99 Hotels Now Have Sustainable Tourism Stamp

Nearly 100 hotels are now officially Earth-friendly after the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) handed out a new round of sustainability certificates this month.

“The Certification Program for Tourism Sustainability (CST) today reaches 99 recognized companies, which brings us closer to our goal of making the concept of sustainability something real, practical and necessary,” said Gonzalo Vargas, president of the national Tourism Chamber (CANATUR).

Costa Rica, he said, must promote itself to the world as a sustainable destination and “maintain the congruency between what it does and what it says.”

The ICT is pushing sustainability as a marketing tool, and in its most recent tourism conference, held in September, CANATUR announced that sustainable tourism is “the road to guarantee the future of Costa Rican tourism.”

To obtain a sustainable certificate, a hotel must show diligence in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving wildlife, using “natural” products, recycling, proper waste management programs and reducing water and electricity waste.

A full list of hotels with the sustainability certification can be found at www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr.

–Leland Baxter-Neal