Lesson One: Introduction and the Significance of Ecotourism This course will take place over a period of 2 weeks, Monday to Friday, from 9am-4pm. Mornings will be reserved for in-class lessons and there will be a break at 10:15am. Afternoons will be based outside the classroom and based on various activities and experiential first-hand learning. The break-down of the lessons will be as follows:

Ecotourism Defined According to the International Ecotourism Society, ecotourism is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of the local people” (TIES, 1990)

The development of sustainable tourism must be seen as the balanced interaction between the use of our natural and cultural resources, the improvement of the quality of life among the local communities, and the economic success of the industry, which also contributes to

Lesson Topic Activity

Day 1 Defining the Ecotourism Landscape

Hike to waterfall and Turtle Island tour

Day 2 Industry Study Visit the local conservation office

Day 3 Running an Ecotourism Business

Tour of Hotel Punta Islita

Day 4 Marketing Speaker from a marketing firm and mock promotional activity

Day 5 Implementing Sustainable Practices into the Business

Zip-lining with Sun Trails Tours and analysis of its sustainability

Day 6 Preservation of Culture Visit a local villages to conduct interviews with residents

Day 7 Ecological Importance Visit to Cabo Blanco National Park

Day 8 Tourist Experience Volunteering at Foundation Lobalu (Animal rescue initiative)

Day 9 Outdoor Adventure Mountain biking

Day 10 Economic Sustainability Kayaking

national development. Sustainable tourism is not only a response to demand, but also an imperative condition to successfully compete now and in the future. (Definition of Sustainable Tourism, CST, 1997)

Ecotourism brings together 3 essential components for sustainable destinations:

*Conservation: Designing long term solutions economically to enhance the preservation of local culture and the natural environment.

*Communities: Increasing the local capacity as ecotourism professionals, achieving environmental preservation while creating jobs and running successful businesses.

*Interpretation: Emphasize enriching personal experiences, increase environmental awareness, understanding, and appreciation for all that surrounds.

(TIES, 2012)

Ecotourism as a Result of Mass Tourism The Stages of Tourism Development will dictate whether or not a destination is managed sustainably:

1) Early Development (first external tourists arrive)

2) Intermediate Development (infrastructure developed according to increase in demand)

3) Developed (various choices of accommodation, widening market increases competition)

4) Decline (according to sustainability)

5) Collapse

(Aaron Williams, personal communication, September 20th, 2012)

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http://www.world-tourism.org/facts/menu.html

Tourism has grown consistently and substantially in particular over the past 60 years and will only continue to grow exponentially. There is a severe necessity to change the majority of the population´s perception on the disposability of tourism, especially when it comes to nature. If there isn´t a large shift in consciousness from mass tourist to ecotourist, the world´s most beautiful tourism destinations will cease to exist. There is a strong desire to protect the beautiful areas in the world, but this starts deep within the individual and presents itself in the form of commitment and action.

For ecotourism to be effective, tourism`s positive and negative impacts need to be brought to awareness and managed accordingly. Implement solutions to take advantage of the many benefits that ecotourism can bring to a destination, but the preliminary and continuing step is always education. It is important to educate yourself as much as possible as technology changes fast and always look to others to what has made them successful or unsuccessful; ecotourism is all about innovation.

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At times, the negative impacts of tourism are nothing short of tragic. They often are a result of corruption, poverty, and other powerful external influences that contribute to the severity of the impact. Awareness and sharing knowledge are essential practices within ecotourism. The elimination of apathy is also crucial and ideally results in affirmative action.

!Question for the Participants: What is your personal philosophy about the outdoors? How are we connected to our environment? Think of as many ways as possible in which we rely on and how we influence the environment in which we live.

Ice Breaker/Discussion Topic:

o Ask participants to share: where they´re from, what are their hobbies or pastimes are, why they decided to join this program, and what their definition of ecotourism is.

o Explain what type of business you´re in and your experience dealing with ecotourism.

o Describe characteristics of the Costa Rican culture, what makes this destination unique.

!!!!!!Lesson Two: Industry Study

History of Tourism Development in Costa Rica In 1930 the state became involved in tourism development, marked by the creation of the first private hotel, the first class Gran Hotel Costa Rica. Tourists arrived from overseas at the port of Limón on the Caribbean Sea and then travelled by train to San José on the Northern Railway Company. The National Tourism Board was created in 1931 and became the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) in 1955.

The mission statement of the ICT is:

Promote a wholesome tourism development, with the purpose of improving Costa Ricans´ quality of life, by maintaining a balance between the economic and social boundaries, environmental protection, culture and facilities

Some of the ICT´s important institutional policies include:

o The concept of sustainability will be the fundamental axis of tourism activity and will be considered as the main factor characterizing the national tourism product.

o Tourism development will develop in such a way as to contribute effectively and constructively against any form of social degradation, generating economic benefits, protecting the environment, and supporting our people´s culture and values.

o Any kind of tourism activity that threatens our people's habits or puts at risk the physical and moral integrity of human beings will be fought against forcefully.

o Private, national, and foreign investment of new projects as well as improvement and enlargement of existing ones will have a parallel commitment with local development.

o Tourism development will be guided based on programs and objectives, and for that reason, it will strictly establish a coordination plan, control, and follow-up of all its activities.

