Conditions that Facilitate the Emergence and Success of Ecotourism: The Case of Costa Rica

With an extensive history of environmental policies and protections, Costa Rica has become an environmental leader to the rest of the world. Most administrations in Costa Rica have environmental issues on their agendas, which demonstrates the country's commitment to environmental conservation and protection. These efforts can be observed in their transition from traditional forms of tourism to what’s known as ecotourism. This form of tourism has been gaining a lot of international interest, and there is a debate on whether it is beneficial as a sustainable development model. This paper will take a step back and address the question of what are the necessary conditions for ecotourism to emerge successfully in the first place. By using Costa Rica as an example, the paper concludes that strong government support; general and local environmental awareness and education; proper management, operational capacities, and institutions; and effective involvement and communication of the local communities; are all conditions that facilitated the emergence and success of ecotourism.