Ecotourism Industry in Costa Rica and Cuba

¶ … Ecotourism Industry in Costa Rica and Cuba

Many countries rely upon tourism as a major source of revenue for local businesses. The volatility in the industry has often caused major financial downturns for tourism-based economies. To deal with this problem many countries are targeting a new consumer, the eco-friendly traveler. Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry with an average annual growth rate of 20 to 30%. (Egan, 2001). Many view ecotourism as a viable way to protect the natural environment and create social and economic benefits for local communities (Buchsbaum, 2004). The issue with ecotourism is whether or not its implementation in a given area is actually creating sustainable land use and conservation efforts or harming local economies and contributing to the overuse of natural resources.

Ecotourism Defined

Although there are several competing definitions of ecotourism, a commonly accepted explanation is it is "purposeful travel to natural areas to understand the culture and natural history of the environment; taking care not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem; producing economic opportunities that make the conservation of natural resources beneficial to local people." (Garen, 2000).

III. Ecotourism in Costa Rica

Ecotourism in Costa Rica has reached a high level of maturity compared to other countries, and now serves as an example for both the potential and the pitfalls of ecotourism (Buchsbaum, 2004). The main reason Costa Rica has become such a popular destination for ecotourism is because it has an excellent national parks, a stable democratic government with no army, a pleasant climate, and friendly people (Buchsbaum, 2004). It also has one of the highest standards of living, the best public health care system, the best public education through the University level, and the highest literacy rate in Latin America (Honey, 1999).

The government of Costa Rica began to invest heavily in ecotourism in the 1980's, and in 1984 they passed an important piece of legislation, which gave incentives and tax breaks to hotels, airlines, car rental agencies, travel agencies, and sea transportation (Honey, 1999). Government supported policies and programs were designed so that foreign investors would benefit the most which resulting in few opportunities for local businesses to invest (Buchsbaum, 2004). The governments relaxed attitude towards foreign investors and logging companies is also not encouraging sustainability (Buchsbaum, 2004). Foreign money has not helped the local economy as much as anticipated because a large amount of money leaks out of the local communities to pay tour operators, to import products that appeal to foreign tourists, and to pay for tickets on foreign owned airlines (Lindsey, 2003).

One of the dangers of ecotourism is the excessive pressure it can add to environmentally sensitive areas (Buchsbaum, 2004). Coupled with a lack of commitment, conservation efforts result in development beyond sustainable levels (Buchsbaum, 2004). Another negative impact of ecotourism is that it can lead to an increase in the cost of living for local people (Wearing, 2001).

IV. Ecotourism in Cuba

In contrast to the large amount of foreign investment encouraged by the government in Costa Rica, the Cuban government maintains an active role in its tourism industry by owning, running, and regulating many of the tourism-based businesses including resort hotels (Stewart, 2006). A number of laws also protect the Cuban economy from the economic "leakage" so common in Cost Rica, and it retains tight control over the process of tourism development (Stewart, 2006).

An intense scarcity throughout Cuba in the 1990s spurred increased resource awareness in the country (Stewart, 2006). This awareness led to the creation of new protective environmental and health measures, including detailed legislation specifically for the 'Sustainable Development of Tourism' (Stewart, 2006). Cuba's stringent regulation and monitoring, combined with a well-coordinated environmental infrastructure (including waste management and recycling) has encouraged and enabled companies to exhibit a high level of environmental performance (Stewart, 2006).

High costs of water in Cuba and other Caribbean countries tends to be associated with more sustainable land use management practices, such as using native plantings and drip irrigation. The scarcity of water in Cuba has encouraged good land use practices (e.g. maximal open space, water-efficient landscaping, minimal chemical treatment, etc.), which are very closely tied to good environmental and social performance overall (Stewart, 2006).