(ICT, 2012)

General Patterns of Travel Globally

60s & 70s – “Boosterism”, glamourized to display weath 80s – Realization of negative impacts (cautionary) 90s – Mitigation, how we should continue !Tourism as Recreation/Leisure: *There are 4 main components to tourism:

o The tourist

o The businesses providing tourism goods and services

o The government of the host community/area

o Host community

*Tourism involves:

o The movement of people

o The activities undertaken during the trip

o The facilities and services created to satisfy the needs of the tourist

o Leads to economic impact

*Characteristics of the tourism product:

o It is distinct as it is the experience rather than something tangible (largely based on visitor expectations and perceptions

o It is a delivery chain of vendors involved in the travel experience (no 1 group has control over this)

o Tourism is unstable and susceptible to external influences (making product loyalty difficul to create

o Tourism´s image is ambiguous, yet politically attractive

o It is perishable as it is an experience, it either gets used or it doesn´t

(Joe Pavelka, personal communication, January 18th, 2011)

Introduction to la Certificación para Sostenibilidad Turística (CST) !The CST was created in 1997 by the National Institute of Costa Rican Tourism in order to “make sustainability a practical and necessary reality within the context of the country´s competitiveness in tourism…encouraging the active participation of local communities and provide a new source of competitiveness within the business sector” (ICT, 2012). !It is a national program that categorizes and in turn certifies various tourism businesses based on their degree of sustainability. This way, it is certain that sustainable travel is a fundamental component of the Costa Rican tourism product. It is based on the analysis of 4 main categories:

1. Physical/Biological Considerations – The company´s interaction between tourism business and the natural surroundings

2. Infrastructure and Services (Lodging Companies) – Evaluation of management policies and operational systems within the company and its establishment, concerning policies of: energy conservation, water contamination, and managing waste. Service Management (Tour Operators) – Evaluation of the creation of the tourism product influenced by market demands and the destination´s regional characteristics

3. External Client – Analyzes the interaction of the company with its clients, the degree to which it invites clients to be an active contributor to the company´s policies of sustainability.

4. Socio-Economic Environment – The interaction of the establishment with its adjacent communities, the degree to which the company answers to concerns of the community in terms of jobs and contributing to the collective. !

*The process itself involves a series of questions and an analysis that comply with each one of these areas. The CST then assigns a “sustainability level” indicating the position that the company holds with regards to its level of commitment. Each level is corresponding to the percentage in which the company fulfills pre-established sustainability codes. Level Percentage Attained

1. < 20 % 2. 20-39 % 3. 40-59 % 4. 60-79 % 5. 80-94% 6. > 95% !

*The level achieved will always be the lowest scored within the 4 areas *The higher the rating, the higher the degree of direct benefits for the company: national and international publicity strategically designed for the CST, training of the company´s personnel, and priority in various world tourism events. (CST, 2012) !Hotel Punta Islita Ecolodge is an exemplary establishment valuing sustainability principles at its core, and sets the stage for many tourism businesses within the Costa Rican market. It possesses all the key findings for a best practice tourism establishment:

o Attractiveness and a refined image from a customer based perspective

o Outstanding policies/credentials with respect to community development

o Strong efforts in environmental conservation and promotion sustainability principles to its clients

o The highest rating of the CST certification

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Lesson Three: Running an Ecotourism Business *Tourism planning is quite possibly the most effect strategy for implementing and maintaining sustainability within the business.

Vision and Values:

It is important to have a clear idea of what you want to provide to you customers and what you value as a business professional.

o Vision- A mental picture of yourself or an event at some time in the future

o Values- The things in life that are important to you

(Knowles & Castillo, 2011, p. 60-61)

*Among others, the most important values of an ecotourism business are: the tourist experience and environmental/ethical responsibility.

! (Knowles & Castillo, 2011, p. 59)

Setting Goals:

Goal setting is essential in your strategy to give the business direction and have a means by which to measure your success. Goals should be:

S: Specific M: Measureable A: Attainable R: Realistic T: Timely (Anne Stone, personal communication, November 2012) Leadership: There are many definitions for this concept but it ultimately entails: the responsibility for the success of others, or having influence over others *Leaders can emerge under various circumstances:

o Trait: based on universal qualities that signify that this person is cable of achieving a common goal amongst an organization.

o Behavioural: when a person possesses the appropriate behaviours to lead others. o Situational: environmental factors contribute to leadership emersion. o Reciprocal: leadership is a fluid concept of the roles between the leader and the

follower. (Julie Weible, personal communication, February 17th, 2011) !*There are many different types of leaders, some effective and some ineffective. Pay attention to how you deal with others, and develop your own personal leadership style. An essential component of effective leadership is communication. !

