Across the wide varieties of companies we have visited during our time in Costa Rica, we have heard over and over again how they value sustainability. We have seen it through how they operate at the farms through avoiding pesticides and using natural resources to ward off pests. We have seen how Arenal only uses a small portion of their land for their zip lines in order to preserve and conserve the nature there. We have seen how Sibo chocolate reuses the other parts of the cacao shell to make the packaging for their chocolate so that nothing goes to waste. I believe that these initiatives are admirable and part of what provides the draw to the country. Because the country is so protective of its environment and sustainability, I believe that limiting their tourism especially in certain areas allows for the conservation that the country values and sets an example for the rest of the world to follow.
Costa Rica demonstrates a lot of balance with their 3 pillars of sustainability: environment, economy, and social. They are responsible for maintaining that balance in their business operations. Today when we hiked through the Monteverde Cloud Forest, we saw this balance in action when only 1 of the 4 trails was available for us to hike. I don’t think that this limits the experience of being a tourist and engaging with the country, but allows us to be at one with Costa Rica and respect their environment, values, and expectations. I think that the risk of limiting tourism would be a lack of communication. I think that as long as tourism companies are communicative about what trails are available, the limit for guests to take part in zip lining, and what sites are going to limit visitors on perhaps a first-come-first-serve basis, this allows for tourists to plan their trips accordingly and avoid any tensions between Costa Rica and the tourist experience.