Trip Advisor's recently released Eco-Friendly Travel Survey awards pristine Costa Rica as the world's most popular eco-destination. Costa Rica has been on the forefront of the ecotourism trend, establishing a Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program in 1999, an internationally-recognized certification program that grades the sustainability of a tourism entity based on four pillars of its infrastructure. The program has succeeded in changing the tourism landscape, and is awarded to Costa Rican travel and tourism companies that are committed to sustainable tourism through eco-friendly actions such as proper waste management, environmental protection, rational use of resources, respect for local cultures and support of local communities.
Why Costa Rica is so Appealing to Eco-Tourists
26% of the country is composed of reserves and natural protected territory. Covering only .03 % of the surface of the globe, the country proudly shelters 5% of the existing biodiversity in the world. Costa Rica is a democratic and peaceful country. It has not had an army since 1949 and the nation's president was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.
Citing Costa Rica's continuing popularity as a tourist destination and stability many have decided to invest in Costa Rica real estate both for income and as a potential future retirement destination.