Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Tourism in Costa Rica
- Profile
- 4.7
million
- GDP-
$49.62
billion
- Central
America
- HDI-
0.763
- Languages-
Spanish,
English
- Capitol- San Jose
- Main Exports-
Coffee,
bananas,
sugar, textiles,
electricity
- 95% of country is literate
- First nation in the world to
voluntariiy abolish their
army-1949
- Aims
- Preserve the attractions and flora and
fauna
- Educate the locals and tourists about preserving the environment
- Improve the quality of life of Costa Rican people
- Integrate Costa Rican culture into the tourist experience
- To become a Carbon neutral tourist destination
- To promote eco-tourism and sustainable tourism
- Background
- 1.5 million tourists per year
- National Park system- 25% of country
- Flora and Fauna- 5% of
world's
biodiversity(country only
1% of world's land
mass) ECOTOURISM
- Exploration- 1930
- Economic
Activity
- Not
dependent on
remittances-
only 2% of
GDP
- $15.1 billion
in debt- 89th
country
- $17.56 billion in imports-
82th country
- $11.66 billion in
exports- 91th
country
- Population below poverty line- 24.8%
- Unemployment Rate- 7.9%
- Problems
- Development of tourism facilities
harms vegetation and wildlife
- Tourism revenue occurs
outside of Tortuguero,
making entrepreneurship
and development of local
economy difficult in this
area
- Poor communication between locals and tourists can lead
to annimosity
- Disagreements on how to spend tourist revenue negatiively affects environmental and social issues
- Increase in drug use and prostitution due to tourism development
- Distrust between local people
- Strategies
- Naming coastal areas National Parks in order to protect CR's wildlife and biodiversity
- Naming certain tourist attractions private property with a visiting fee
- Offering financial incentives to reforestation and forest protection
- Controling visitor numbers
- Involving local residents in management and operation of tourism
- Educating locals and tourists on sustaining the environment
- Raising fees to generate more income- which is then used to rehabilitate the environment
- Benefits
- Tourism is the 3rd largest source of income in CR- income=$136 million
- Tourism industry is a major source of employment for Costa Ricans
- Tourism improves local education, medical care, infrastructures, and female empowerment
- Tourism damage forces the establishment of new National Parks to protect coastal regions
- Environmental awareness is becoming a priority
- Sustainable tourism and eco-tourism are promoted
- Support given to local culture- due to tourism
- Increase in foreign exchange, which leads to economic benefit
- Government becomes more involved with the community