Costa Rica’s Expotur Goes Green

In its 25th anniversary, Expotur 2009, Costa Rica Travel Mart and Central America’s travel trade show will be going green. Following the country’s lead of becoming the first carbon-neutral nation by 2021, this year’s gathering will offer a series of events to celebrate and promote sustainable and carbon neutral initiatives locally and regionally.

Expotur will take place from May 13 to 17 at the Conference Center of the Ramada Plaza Herradura Hotel. The trade show will be open to the public on May 16 and 17. More than 250 representatives of the Costa Rican tourism industry will showcase their products at the trade show.

Hundreds of national and international buyers and sellers have confirmed their participation, as well international media. Educational seminars will be given by the Rainforest Alliance, National Geographic and the Organization for Tropical Studies, among others.

The Costa Rican Association of Professionals in Tourism (ACOPROT), in alliance with the National Fund of Forest Financing (FONAFIFO) is implementing measures to mitigate carbon emissions generated at Expotur. In order to compensate the carbon emissions, the organizations have pledged to a series of tree-planting events to preserve the rainforest of the country.

The carbon footprint of this year’s Expotur will be evaluated by the energy consumption during the event, the ground transportation of participants, including all transfers and miles covered during the pre- and post-circuit tours of the program, and the type and amount of fuel used by the buses, among other factors.

FONAFIFO will also be providing Internet access during the event, which will allow participants to learn how to mitigate their aerial trip and embrace the concept of a “clean trip.”

As the theme of this year’s Expotur is set on carbon neutrality, the event will present a series of educational seminars to create awareness of the need of maintaining a balance between productive activities and the environment.

The event organizers are encouraging all participants to plant a tree, as well as advising sellers to use environmentally friendly promotional materials. Costa Rica is located in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama, and bordered on the east by the Caribbean Sea and the west by the Pacific Ocean.

The Costa Rica Tourist Board, created in 1955, is an autonomous institution of the state, responsible for regulating the tourism activity in Costa Rica and promoting Costa Rica’s tourism attractions and destinations both at a national and international level.

The Costa Rica Tourist Board creates tourism norms, regulations, incentives and grants the tourist declaratory for Costa Rica’s hotels, travel agencies, rental cars and other tourism organization and service provider.