Costa Rica's reputation as an eco-friendly travel destination has been further cemented with its Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) standard for lodging and tour operators achieving the Global Sustainable Tourism Council's GSTC-Recognized Standard status.
"As global leaders in sustainability, we are honored to receive the Global Sustainable Tourism Council's recognition for the Certification of Sustainable Tourism Standard," said Gustavo Segura, Costa Rica's minister of tourism. "Established more than 20 years ago by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute, the program is a result of the public and private sector's collaborative efforts to recognize tourism companies for their sustainable tourism practices. Today, more than 400 tourism companies retain the certification."
To date, 11 destination standards, 33 hotel standards, and 31 tour operator standards have achieved GSTC-Recognized status, which is achieved by meeting the organization's sustainability criteria.
Costa Rica continues to operate a sustainable tourism model that puts the spotlight on its myriad national parks and wildlife refuges.
It operates on 99.5 percent clean and renewable energy, with plans to be 100 percent decarbonized by 2050.
Costa Rica is scheduled to reopen for tourism on Aug. 1.
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