Name of Assessment
A Framework for Sustainable Ecotourism: Application to Costa Rica
Full Reference
Courvisanos, J.; Jain, A. 2006. A Framework for Sustainable Ecotourism: Application to Costa Rica.
Tourism and Hospitality Planning & Development 3 (2) 131–142.
URL
http://www.cecc.com.au/clients/sob/research/docs/jcourvisanos/JTHMcostaricaFINAL.pdf
Country
Costa Rica
Justification/Context of the Assessment
Costa Rica has gained an international reputation as a leader in environmental conservation. This
has formed the base for its highly successful and lucrative small-scale ecotourism industry.
However, there are threats from high rates of deforestation and expanding large-scale tourism
that is trading on strong environmental credentials, so it is appropriate to conduct this policy
analysis on such a significant ecotourism area.
Objectives of the Assessment
An ecologically sustainable economic framework, drawing on the works of Adolph Lowe (1893–
1995) and Michał Kalecki (1899–1970), to examine the Costa Rican experience and then analyses
lessons for general policy development of any ecotourism area. The analysis is conducted from a
political economy (and not a tourism management) perspective on the trade-offs between smallscale and large-scale ecotourism.
Abstract
Costa Rica has gained an international reputation as a leader in environmental conservation. This
has formed the base for its highly successful and lucrative small-scale ecotourism industry.
However, there are threats from high rates of deforestation and expanding large-scale tourism
that is trading on strong environmental credentials, so it is appropriate to conduct this policy
analysis on such a significant ecotourism area. The paper develops an ecologically sustainable
economic framework, drawing on the works of Adolph Lowe (1893–1995) and Michał Kalecki
(1899–1970), to examine the Costa Rican experience and then analyses lessons for general policy
development of any ecotourism area. The analysis is conducted from a political economy (and not
a tourism management) perspective on the trade-offs between small-scale and large-scale
ecotourism.
Questions
1. University of Ballarat and Deakin University, Australia
2. Yes
5. The paper develops an ecologically sustainable economic framework, drawing on the works of
Adolph Lowe (1893–1995) and Michał Kalecki (1899–1970), to examine the Costa Rican experience
and then analyses lessons for general policy development of any ecotourism area.
6. Costa Rican available environments
7. Costa Rica is a small Central American nation that has ‘gained an international reputation as a
leader in environmental conservation, over the last thirty years. Is developed a system of national
parks and other protected areas, which cover a quarter of land area. Costa Rica’s unique rainforest
attracts tourists from all over the world. Costa Rica has been generating a trade surplus on the
basis of earnings from tourism and has become the country’s most important foreign exchange
earner. This is despite a growing current account deficit. The growth of ecotourism in Costa Rica
has been greatly facilitated by the presence of institutions such as the Costa Rican Institute of
Tourism (ICT), the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) and the National Institute for
Biodiversity (INBio) which have helped to create Costa Rica’s image abroad. Other factors that
work in Costa Rica’s favour include the presence of a peaceful democratic government, political
neutrality, a good climate, a large proportion of educated middle class, a central location close to
its largest market, North America, and a complete range of environment-based stakeholders (or
interest groups) intimately connected with the ecotourism industry.
8. No
9. Rare
10. Eco-sustainable framework
11. The objective in this paper is to develop the framework in order to deliver a sustainable,
equitable and ecologically supportive economic environment. This eco-environment is the
stipulated end.
12. An ecologically sustainable economic framework, drawing on the works of Adolph Lowe
(1893–1995) and Michał Kalecki (1899–1970), to examine the Costa Rican experience and then
analyses lessons for general policy development of any ecotourism area.
13. 14. Yes, summarized on the paper
15. Different literature
16. No
17. No
18. 19. Different literature
20. Yes
21. Economics and ecological aspects of tourism
22. 23. 24. No
25. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 16th Annual Conference of the Council
for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE 2006), 6–9 February 2006,
Melbourne, Australia. Anonymous referees from Tourism and Hospitality Planning & Development
journal.
26. Yes
27. 28. Paper.
29. English
30. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 16th Annual Conference of the Council
for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE 2006), 6–9 February 2006,
Melbourne, Australia; online access to the article.
31. Yes
32. Yes
33. Experiences in Costa Rica outlined in this paper, both positive and negative, serve as lessons in
framing such short term evolving goals in an ecotourist plan.
34. Yes
35. Yes
36. Yes
37. Analysis of the Costa Rica experience using the eco-sustainable framework shows that, with
the goal identified, and a strong broad local-based input into ecotourist strategies, policies can be
designed to promote both economic and ecology-based sustainable ecotourism that address
short-sightedness such as damage to the environment, high risk strategies and imperfect
information.
38. 39. Yes
40. Yes