"Sustainability, as a model for development, establishes the need to satisfy the requirements of today’s society without making it impossible for future generations to satisfy their own.”  The development of a country cannot be achieved by the unrestrained exploitation of its resources--natural, cultural, social--to the point of eradicating or destroying them and at the same time seeking to fulfill the needs of the present population with food, housing, health and work.  These existing resources are the potential assets that future generations depend on to meet their needs. 

For tourism, sustainability is not only a response to the demand factors of the industry; it is now an indispensable condition to be able to compete successfully in order to survive into the future.  The ever-deteriorating world ecological and social crises have had a significant impact on human consciousness and impacted the growth rate environmental tourism has experienced in the last decade; there are greater demands for changes and expectations by tourists.

Today’s tourists are seeking a more interactive tourism, with greater respect for the social-cultural and ecological interests of the local communities, higher standards of service, along with the ability to protect and regenerate the natural environment and local customs.  More and more hotels today are created to meet the demands of these “conservation tourists” and demonstrate their commitment to sustainability throughout their organization. 

We at Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality are 100% committed to sustainable tourism practices and work diligently to seek out and implement sustainable practices at all levels of operation.

• Information about Costa Rica’s Certificate for Sustainable Tourism

• Sustainable Tourism in Action

Information about Costa Rica’s Certificate for Sustainable Tourism

The first, and perhaps most far reaching, program developed by the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT), along with other governmental and educational groups, to promote the concept of sustainable tourism is the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST). The CST program categorizes and certifies tourism companies according to the level that their operations approach a model of sustainability—in terms of their degree of impact on the natural, cultural and social resources of the country. The certification committee focuses on four operational components: the physical-biological; the infrastructure and services; the external clients; and the socioeconomic environment. These categories cover a range of issues as specific as the type of products and consumer goods purchased and used by a company, to those more broad-based, such as a company’s efforts to educate their clients toward conservation and respect for local culture. In summary, the ICT would define sustainable tourism “as the balanced interaction of three basic factors within the tourism industry: 1- Proper stewardship of our natural and cultural resources; 2 – Improvement of the quality of life of the local communities; and 3- Economic success, that can contribute to other programs of national development.”

Although Costa Rica and many of its wilderness-oriented tourism businesses are famous for pioneering the concept of ecotourism, the CST addresses a broader concept—sustainable tourism—which addresses both wilderness and urban tourism activities and encourages practices that spread benefits more widely into the local communities and ensures long-lasting success. CST isn’t an ecotourism seal. It is a set of performance-based standards that create guidelines that any country would want their development to follow, whether based on an ecotourism model or not. The certification addresses a series of basic principles of sustainability that are in need of adoption the world over. In fact, the CST guidelines have been approved by the ministries of tourism of every country in Central America, as well as Mexico and Belize , and several countries in South America have expressed interest in developing similar programs.

It has been said before that CST is a program “worthy of exportation.” The truth is that Costa Rica has been exporting the concept of ecotourism and sustainable development for some time now. The numbers of people that visit the country annually attest to the country’s leadership position in this timely market, illustrating that Costa Rica doesn’t just export bananas anymore! Visit www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr for more information.

Sustainable Tourism in Action

We at Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality are constantly at work to improve sustainable tourism practices at all of our properties. We focus (though not exclusively on):

Promoting Sustainability in Daily Business Practices

• Monitoring and reducing the usage of water

• Implementing new technologies to achieve maximum energy efficiency and exploring the possibilities of generating electricity from renewable resources

• Incorporating certified organic produce in menu offerings

• Purchasing biodegradable cleaning supplies and cosmetic products

• Reducing solid waste and implementing extensive recycling programs

• Promoting the concept of native plants

• Using natural gardening techniques, including composting practices to deal with organic wastes

• Monitoring and regulating all wastewater, assuring that all water that leaves our properties does not damage nearby ecosystems or sewer systems.

• Offering extensive training programs that educate employees about sustainable tourism practices and behaviors

• Using local materials in design and construction of hotel properties

Working to Support Communities

• Giving monetary support and donations to various programs and non profit organizations for environmental and social improvement

• Acting as a vehicle whereby visiting guests can also learn about, and contribute to, local projects for change and improvement

• Supporting national programs for environmental and social improvement, such as the Ecological Blue Flag program for maintaining beaches and marinas

• Purchasing and supporting locally owned businesses and distributors

• Promoting local forms of art, sport or other cultural expressions

Promoting the Concept of Sustainability Worldwide

• Attending conferences and meetings with governmental organizations and universities to discuss and promote sustainable tourism efforts

• Encouraging visiting guests to participate and learn about sustainable tourism practices and policies

• Serving as an educational center and mentor for other hotels or businesses interested in learning about sustainable business practices.

To learn more about the sustainability projects at each of our specific properties, Click Here:

• Arenas del Mar
• Lapa Rios Ecolodge
• Harmony Hotel
• Parque del Lago