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Ecotourism in Costa Rica

W e b  s o u r c e s E s s a y
Synopsis:
Costa Rica is a small country in Central America known for its beautiful rainforests and extraordinary biodiversity. Because of its natural beauty and involved government, Costa Rica has become a central figure in the growing movement of ecotourism in the travel industry. Hailed as a way for third-world countries to take economic advantage of their natural resources without destroying them, ecotourism has gained support from envronmental groups in recent years.
Web sources:

Costa Rica Naturally
http://www.tourism.co.cr
The home page of the Costa Rican National Chamber of Tourism includes a wealth of information for people planning to travel to Costa Rica. Detailed descriptions of national parks, guidelines for eco-tourists, photographs of beautiful sights in the country, and contact information for many tour-operators and hotels can be found on the site. This site even includes information about bringing a pet into the country with you! "Costa Rica Naturally" provides a nice overview of the tourism opportunities in Costa Rica and has some really nice photographs.
Source of Web site: Costa Rica National Chamber of Tourism

Costa Rica: No Artificial Ingredients
http://www.tourism-costarica.com
The home page of the Costa Rica Tourist Board has a great deal of information that would be helpful to travelers, written in both English and Spanish. This governmental agency regulates the tourism industry in Costa Rica and promotes the nation as a travel destination around the world. Information about weather, entrance requirements (visas, passports, etc.), customs regulations, and detailed information about the country can be found here. Visitors to the site can obtain a list of contact numbers for medical facilities, search for hotels regulated by the Board, locate important embassies, or identify national holidays. Beyond the technical information, the site also includes detailed information about the flora, fauna, beaches and other natural attractions of the country.
Source of Web site: Costa Rica Tourist Board

CIA--The World Factbook: Costa Rica
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/cs.html
This site includes a great deal of information about the structure and nature of Costa Rica. Those concerned about their safety in the country can find information about the structure of government, legal system, military, and economy. Information about illicit drug trafficking, international disputes, international affiliations, and national healthcare issues is included as well.
Source of Web site: Central Intelligence Agency of the United States

Planeta.com
http://www.planeta.com
This site serves as an overall guide to environmentally friendly tourism in Latin America. Information devoted to Costa Rica can be found, including links to Web articles about ecotourism in Coasta Rica, travel within the country, news sources, "green" hotels, and trip planning resources.
Source of Web site: Ron Mader, an independent writer and public speaker

Away.com
http://www.away.com
Away.com is a comprehensive travel site that includes detailed information about Costa Rica, including opportunities for travel and national park listings. Although it is an overtly commercial site, Away.com does provide a nice overview of options for travel to Costa Rica. Overall, this site is mostly useful for discussing travel with other visitors and admiring photographs and "dream vacation" itineraries--probably best for the armchair tourist.
Source: Away.com, Inc.

Print sources:

Boo, Elizabeth. Ecotourism: The Potentials and Pitfalls. Washington: World Wildlife Fund, 1990. Davis library call number: G155.A1 B59 1990

Egan, Timothy. (2001, May 20). Uneasy Being Green: Tourism Runs Wild. The New York Times [database], sec. 5, p.10. Available: Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe [2002, February 5].

Folliott, Kathryn. (2002, January 9). Sunquest offering Costa Rica for $1,498. Toronto Star [database], pg. G10. Available: Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe [2002, February 5].

Hanning, James. (2000, August 11). Travel: A Gentle Touch In The Wild: With reservations about genuine eco-tourism, James Hanning encounters the real thing in Costa Rica. The Financial Times Limited [database], pg. 59. Available: Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe [2002, February 5].

Honey, Martha. Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise? Washington: Island Press, 1999. Davis library call number: G156.6.E26 H66 1999

Malkin, Elisabeth. (1999, March 1). Betting on the eco-tourism craze . . . and on adventure travel, too. Business Week [database], 4. Available: Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe [2002, February 5].

Margolis, Mac. (2001, October 29). The Forest in the Clouds. Newsweek [database], 58. Available: Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe [2002, February 5].

Sammon, Rick. (2001, December 2). A slothful diversion. Sunday Herald Sun [database], pg. V03. Available: Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe [2002, February 5].

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This site was created for J-50 in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.