos Islands. 3,722 m2 (9,640 km2) of ocean is protected around Cocos Island, protecting, among other species, the migratory paths of tuna, dolphins, and hammer sharks.
In line with Costa Rica’s sustainability and conservation priorities, sport hunting has been banned in the country since 2012. The country continually seeks to expand and improve these environment-friendly practices.