Communication: The ability to effectively express one´s thoughts or ideas, and the ability of effectively take in and integrate other people´s thoughts and ideas.

o The process of acting on information o Human communication is making sense out of the world and sharing with others by

creating meaning *It is collectively understood that non-verbal communication makes up a large portion of the meaning that we convey when communicating; pay attention to gestures, eye contact, body language, and cultural differences.

Ecotourism Administration Accreditation is what makes ecotourism viable as the concept is extremely subjective to varying perspectives as well as factors that demote the reputability of the industry. This is why the Certificación de Sostenibilidad para Turismo (CST) is so important.

Benefits brought to the business: o High level of sustainability

o Higher level of good common practices

o Increase profitability

o Legitimization

o Sustainability of industry overall

Key considerations:

o Cost of delivering the program

o Tangible inducements (will it bring money)

o Benefits and weaknesses of codes of conduct

o Role of the consumer in improving performance

*Accreditation: establishment and continuous improvement of industry standards.

*Benchmarking: continuous learning process designed to compare products, services, and practices with reference to external competitors and implement procedures to upgrade performance to match or surpass them.

*Best Practice: adopting a personal philosophy of continuous improvement.

*Auditing: the process a business undergoes to identify and confirm benchmarks towards accreditation with reliability and validity and measures to verify best practice

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!Lesson Four: Marketing

Marketing Plan at a Glance Marketing your business could be the single most important process to undertake; it is important to make sure you are marketing with a purpose and all marketing activities are very well researched.

The main components of a marketing plan:

Executive Summary: This orientates your plan, sets the stage for what the business is about as a whole. In this part it is important to include components of your goals, values, and mission as a business. It serves to introduce the document and highlight the strengths of the endeavour you are embarking on. This should be written once all other parts are completed (Knowles & Castillo, 2011, p. 400).

Goals, Background, and Product Description: It is important to discuss your motives for creating the product and how it came to be. You know your business better than anyone, and you should also have done much outside research, therefore a clear thorough product description should be easy. Describe the business you´re in, what you hope to provide to your customers, and what your organization structure is and what your policies look like.

Target Market: This could very well be the most important part of your research and marketing plan. Make sure you have a clear idea of who you are market to; this guides all aspects of you plan. First do general research to find out the gaps in the marketplace, what people need, or what type of product would be strategically advantageous. Once you have your target market defined, comprehensively investigate various traits they possess, segmented into 4 different areas:

o Demographic: uses the primary variables of age, gender, family life cycle, and ethnicity to segment the markets

o Geographic: the division of markets according to geographical boundaries such as countries, provinces, or territories, regions, cities, or neighbourhoods.

o Behaviour: divides the market into groups based on various types of buying behaviour; including usage rate (light, medium, and heavy), loyalty status (ex./ 5 star hotel only)

o Psychographic: divides buyers into different groups based on social class, lifestyle, and personality characteristics. These are based on personality traits, attitudes, motivations, and activities.

*Benefit Segmentation (not always included, but also important): divides customers based on the benefits they desire such as education, luxury, or low cost. Customers weigh different features of a service and these are evaluated here.

(Hudson, 2009, p. 87-88)

!Competitive Analysis: Identifying your competitors is very important for differentiating your product to make it more desirable than the next guy´s. As well, knowing the quality standards of what you are competing against will help you match or ideally surpass the competition.

o Identify Direct Competition: direct competitors are those who offer a similar product to yours to the same customers at more or less the same price (Hudson, 2009, p. 84)

o Identify Indirect Competition: indirect competitors offer a different product but similar perceived benefits. For example, a zip-lining tour is indirect competition for company that offers snorkeling tours.

o Environmental Scan: an environmental scan analyzes what is happening in the outside world that may affect the buying patterns of consumers. There are a few different models to follow for an environmental scan but most commonly for tourism it is beneficial to look at the microenvironment (factors that impede the business from within, ex./ having issues with the computers that process reservations) and the macro environment (which looks to the greater global trends that could affect your business, ex./ global recession) (Hudson, 2009, p. 25-26).

o SWOT Analysis: this component analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting your business.

Marketing Mix: the expansion of your marketing mix will help you address the most crucial areas of your marketing plan, these are:

o Product: the physical good features; quality level, accessories, packaging, warranties, product lines, branding.

o Place: defines the channel type; exposure, intermediaries, outlet locations, transportation.

o Promotion: the various means by which you expose your product to the public; salespeople, advertising, publicity.

o Price: flexibility regarding how much you charge and how it relates to others in the industry; price level, terms, differentiation, discounts, allowances.

