Costa Rica, the birthplace of ecotourism, has been very successful in sustaining it. The authorities have managed to increase the number of national parks, produce environmentally friendly electricity thus almost reaching the country’s goal of being the first carbon-neutral nation.
When Costa Rica’s current President took office in 2007, he promised to the people that he would make Costa Rica a carbon-neutral country. There is not much time left to fulfill the vow now, but he still hopes that with the help of the United Nations, the country can make it.
Costa Rica’s authorities have a special interest in protecting and preserving the environment since the country is visited by 2 million tourists every year. Therefore, natural riches are very important, perhaps, the most important asset for Costa Rica. The president plans to create alliances with the carbon-neutral countries and further promote the idea of ecotourism.
Ecotourism provides income that helps to preserve protected areas as well as benefit local populations. It reduces the dependence of local people on activities harmful to natural habitats. According to the annual Environmental Performance Index prepared by Yale University that ranks 163 countries based on their policy concerning both environmental public health and ecosystem vitality, Costa Rica appeared in third place.
In recent years the popularity of Costa Rica Vacation Packages such as Photography Tours, Whale Watching Tours, Sea Turtle Ecotourism, Rainforest Tours, and other specialized travel options have grown. Costa Rica has simply become a new “eco-destination rising star” among well-known European destinations such as Iceland, Switzerland and Sweden.
The country has already reforested more than half of its area and increased the number of national parks. With respect to energy, nearly all of Costa Rica’s electricity is produced by water power and through geothermal energy.