At Arenal Mundo Aventura we learned about the behind the scenes operations of the zip lining industry in La Fortuna. This is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country because it offers everything tourists are looking for, like waterfalls, rainforests, and adventure experiences. Because of this popularity, there is a lot of competition in the zip lining industry with eight companies competing for the business of tourists. AMA explained that 65% of their business comes from business to business partnerships with hotels and travel agencies, and the remaining 35% comes directly from tourists booking on their own. Their revenue model is about 80% from zip lining and the remaining portion comes from differentiated experiences like waterfall access and Maleku cultural experiences. One of the most interesting things I learned was how much the company depends on reputation and positive reviews.

What stood out most was the company’s belief that long term business success depends on environmental sustainability and biodiversity preservation. Nature is the foundation of the entire company. This aspect makes me believe commercializing nature can be an effective way to protect it in Costa Rica. But I think Costa Rica’s unique sustainability values make commercializing nature effective where it couldn’t in any other country with differing values. AMA demonstrated responsible tourism by limiting reservations to a maximum of 80 people during high season, even though accepting more visitors would increase profits. In Costa Rica, tourism is one of the country’s largest economic drivers, and using tourism revenue to fund conservation feels like both a practical and beneficial solution. Without tourism to fund conservation, there would be more pressure to clear rainforest land for development that would permanently damage the environment.

But relying heavily on tourism creates risks when tourism disappears during low seasons or the pandemic. We learned that Costa Rica continued functioning as normal during the pandemic, but the country lost tourism income. So Costa Rica could strengthen conservation efforts by incorporating additional funding sources. One possible alternative would be using profits from other successful sustainable industries, like agriculture. Throughout Costa Rica, we have visited strawberry farms, and cocoa plantations, which we have seen practice environmentally responsible methods. These industries could help support conservation initiatives as a sustainable alternative during slow seasons. Another option could involve government funding through taxes, although this approach could create financial strain for Costa Rican families. Costa Rica’s ecotourism model is one of the strongest examples of commercializing nature responsibly because the country as a whole is committed to balancing economic growth with environmental preservation.