(Hudson, 2009, p. 17)

*These are the most important aspects to consider when thinking about marketing for your business. Another crucial aspect is to include as much as possible the use of the internet in your marketing plan. Make sure your website is thorough, attractive, and up to date. If it suits your business, take advantage as often as possible the use of social media

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!Lesson Five: How to Implement Sustainable Practices into the Business Taking steps to mitigate the negative impacts that tourism has on the environment is one of the cornerstones for the identification of a sustainable tourism product. As mentioned prior, ecotourism is all about innovation, best practice, and maintaining a level consciousness about the impacts you are imposing on the earth.

It may seem overwhelming to implement these kinds of mammoth changes, but it doesn´t have to be so intimidating. All is needed is an open mind and a desire to take the initiative. Conservation is as much of a lifestyle and a mindset then it is anything. Education is also crucial, and as you gain knowledge and skills, it will become easier and easier to implement resolutions.

The following is a summary of the highlights for the Guide to Best Practices for Sustainable Tourism in Tropical Forests, focusing on physical tourism establishments. This document was put together by the Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente (United Nations Program for the Environment), the Rainforest Alliance, and Conservation International. The following information can be used as a reference for how to develop tourism establishments.

Guide to Best Practices for Tourism Establishments !Use Environmental Impact Assessment

▪ Awareness of environmental vulnerability to ensure measures are taken to maintain as close as possible to the natural functioning of ecosystems; mitigate potential negative impacts.

▪ Consider such aspects as: habitat fragmentation, habitat destruction or conversion, loss of biodiversity, exotic species introduction, system deterioration from agrochemicals, sedimentation, water regime modification, water table changes, water quality alteration, water level changes, population decline, loss of genetic biodiversity, lower reproductive success in endangered species.

▪ Do a preliminary site analysis to observe natural drainage patterns, variations between seasons, soil characteristics, this area´s relation to other ecological areas that may be close by including beaches, rivers, easily eroded areas, etc.

▪ Soil characteristics: consider soil´s capability to withstand compaction, slope stability and capacity to succeed if vegetation is removed.

▪ Consider which plants and animals depend on the area that is being considered for infrastructure development and if vital sites for wildlife exist within the area: mating areas, nesting sites, feeding/sleeping spots.

▪ Analyze regularly the ecological and geographical features of the area, noticing any changes and keeping a through record of all observations including pictures. !!

Creating and Environmentally Friendly Design

!▪ Do not adapt your environment to suit your infrastructural design; use natural

features as centre points for development of tourism businesses. Working with what you already have will save money, resources, and preserve the natural environment.

▪ Prioritize water sources such as rivers, lakes, and wetlands and do not disrupt their natural flow; if possible, us a design that can eventually be removed.

▪ Pending soil analysis, try to design infrastructure to be embedded into the slope or chosen area.

▪ When building, plan for non-invasive drainage/sewage/energy systems, and utilize multi-use designs as much as possible

▪ Avoid using heavy machinery to build, if possible digging should be done by hand and try not to remove natural extracted materials; properly remove waste from building activities and ensure that they do not build up on the site.

▪ Use local construction products that have been extracted in a sustainable manner and if being used, hire local contractors that have experience with working in fragile environments.

▪ Use natural drainage to your advantage instead of sewage building up and use designs that are able to catch rain water from the roof.

▪ Use and plant regional vegetation to your advantage to reduce erosion and runoff problems, as well help insulate structures or provide shade.

▪ If a retaining wall would be beneficial to your design, use Gabion structures (stone filled wire mesh boxes) which are relatively low impact and permit natural drainage patterns. !

Choosing Suppliers !▪ Deliberately use your purchasing power to an advantage, choosing local and organic

when possible. ▪ Educate yourself and your clients about where your food and products come from. ▪ Shade grown organic coffee !

Using Community Action !▪ Urge government to implement land usage planning, defining what and what cannot be

done in certain natural areas and use your position as a local business stakeholder to promote conservation.

▪ Collaborate with and support establishment of protected wilderness areas, as well those areas that are of natural benefit from a tourism perspective, but of course maintain rigid guidelines for use of these areas and a management plan

▪ Learn about and consider important aspects of ecological make up such as water sheds, biological corridors

▪ Develop your own environmental knowledge and actively distribute environmental education to community members/partners, and clients. Support scientific research.

▪ Be an active member of the community by committing to industry-led environmental initiatives and conservation including through public relations to identify potential partners (media, government, and other enterprises, local and otherwise.

▪ Use customer relations to integrate sustainability into the industry and highlight preservation as a marketing tool.

▪ Community tourism products: learning about traditional farming methods, making local dishes, visiting organic farms, visiting and organizing events for local schools, learn about local history, making local crafts

▪ Hire people who were formerly involved in destructive industries and train them in a more sustainable industry. !

