Final Thoughts on Tourism

After spending almost a month in this incredible country I thought I would give a general rundown of what to expect if traveling to CR in the future...

The beauty and scenery this county offers is abundant, easily reason enough to make a visit. The variety of landscape and endless activities to engage oneself in can be found across the country. The rainforest and the beaches are the main attractions but there are also other varieties of cloud forests, volcanoes, lakes, swamps, rolling hills, and others from one of the most ecologically diverse countries on the planet. Hiking, camping, boating, snorkel/scuba, surfing, horseback riding, sightseeing, bird watching, beach time, white water rafting, and night life just covers the basics of what is offered. I feel like this country has something to offer anyone who comes to visit.

The typical Costa Rican meal consists of rice, beans, salad, and either fish, chicken, or beef. Over the past couple of years I have found a new apprecaition for food, having to prepare and cook most of my meals and my intrests in the Food Network. I´ve become less of a picky eater and embrace new offerings to my palate. I have enjoyed the food here immensley, even with some non-tradtional settings at the american dinner table, such as rice, beans, and hot dogs for breakfast or a chicken and cheese lasanga without sauce for dinner. I know I am going to miss the fresh fruit offered and juices made daily by house mother. The food here has so much flavor and variety of meals here is hard to compare back in the states.

Poor transportation is beyond aparant in CR. It always seems like there is an abundance of traffic, especially in SJ. It seems like the city is in a constant state of rush hour and then there you get stuck in the actual rush hour! Drivers here is Costa Rica are terrible especially the cab drivers, kamikazee gets thrown a lot (for good reason). The roads are in horrible condition and often times outside of the city streets are not paved, just dirt or gravel. Many bridges are sketchy at best and are usually one lane (more traffic). We have been told that CR has the ability to improve road conditions, but refuse to allowing CR to remain distant from outside development. The address system is very flawed, relying heavily on landmarks, but the mail still gets delievered. Taxis will usually have an idea if you give them your two sentence long address. There are some taxis that are not properly licensed so tourists should always look for the red cabs with yellow triangles on them. Finally, there really isnt parking guidelines in this country. Cars will park any which way they want and I have not really seen any meters, parking tickets might be non-existant.

Then there is Tico Time. CR is a laid back country and promptness does not seem to be an issue. Plans change, people adapt, and everyone stays happy. The people here are incredibly nice and I have been able to manage without knowing any Spanish. CR is also one of the most politically stable countries in Latin America holding a steady democracy and boasting how they abolished their army back in 1948. If you are a person who lives by appointments and intineraraies, this might not be the place for you. If you are reasonably patient and are looking to explore a beutiful, amazing, exciting country then come down and enjoy all of CR has to offer. It has been a great experience for me.

Ecotourism in CR

Ecotourism is a broad term for activitites had by many tourists into CR. Activities can range from a day trip to a wildlife preserve to a week camping in a rainforest. Because ecotourism can encompass such a wide variety of activities, the potential for corruption and deception in the form of the greenwashing is considerable. In all, ecotourism can help protect a delicate ecosystem while providing economic benefits to locals.

While many Third World nations are focusing on rapid industrialization and urbanization, Costa Rica has turned to ecotourism as its key to economic development. Although only being about the size of West Virginia, Costa Rica has incredible biodiversity with scenic beaches, lush rain forest, impressive volcanoes, and exotic wildlife. CR´s diverse flora and fauna are protected in several national parks, covering almost a quarter of the country's territory. Costa Rica has since been able to distinguish itself from the rest of Central America, and its political stability, strong democratic institutions, and low violent crime rates are the nation's most important selling points to tourists.

Developing countries face tough choices in the race to join the modernized world and frequently environmental resources are seen more as tools of progress than treasures to be guarded. However, as Costa Rica's ecotourism industry has proven, conservation and economic growth can go hand in hand. The overhead costs of training, infrastructure development, and promotion can be a burden on poor nations, and the risks can be considerable; but the growth potential and environmental benefits of ecotourism make the investment worth the while in the long run.

Turistas

Being apart of this program does not hide the fact that I am a tourist. We are here in CR for work and to gain a valuable life-changing experpenice, but we are doing touristy things on an every day basis. So far we have walked the streets of San Jose, seen tons o coffee, and visited CINDE which is a non-for-profit organization that encourages foreign direct investment for CR.

With a $1.9-billion-a-year tourism industry, Costa Rica stands as the most visited nation in the Central American region, with 1.9 million foreign visitors in 2007. Most of the tourists come from the states and the EU. In 2005, tourism contributed with 8.1% of the country's GNP and represented 13.3% of direct and indirect employment. Tourism now earns more foreign exchange than bananas and coffee combined. Ecotourism is extremely popular with the many tourists visiting the extensive national parks and protected areas around the country. Costa Rica was a pioneer in this type of tourism and the country is recognized as one of the few with real ecotourism.

The next 6 days are going to reach boss major status, the following will occur: go to Arenal, visit hot springs, La Fortuna waterfalls (getting there via horse), volcano lava flows, Monteverde, canopy tours (zip lines), bats, cheese factory, Manuel Antonio, beach, beach, beach, surfing, monkeys, bro'ing out, debotury, cuban cigars from G$. Jealous much?

Fun fact: Sex tourism is big here in CR, have yet to come across any yet, but I'll make sure to keep everyone posted