SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN COSTA RICA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X0H_2HjWgI

I. Where is Costa Rica located (= situated) in the world ?

Costa Rica is situated in Central America between Nicaragua to the north and
Panama to the South. It is surrounded by the Pacific ocean to the west and the
Carribean sea to the East.

II. Useful vocabulary to help you understand the video

Lush = luxuriant, abondant

A buzzword = a fashionable, trendy word = un mot à la mode

A bird = un oiseau

A traveler = a person who travels

sustainable = Made in a way that causes, little or no damage to the environment and
therefore able to continue for a long time (= eco friendly)

tiny = very small

(to) be home to = (to) shelter = abriter

(to) draw in = (to) attract

(to) emerge = (to) appear

(to) provide = assurer, fournir

(to) boast = comprendre (= avoir )

(to) aim at = viser à = avoir pour but de

A waterway = un cours d'eau

A pioneer = someone or something who started or invented something new

A rainforest = a tropical forest

Adverse = negative

Over = more than = plus de

a wildlife sanctuary = a refuge for wild (= sauvages) animals and plants

A land = a territory, a country, a soil

Carbon-neutral = zero carbon-emissions

renewable = renouvelable

generate = produce

luxury = le luxe

(to) get off the beaten path = sortir des sentiers battus

III. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VIDEO

1) True or false ? Justify your answer when it's false.

a) Costa Rica is a big country. False, it is tiny. 1 % of the world's surface.

b) Costa Rica has 5 percent of the world's biodiversity on its territory. True

c) Costa Rica is one of the first countries that have introduced ecotourism. True

d) There are less than 3 million tourists that visit Costa Rica every year. False : Over
3 million tourists visit this country annually.

e) Costa Rica is famous for its man-made tourist attractions (ex : theme Parks).
False, it's famous for its natural attractions : rainforests, national parks, beaches
and volcanoes.

f) Costa Rica is one of the most sustainable countries of North America. False, it's
one of the most sustainable countries of Central America.

g) More than 25 percent of Costa Rica's land is protected. True

h) There are many hotels and tour operators that are eco-friendly and have
sustainable practices in Costa Rica. True

i) Most beaches and rivers of Costa Rica are polluted. False most are clean thanks
to the Blue Flag ecological program.

j) Costa Rica is almost (= presque) carbon-neutral. True

k) In Costa Rica all (= toute) the electricity is produced through (= by = par)
renewable resources. False 90 % is produced through renewable resources.

l) There is no mass tourism in Costa Rica. False not every visit to Costa Rica is
guaranteed to be a sustainable experience. True ecotourism is found away from
popular tourist destinations.

2) Give 4 examples of Costa Rica's attractions (= Natural or man-made) :

- Beaches
- Rainforests
- Volcanoes
- National parks
-Rare biodiversity

3) When did ecotourism appear in Costa Rica ?

It appeared in the nineties (= 90s).

4) What have been the benefits of ecotourism in Costa Rica ?

- It has helped minimize negative effects of mass tourism on the natural resources

- It has provided financial benefits to the local communities across the country.

5) How has Costa Rica protected its land and its biodiversity ?

It has protected its land and its biodiversity through (= à travers, par) national parks,
wildlife sanctuaries and private reserves.

6) Which animals can you find in Costa Rica ?

There are many different birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibian species.

7) How did the government encourage hotels and tour operators to use sustainable
practices ?

The government implemented (= mettre en place) the certification for sustainable

tourism program (= Green Leaf certification). Hotel and tour operators that have this
certification can draw more tourists. It's positive advertising for them.

8) What is the Blue Flag ecological program ? It's a government initiative that aims
to keep coastal beaches and waterways clean (= garder les plages et les cours d'eau
du littoral propres).
9) What does Costa Rica do to reduce its CO2 emissions ?

It generates over 90 % of its electricity through renewable resources and it

encourages sustainable practices.

10) In which places can you find true ecotourism in Costa Rica ?

True ecotourism is found away from popular tourist destinations, off the beaten
paths, in places where there are no luxuries, just wildlife and nature.

III. To what extent is Costa Rica a sustainable destination ? (= Dans quelle mesure le
Costa Rica est-il une destination respectueuse de l'environnement, s'inscrivant
dans une politique de développement durable?) Write at least 5 lines.

On the one hand Costa Rica is a sustainable destination because it s almost carbon
neutral, it generates over 90 percent of its elecricity throughout renewable
resources. Secondly the government encourages local communities, hotels and
tour operators through initiatives such as the Green Leaf certification and the Blue
Flag to use sustainable practices and to keep beaches and waterways clean.
Thirdly over 25 percent of its land and many rare species are protected through
national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and private reserves.
Finally ecotourism provides financial benefits mainly to the local population.

However on the other hand, still 75 percent of Costa Rica's land is not protected and
also there are still many popular places for tourists that do not use sustainable
practices.

To conclude, Costa Rica is maybe one of the most sustainable destinations but
there are still things that can be improved.

DEFINITION :
Sustainability sets the focus on the future. It means the item or action is generating
environmental, social and economic benefits, while not using up too many resources or
causing pollution.