Care of Local Wildlife !▪ Support construction of underground tunnels and bridges over roads for animals to

cross. As well, promote use of insulated electrical wires. ▪ Use all resources available to discourage feeding wild animals. ▪ Practice responsible wildlife viewing, seeing them in their natural habitat and at a

safe distance. !(Rainforest Alliance et.al, n.d) !

!Lesson Six: Preservation of Culture

I will never pretend like I know more about your own culture than you do. I would like to foster an environment of sharing where everyone can express their opinions and display their knowledge. Half of effective communication is listening and this is very important for the development of culture. Culture is something to be proud of and be discussed regularly. Maintain a constant vision is to strengthen culture, and this only comes with participation.

Culture is the ways of life. Discussion question: What does the term culture mean to you? What does culture entail (language, art, sciences, thought, world views)? How do people display their cultures?

Culture from a tourism perspective:

o It is a subset, a product within tourism and is gaining importance

o More emphasis on urban and rural areas; Indigenous culture is seen as authentic culture

Authenticity is usually what ecotourists are looking for, an original experience that is true to reality.

o Visitor and resident expectations need to be balanced for a tourist destination to thrive

o It is important to project tourism and educate those who are interested

o Take action to learn about culture, ask your parents and relatives

o Avoid commodification of culture; don´t misuse culture as a means to economic gain (only perform culture under circumstances that are normal, not forced).

o Learn from other cultures, but do not imitate them; decide how you would like express your culture for yourself and how you can share it for the benefit of others.

As I am sure that you´re aware, Costa Rica has a huge variety of cultural diversity within the country itself. As a general breakdown, in Guanacaste and northern Puntarenas many of the people are descendants of Indigenous peoples and colonial-era slaves, and they are Hispanic in language and culture. On the Caribbean coast in the province of Limón, there is a large population of Afro-Costa Ricans who are descendants of Jamaicans and other British West Indians who immigrated in the late 1800s for work on the Atlantic Railroad, plantations, and docks. These people faced racial discrimination and were denied nationality until 1948; their presence has made Limón culturally distinct from other parts of the country.

The largest group of indigenous people of Costa Rica are the Bribri and the Cebécar who live on the east side of the Talamanca Mountains. Their religion is centred around Sibö,

the Creator. Most indigenous peoples live on reserves and some have even fully assimilated into the peasant population.

The Matambú in Guanacaste are unique in the sense that they are the only reserve to resemble the indigenous culture of Central Mexico. This group were the first to feel the wrath of Spanish conquest in an area that would become Costa Rica.

(EveryCulture, 2012, para. 12)

Discussion: I would like to know what could be characterized as Costa Rican culture, what are certain aspects about your identity that you are proud of and make you feel a part of a greater body? For me as a foreigner who has only been to Costa Rica once, these are some things that I have perceived about Costa Rican Culture:

▪ ¡La Pura Vida! Is an extremely defining feature of Costa Rica; from my experience, the local people possess this as their philosophy for life as well as lifestyle. It is hard to ignore the unbelievable natural beauty that surrounds which I think encourages people to live their lives with purpose which is just enjoying the moment that is present.

▪ Gallo Pinto (traditional breakfast of rice, beans, cilantro, red pepper, onion, and Lizano sauce)

▪ Reggae

▪ Natural beauty is a huge part of the Costa Rican identity; it is usually the number one reason why people travel to the country. No other country can claim that 25% of its land mass is protected area (Costa Rica Tourism, 2012, para. 8).

▪ Diversity of people from all over the world, and diverse local people as well

▪ No army

▪ Beautiful architecture in the capital

▪ The people possess a lot of pride in their culture (Mae= Costa Rican word for dude)

*I would like to introduce a guest speaker from the Sarapiquís Museum to discuss various aspects of the Costa Rican culture

*There will also be a class cooking lesson making a traditional dish.

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!Lesson 7: Environmental Importance *Some of the most harmful impacts come from the development of infrastructure in an unsustainable way. Tourism products are most commonly developed in a way that prioritizes the tourist and their desire for luxury and overabundance and not taking into consideration the surrounding natural environment. Ecotourism strives to alter the definition of what constitutes an enjoyable experience. There is something very valuable about staying in humble accommodations, surrounded by nature, and knowing that you are contributing to the protection of the environment of which you are a part of.

If managed properly, tourism has the potential to increase productivity and protection of natural areas. It has the power to generate funds for reserves and implement educational initiatives to promote the spread of the movement.

Overconsumption:

*Ecological footprint- defined as the area of water and land ecosystems required on a continuous basis to produce the resources needed. Factors affecting Eco-Footprint include:

o Population size

o Average material standard of living

o Average productivity of land/water ecosystems

o Efficiency of resource harvesting

(Aaron Williams, September 27th 2012, personal communication)

*The most common forms of environmental impacts come in the form of:

o Depletion of Natural Resources (water resources, local resources, land degradation)

o Pollution (air pollution and noise, solid waste and littering, sewage, aesthetic pollution)

o Physical Impacts (deforestation and intensified use of land, marina development, impacts from tourist activities such as trampling, anchoring, and alteration)

(Global Development Research Centre, n.d.)

