Abstract:
Costa Rica has become well-known for ecotourism, a type of tourism geared toward
sustainability by reducing its impact on and giving back to the host community. The concept has
gained popularity among international tourism markets, and many companies and businesses in
Costa Rica have used the term ecotourism to refer to their practices, while their actions may not
reflect the sustainability that ecotourism requires. In this thesis, I explore examples of tourism
and ecotourism in Costa Rica, analyzing them based on their environmental, economic, and
social impacts, to determine whether the current practice of ecotourism in the country is
sustainable.