Honeymoon in Costa Rica, tailor made

Planet

Costa Rica is the birthplace of ecotourism and as such is also the place where this activity has achieved the highest level of success with responsible environmental policies being held by most hotels and tourist businesses .

Being ecologically responsible on a trip doesn’t mean sacrificing the quality of the stay nor the travel plans. It basically consists on planning the visit in a more conscientious way.

In Costa Rica the government designed a Certification where the level of commitment to Sustainability is qualified. This Certification is called CST. It is a program whose main purpose is to categorize and certify tourism companies based on administrative and operational considerations, and comparing them to an ideal model of sustainability. For this purpose, the companies are evaluated in a variety of areas.

Ecological/Environmental Impact:

We actively promote the use of energy-efficient equipment maximizing the natural light.

By keeping electronic files we minimize the use of paper; printing is only on recycled/reused paper.

Wastes produced by the company are properly managed on our recycling center and by our active participation in the recycling programs through the Municipality of Escazú.

Our operators promote the country as well as the importance of protecting the natural resources. They are a member of the Amigos de los Parques program, managed by Fundación Proparques.

Working with small groups of tourists to minimize environmental impact.

At the office and at our transportation units we use natural and biodegradable products.

Local naturalist guides educate passengers on the trip to be part of ongoing sustainable programs throughout the trip.

Feedback from guides and passengers is monitored closely.

In order to reduce the amount of plastic on board of our trips, we support the use of refillable water bottles.

Our travel operator encourages working from home and online meetings in order to avoid commuting and rush hour fuel waste.

They carry out different activities that involve environmental conservation.

People

Social/Cultural Impact:

The programs incorporate natural and cultural features by developing activities that include the communities and encourage their sustainable development.

Choosing service providers that are certified by CST, who work with the Rainforest Alliance's tourism and/or agriculture programs, and businesses that have the Ecological Blue Flag, ISO14000, or other recognition.

Sustainability is promoted among clients, wholesalers, and suppliers.

Our clients are given opportunity to participate in conservation initiatives and communal development.

Training direct and indirect collaborators on topics related to sustainability and efficient resource use.

Encouraging supporting local initiatives

Actively working with rural schools in order to allow cultural exchanges.

Every year our local operators for this trip help local schools and by solving some of their most pressing needs

They coordinate various donations to resource-less schools on different regions of the country.

The staff used are often on the road checking product and learning from the social & local environment first hand

Our tour operators promote the traditions of the country as well as the consumption of national products, meals, and crafts. For example they support local artisans through the purchase of handmade works of art to give their clients as gifts.

Sustainable tourism consists on providing direct and/or indirect benefits to the communities that are visited. Whenever it is possible, this is done through sustainable activities that protect the environment and the participation in social projects that help local communities and protected areas, always providing a high quality service.