Air Traffic:

There is somewhat of a dilemma when it comes to transportation for ecotourism trips as air travel is a large contributor to CO2 emissions (3-9%). Even though, other factors are much worse such as vehicles and power generation, air travel is increasing at 7% annually.

(Aaron Williams, October 16th, 2012, personal communication)

!!Concepts:

*Overpopulation – judgement as to when an environment is unable to support a given population, exceed carrying capacity

*(Human) Carrying Capacity – number of people an area can support on a sustained basis given the prevailing technology

Views towards the environment:

*Shallow Ecology – anthropogenic view of nature; humans are separate from the environment

*Deep Ecology – the idea that humans are an integral part of the environment

*Egalitarianism – the biosphere has the right to live and flourish

(Aaron Williams, September 27th, 2012, personal communication)

Steps to Minimize Impacts on the Environment: !Energy Conservation (use example of car be hotter than outside) !

▪ Situate buildings with a north/south direction to reduce direct sunlight penetration, as well using roofed balconies to minimize the need for air conditioning.

▪ Consider you building materials for their heat/energy absorption to minimize sunlight impact.

▪ Cross ventilation allows cool air to enter in a horizontal direction and warm air to leave through vents at the top of the building.

▪ Promote energy conservation throughout your business, ensuring that employees are aware of how to save energy (lights off!), as well discussing issues with your clients on how they can help maintain sustainability

▪ Maximize use of natural light such as indoor patios, skylights and purposeful placement of windows. Keep blinds closed during the day to help keep areas cool.

▪ Paint walls and roofs in light colours to increase reflection. ▪ Motion activated lights can help minimize the need for constant illumination, for

instance at night for security reasons. ▪ Use energy efficient bulbs/products; fluorescent bulbs are not recommended in

bathrooms as they are frequently turned on and off. ▪ Use fans to your advantage but do not over-run them. ▪ Ensure that all structural cracks are sealed if air-conditioning is being used. Keep

doors and windows shut when air-conditioning is on and ask guests to turn it off when it is not needed.

▪ A 1°C temperature variation entails a 6% difference in power consumption. ▪ Keep air conditioning units well maintained and clean. ▪ Install features that will reduce water consumption, such as low-flow shower heads ▪ In the kitchen, use pots and pans that are sized to the element size and are made of

conductive materials such as stainless steel.

▪ Situate the fridge separated from other appliances so not to cause it to overwork, permitting it good air flow.

▪ When doing laundry, fill the washer to the maximum specified amount, try not to use hot water and hang dry items.

▪ Use laptop instead of desktop (requires 5x more energy). ▪ Turn appliances off as much as possible and unplug them (stand-by energy accounts for

some 10% of use). ▪ Consider using a generator system where only a few hours of the day is reserved for

energy consumption. !Transportation Methods !

▪ When possible, choose hybrid vehicles that use ethanol, methanol, liquefied gas, or biofuels

▪ Maximize trip usage and inform customers of public transit options. ▪ When fuelling boats, only do it at the port and regularly check pipelines, fuel tanks,

filters, values, etc. for potential leaking. Try to use a bilge pump to bail a boat !Wastewater and Waste Management !

▪ Keep records of water usage, collect rainwater, install reduced flow “appliances”, and remind clients to save water.

▪ If possible, use a reservoir to store and purify grey water before reusing for things such as toilets or irrigation.

▪ Reduce water consumption. ▪ Work with local government to organize a viable garbage collection program and

ensure that the waste is adequately disposed of. ▪ Use organic compost and distribute it as fertilizer for gardens or surrounding plants. ▪ Never use disposable items and do not allow sales of disposable containers, use as

little plastic as possible as well attain food that requires the minimum amount of packaging.

▪ Obtain products in large quantities versus individual products ▪ Promote and participate in activities to clean natural trails, adventure routes, roads,

highways, and river banks. Identify waste that can be sold for recycling ▪ Include information campaigns about waste effects on wildlife, and encourage

residents and visitors to dispose responsibly of their waste. ▪ Keep records of waste reduction ▪ Reduce or eliminate use of chemicals; use natural products such as salt, vinegar,

bicarbonate and use biodegradable cleaning products. !(Rainforest Alliance et.al, n.d) !

