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Richard Peacock

Rachel Nelson

RPTM 220

23 April 2023

Tourism Outcomes Analysis

Over time, Costa Rica has become a popular destination for tourists, especially from the

low costs of land and its government willing to accept the foreign investment capital to help

modernize the country. The documentary, The Goose with the Golden Eggs: Tourism on Costa

Rica’s Pacific Coast looks at the problems the inhabitants face on account of the rise in tourism.

In the business of tourism in Costa Rica, there is a need for attractive and luxury amenities for its

consumers. In the development of the resort areas, land had been cleared with newly added roads

and the infrastructure had been put in place to support the functionality of hotels. The building of

airports and cruise line accessibility also assisted in the increase of tourists in Costa Rica.

Though investments have been made, it still has not alleviated the various issues that the country

faces. There is a divide in the overall way tourism is perceived.

The ecological system in Costa Rica is impacted in many ways as more inclusive hotels

are constructed. For example, the resorts close to the village of Sardinal were looking to acquire

90 percent of the water for use on its grounds, its swimming pools, and its golf courses, which is

a major point of consumption. This would not leave enough water for local inhabitants to use. It

was noted in the film that the resorts were building “pipes buried underground without municipal

permission” (Music and Jordan). Without municipal permission, the local communities are

changing, and foreign investment is not helping these communities as much as they could.
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SDG 12 says to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, which is a goal

that is best manifested in the hotels operated by locals of the country. To combat the

unsustainability that the other resorts generate, Hotel Si Como No had initiated many sustainable

ideas to reduce costs by implementing rain collection, solar panels to heat water, and the use of

composting to make fertilizer. In the film it was stated that, “Hotel Si Como No utilizes 50% of

the electricity of a hotel its size” (Music and Jordan). It is imperative that the native Costa Rican

people become entrepreneurs and influence the ecosystem-friendly model displayed by Hotel Si

Como No to maintain the countries' identity. In the current state, “the owners of the farms end up

being the gardeners or working for what used to be their farm” (Music and Jordan). Evidence of

the divide between foreign investment and the inhabitants is further displayed through the

privatization of beaches, which closes beach access to locals. Another component of this divide

discussed in the film is private tours, which are performed by local inhabitants but are essentially

discouraged by cruise lines.

SDG 14 says to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for

sustainable development, which is certainly not being prioritized by the hotel and investment

companies. Regarding the privatization of beaches and the changes made to the land by hotels,

one of the upset inhabitants expressed: “they tore the rocks from the beach and took out the coral

reef” (Music and Jordan). The film also presented the fact that turtles could not find an area to

nest and lay their eggs due to the changes in the land. This depicts the lack of care some of the

hotels have for marine life and not abiding by this sustainable goal.

Tourism's contribution to SDG's has advantages and disadvantages. The economy in

Costa Rica can be uplifted with the tourism revenue generated and taxes along with employment

opportunities that might not be available otherwise. The former President of Environmental
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Tribunal, Jose Lino points out that from tourism comes the aspect that “small and medium sized

businesses incentivize local producers” as they make purchases from the local community

(Music and Jordan). This would be a positive application of SDG 8, which promotes sustained,

inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for

all. Some of the disadvantages are that international business investment creates jobs for

employment but tries to keep costs down to maximize profits. The all-inclusive luxury resorts are

more concerned about their customers' comfort than the environment or the local inhabitants as

they utilize areas of land and surroundings to suit their needs without primary concern for the

environment.
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Work Cited

Music, Charlene and Peter Jordan, directors. The Goose with the Golden Eggs: Tourism on
Costa Rica´s Pacific Coast - Educational Edition. Center for Responsible Travel,
Fundación Corcovado, 2013.