Costa Rica Hosts Meeting
of UN’s International
Task Force on
Sustainable Tourism
Development
World leaders and
business executives are
gathering in San Jose
and Arenal to discuss
the growing shift
towards sustainable
tourism practices during
the Fourth Meeting of
the International Task
Force on Sustainable
Tourism Development.
Costa Rica is a leader
in sustainable tourism
in Latin America.
Led by the United
Nations Environmental
Program (UNEP) and the
United Nations
Initiative for Social
and Economic
Development, the meeting
will address issues such
as protection of natural
resources, promotion of
sustainable production
and consumption patterns
in the tourism industry
while discussing best
regional practices on
sustainable tourism
development.
Additionally, there will
be parallel workshops
that focus on labels,
standards and
certification processes
for sustainable tourism;
case studies from NGOs
and the private sector
and a guide on tourism
and integrated coastal
zone management.
Since the creation of
the Marrakech Process in
2003, the annual
Meetings of the
International Task Force
on Sustainable Tourism
Development have taken
place in France, the
home country of the Task
Force. It is the first
time that the gathering
will take place outside
of France, bringing the
participants and its
members to Costa Rica.
Participants joining the
event are from France,
Germany, United States,
Norway, Bahamas, Brazil,
Cambodia, Cape Verde,
Croatia, Madagascar and
Mali, as well as UNEP,
the United Nations
Foundation, the World
Tourism Organization (WTO),
The International
Ecotourism Society
(TIES), Rainforest
Alliance, Tourism
Concern, the Ministry of
Ecology, Energy,
Sustainable Development
and Territorial
Development of France (MEDAD),
Global Environmental
Facility (GEF), the
World Bank, the
Inter-American
Development Bank (IADB)
and representatives of
professional and
non-governmental
organizations.
“It is an honor to host
such an important
international gathering
in our country,” said
Carlos Ricardo
Benavides, Minister of
Tourism of Costa Rica.
“We believe that
sustainable tourism is
the only option for
tourism development, and
we look forward to
sharing our experiences,
challenges, goals and
our best practices and
solidify our commitment
to a sustainable model,”
added Benavides.
Costa Rica has been at
the forefront of
sustainable tourism
practices and it has
been ahead of its time
in environmental
protection policies and
norms. These set of
norms and initiatives
were first implemented
in the 1970s through the
establishment of a
National Parks and
Conservations system,
and are now a key pillar
of its strategy towards
achieving sustainable
development.
Carlos Ricardo
Benavides, Costa Rica’s
Minister of Tourism
mentioned that the
tourism policies should
be aimed towards
achieving a fair
distribution of the
resources among the
population and that the
agreement that
substitutes the Kyoto
Protocol, regarding the
reduction of emissions
causing the greenhouse
effect, should include a
mechanism of
compensation for
countries that protect
wooded areas. Hence,
Costa Rica is also
working to become the
first carbon neutral
country in the world by
the year 2021, just in
time to celebrate 200
years of independence.
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