!Lesson Eight: Tourist Experience There are a variety of reasons why people travel, but for the purposes of ecotourism, visitors usually come for pleasure. Ecotourists are a special kind of tourist as they are seeking a product that it outside the usual definition that is mass tourism; something with deeper meaning is being sought. !The following outlines some of the motivations for which tourists decide to partake in ecotourism:

▪ Urban Respite: seeking escape, relief from urban living ▪ Environmental Scarcity: see it before it´s gone mentality, pie is shrinking (Marxist

view) ▪ Technological Advancements: enhanced ability to travel, withstand elements more

comfortably, rewards of physical achievements ▪ Spirituality: imaging, connection to the natural world, people are questioning how

they perceive themselves ▪ Guilt-Free Travel: people are recognizing the impacts of tourism but they have a desire

to travel, ecotourism permits them to travel with little guilt ▪ Unique Experience: travel to unusual environments, could have little to do with

sustainability, simply fulfilling individual ego !(Joe Pavelka, January 27th, 2011, personal communication) !

*Ecotourists can be viewed from a market perspective referring to their usage rates of the ecotourism product. As the tourism industry evolves, the ecotourist can be seen as venturers (travellers who prefer exotic destinations and unstructured vacations, with more involvement with local cultures, rather than packaged tours). They are seen as in contrary to dependables (travellers who prefer familiar destinations, packaged tours, and “touristy” areas). This model describes how they are broken down:

Plog´s Psychographic Personality Types:

!

(Hudson, 2009, p. 55)

Education and Ecotourism: *Education of the tourist makes up one of the 3 main components of ecotourism itself; education is essential for both the traveller and members of the local community. The more widely education is spread; the more people will become aware of impacts resulting in greater success for ecotourism in the form of conservation and appreciation.

Interpretation: education activity which aims to reveal meanings and relationships through the use of original objects, by first-hand experience. Interpretation should:

▪ Be inspirational

▪ Enhance the understanding, appreciation, and protection of cultural and natural heritage

▪ Provoke interest, excite the imagination, and reveal the most interesting parts

▪ Be guided by a theme, relevant to the audience, pleasurable, and organized

*Education is what distinguishes ecotourism from other forms of tourism.

(Joe Pavelka, February 10th, 2011, personal communication)

Tourists and the Environment: *Humans in the industrial world are psychologically separated/alienated from nature that they rarely think of themselves as animals let along dependent components of the world´s ecosystem.

Eco-Apartheid: the unequal distribution of environmental benefits and burdens among poor and minority people (Building Global Democracy, 2008, para. 1)

▪ The rich live in the world`s healthiest habitats and have offloaded their footprint and have created an externality of the true cost of our consumption (mass tourists don`t want to exploit our own environment so it is done elsewhere)

To achieve sustainability:

▪ We can`t produce waste faster than nature assimilates it

▪ We can`t consume resources faster than nature produces them

▪ We can`t commit to eco-paralysis, using excuses such as “it isn`t politically feasible"

!

!Lesson Nine: Possibilities of Outdoor Adventure Recreating in the outdoors brings endless communal, personal, physical, and spiritual benefits. As mentioned in previous classes, the majority of the population is losing its connection with the outdoors and there is a requirement for analysis to assert a reconnection with the earth.

Kurt Hahn`s Symptoms of a Sick Society: *Decline in:

▪ Fitness (due to modern transportation and laziness) ▪ Care and Skill (less tradition of craftsmanship due to industry advancement) ▪ Initiative and Enterprise (Disease of spectatoritis, professional sports) ▪ Self-Discipline (availability of stimulants/tranquilizers-drugs and alcohol) ▪ Memory (confusion, restlessness with urban living, computers) ▪ Compassion (haste with which modern life is conducted) !

(Allan Derbyshire, September 20th, 2010, personal communication)

Outdoor adventure can act as a catalyst against the degradation of a society; adventure can contribute significantly to a person`s confidence, ability, and most other things that contribute to creating a well-rounded individual. These are developed or destroyed within the framework of 4 stages:

1. Recreation – pleasant, well in control, little anxiety

2. Outdoor Skills Learning – satisfaction, in control

3. Adventure – apparent danger, some fear, excitement, feelings of achievement

4. Misadventure – out of control, distress/panic/terror, dissatisfaction, physical/psychological injury, death

*Adventure serves as a meaningful challenge to individuals, within the framework of safety and expresses itself as deep personal/social awareness. It is a state of mind beginning with feelings of fear, always ending with feelings of enjoyment and satisfaction.

Some of the push/pull factors affecting people`s participation in the outdoors:

!Push:

o Stress o Crowds o Deadlines o Pace of life

!Pull:

o Solitude o Retreat

o Aesthetics o Independence

o physical testing o conquest

Environmental Awareness: A main goal of ecotourism is to heighten environmental and cultural awareness promote:

o Connectedness, being a part of the outdoor movement and global conservation

o Provision of environmental education, developing appropriate attitudes

o Eliminate apathy and alienation which are modern excuses for irresponsibility and lack of initiative

o Promote action

o Encourage harmonious relationships between humans and the environment

o Provide opportunities for individuals to feel they are a part of the solution

(Allan Derbyshire, October 25th, 2012, personal communication)

