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| Rural areas offer as much
beauty and exciting activities as any other
area of Costa Rica, only at a lower cost. |
| Courtesy ICT |
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| Inhabitants of Costa Rica's
rural regions have received assistance in transforming
their agricultural-based livelihoods into tourism
opportunities. |
| Courtesy ICT |
Whether one talks to a Costa Rican coffee producer
or a tourism professional, it won’t take long
until you hear all about this nation’s admirable
wealth and distribution policies. It is part of
that long-established Costa Rican policy of “social
democracy” whereby its policy-makers allow
as many families as possible to benefit from the
country’s wealth. For example, more than 80%
of the country’s tourism industry is in the
hands of small to medium-size businesses.
This characteristic, combined with the fact that many
rural areas are now suffering from the low prices
and global market fluctuations of coffee and other
traditional agricultural products, has caused many
rural inhabitants to adopt alternative thinking. For
them, this is a means of fighting unemployment, and
a way to avoid having to move to San José.
Fortunately the inhabitants of the rural regions are
not left on their own. Several organizations have
been established to help these areas by providing
a new way of generating income – by integrating
their livelihoods with the tourism industry.
Cooprena is an organization established to help promote
and structure the tourism potential of its members
– primarily cooperatives and social organizations.
Cooprena, as with much in Costa Rica, centers its
activities around the basic principles of eco-tourism
and sustainability. It also has a very human touch,
as one of its main goals is to help the locals increase
their standard of living through the support of non-traditional
tourism.
Through the supplementation of agriculture, the traditional
industry of rural areas, Cooprena’s projects
not only directly increase the quality of life in
villages, but also indirectly contribute to the overall
stability of Costa Rica. Instead of being forced to
move to San José in order to seek out a new
job – something that could be hard for someone
coming from a farm – locals are able to maintain
their own way of life with little alteration.
Cooperatives have been formed in rural areas. They,
together with other Cooprena members, manage five
lodges that are scattered throughout the country.
These lodges aren’t offering the same luxurious
amenities of the international chains, but they promise
visitors a genuine introduction to the life of a Tico
(Costa Rican) family. After all, since the jewel of
Costa Rican tourism is nature, one does not need five
star services to successfully compete in the industry!
Such lodges are spread throughout the country. Albergue
San Juan is located near the Arenal Volcano. It is
a place where one can learn about farming, plantations
and the healing power of medicinal plants. The rooms
at Albergue Heliconia, near the Nicaraguan border
in the northern part of Costa Rica, offer a view of
Lake Nicaragua and the Miravalles Volcano. Days can
be filled with visits to such places as a butterfly
garden, a biological reserve, or a hot springs.
In the southern part of Costa Rica, along the Pacific
coast, is the Albergue Cerro de Oro lodge. Here one
can visit one of the most amazing national parks in
all of Costa Rica, Corcovado, and bask in its biodiversity.
For beach lovers, Albergue El Silencio offers horseback
riding on the beach and forest, fishing, rafting and
kayaking. The lodge also has a fully equipped environmental
educational center, making it a suitable location
for school excursions.
Albergue Ecoverde lodge is in one of the most popular
tourist destinations in Costa Rica. Located in Monteverde,
visitors can take nighttime hikes, visit the volcano,
study snake nursing, or explore the skywalks of the
famous cloud forest.
For those tourists who want to learn Spanish, engage
in low cost travel, and experience daily life in Costa
Rica, a cultural exchange type of program is probably
one of the best ways to quickly get to know this country,
its history, culture and personality. This is the
perfect get-away for families. Children can make new
friends with Costa Rican children via the families
that manage the lodge. Together they can explore the
secrets of the jungle, rivers, fields, and get to
know the family’s pets – without parents
having to worry too much about their safety.
These rural families do not only share a modest life
and low income, but also a passion to generate income
that will help them, the land where they live, and
the diversification of tourism in Costa Rica.
For anyone sharing these
values and interests, the best place to begin is:
www.agroecoturismo.net.
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