Recreating in the outdoors implies a certain amount of responsibility. With recognition of the Leave No Trace Principles, one can contribute to the preservation of the environment which provides the opportunity for outdoor education:

▪ Plan Ahead and Prepare: knowing regulations, preparing for a variety of weather, minimize waste

▪ Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: (rock, gravel, dry grasses), camp 200 feet from lakes, streams and rivers, find a proper campsite, don`t make it

▪ Dispose of Waste Properly: whatever you pack in, pack it out, use cat holes to dispose of human waste

▪ Leave What You Find: examine but don`t touch natural objects, avoid transporting non-native species, don`t build structures

▪ Minimize Campfire Impacts: use a camp stove, use fire rings/pans/mound fires, keep fires small, burn all wood to ashes, put fire out completely and scatter the ashes

▪ Respect Wildlife: observe from a distance, never feed animals, keep your food stored properly

▪ Be Considerate of Other Visitors: protect the quality of their experience, yield to others on the trail, avoid loud voices and noises

(Leave No Trace, 2012, n.p.)

!

!Lesson Ten: Economic Sustainability With respect to mass tourism, economic interests are usually at the heart of the business; however ecotourism has developed out of the realization of the negative impacts of tourism and the truth has revealed itself that making money is not the highest priority. The developed world sees the environment as a resource to exploit to gain financial benefit, and this is what ecotourism is working against. Unfortunately the present society is greedy and most people are not willing to sacrifice their “net worth” for considerations that are gravely affecting our planet, the place which gives us life.

“Tourism`s ability to bring economic benefits and enhance political stability makes it an attractive development option to governments of countries whose environmental assets are conducive to the demands of western tourism markets, and where other options for economic development are limited” (Holden, 2008, p. 107).

The Tourism Economy *Tourism is one of the largest single business sectors of the world economy; 8.7% of employment is due to the tourism industry. By the year 2020, tourism arrivals are expected to double which is a factor of the growing middle class, particularly in China and India (Aaron Williams, September 20th, 2012, personal communication). There is a need to implement more viable policies if we are going to survive the mushrooming growth of tourism.

Factors working against sustainable tourism model:

▪ Corruption, foreign and local businesses influencing policy

▪ Western cultural domination

▪ Dependency on traditional models

▪ Lack of funds

(Aaron Williams, October 2012, personal communication)

It should be noted that sustainable development may require more time for the business to be profitable.

Economic Impact: the change in sales and jobs as a result of tourism Economic Value: the total sum of the impact including infrastructure development !Levels of Economic Impact:

o Direct- sales, jobs, tax revenues, income levels o Indirect- change in prices, change in the quality and quantity of goods and services,

change in property and other taxes, social and environmental changes o Induced- household spending, proprietor`s increased income

(Stynes, 1997, p. 11) !References

Costa Rica Tourism. (2012). Costa Rica protected areas. Retrieved December 1st, 2012 from http://www.tourism.co.cr/costa-rica-protected-areas/index.html

CST. (2012). What is CST all about? Retrieved November 30th, 2012 from http://www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=7&lang=en

Building Global Democracy. (2008). Eco-apartheid and global greenwaves: African diasporic environmental justice movements. Retrieved December 1st, 2012 from http://www.buildingglobaldemocracy.org/content/eco-apartheid-and-global-greenwaves-african-diasporic-environmental-justice-movements

EveryCulture. (2012). Costa Rica. Retrieved December 1st, 2012 from http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Costa-Rica.html

Global Development Research Centre. (n.d). Environmental impacts of tourism. Retrieved December 1st, 2012 from http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/envi/one.html

Holden, A. (2008). Environment and tourism. New York, NY: Routledge.

Husdon, S. (2009). Marketing for tourism and hospitality. Toronto, ON: Nelson Education Ltd.

ICT. (2012). General framework. Retrieved November 29th, 2012, from http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/TourismBoard.asp

ICT. (2012). Sustainability CST. Retrieved November 30th, 2011, from http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/sostenibilidad.asp?tab=0#

Knowles, R., Castillo, C. (2011). Small business: An entrepreneur’s plan. Toronto, ON: Nelson Education Ltd.

Leave No Trace. (2012). The leave no trace seven principles. Retrieved December 1st, 2012 from

Rainforest Alliance, Conservation International, Global Environment Facility, PNUMA. (n.d) Guide to best practices for sustainable tourism in tropical forests: Lodging businesses. Retrieved November 30th, 2012 from http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/tourism/documents/tropical_forest_eng.pdf

Stynes, D. (1997). Economic impacts of tourism: A handbook for tourism professionals. Retrieved December 1st, 2012 from http://fama2.us.es:8080/turismo/turismonet1/economia%20del%20turismo/economia%20del%20turismo/economic%20impacts%20of%20tourism.pdf

TIES. (2012). What is ecotourism? Retrieved November 29th, 2012, from http://www.ecotourism.org/what-is-ecotourism