Preventing Disasters and Protecting Nature Are Great Businesses

It is not easy to convince the owner of a tourist business to enroll in a sustainability program or to meet requirements in order to obtain a Blue Flag. However, more and more people are convinced that their investments depend on how much they care for our natural resources. Besides, we owe the tourists, who once came here for the beauty, and we owe it to our town, which is our responsibility to protect. June was full of meetings in Tamarindo and Langosta. Two meetings held at Barcelo dealt with two different issues that are intrinsically linked. The first meeting was held to present the Community Committee for Coastal Emergencies. In order to take the lead if there is an emergency of this nature, about twenty people agreed to meet, receive training, and work for the prevention of natural disasters. They also talked about the vulnerability of Cerro Estero, because such an event could isolate Tamarindo and Langosta. As to the census, some people would not give their personal information, preferring to have state institutions handle those details. As emphasized in the meeting, the persons in charge of the census ARE NOT immigration officers. The National Emergency Committee must have those documents to be effective, because there is no other way of knowing how many people would have to be rescued, where they might be located, or if they suffer from any health problems, etc.

After analyzing the situations that may occur following a natural disaster, the attendees concluded that communities must learn how to help each other. In case of fallen bridges, we would be isolated from Santa Cruz, Liberia and San Jose. The Committee should implement places to go to after such an event by building shelters and safe areas. Always evacuate to the highest places! In Tamarindo, the area near the gym was established as a safe area for its residents. The most dangerous places are the ones located near the ocean. In case of an earthquake, we have anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour to escape a possible tsunami, depending on the depth and severity of the quake. Waves could be very high and could be devastating. There is a possibility that we will not be able to return to our homes four hours after the event has occurred. All households must have a first-aid kit and items to be used in case of power cuts (i.e., plenty of drinking water, medicines). At this point of the meeting, the Mayor Jorge Chavarría took the floor and mentioned that the possibility of enabling Los Jobos roads, located behind Tamarindo, as an alternate escape route is currently under study. When asked by The Tamarindo News whether the Municipality considers it necessary to develop a prevention program, we were informed that although there is a budget allocated for this, it has not been used for that purpose. We must organize ourselves in our homes first, then at work, and then as a community.

The second meeting was as important as the first. It was about Sustainable Tourism. The Barcelo not only holds a Blue Flag certification, but also has a five-star recognition and the highest possible certification in Sustainable Tourism. Mr. Ricardo Ureña, Environmental Manager from the Department of Sustainability of the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism, said that Sustainable Tourism marks a product different from the rest. The difference in attitude of Barcelo is in regards to the protection of the environment, which involves customers, suppliers, and neighbors valuing human relationship with nature. They do not see this as an issue of cost, but as an investment. Mr. Ureña made it clear that coastal areas depend on tourism; however, tourists should visit us under our own guidelines, because that will allow natural resources to be preserved as our main focus of attention. Ureña explained that the concept of Sustainable Tourism depends on four aspects: physical-biological, service platform, external customer, and the socio-economic factor. In order to qualify for the Sustainable Tourism Certification program, it is necessary to schedule environmental training talks, extract and market the flora and fauna in accordance to the concept, carry out taxonomic studies to inform customers about the plant species that grow in the area, protect the reserves and national parks, save energy and water, discard solid waste appropriately, take care of the cleaning in all departments of a hotel, restaurant or house, use biodegradable cleaning products, keep staff and guests informed about all the procedures for sustainable tourism, foster the traditions and customs, prevent pollution, and stop the contamination in the ocean by the community at large. How can you participate? By answering 153 questions! If answered correctly, experts in the field will visit and rate your business.

ICT is not the only organization involved in this program. INCAE, the Earth Council, CANATUR, and INBio are also a part of the program. Virgilio Espinoza Rodriguez, from ICT Department of Sustainability, reported on the Blue Flag program. He explained that there are seven categories; beaches, community, educational institutions, protected areas, watersheds, actions taken to tackle climate change, and climate neutral community. It is an interagency program between private companies and the government, which addresses communities and committees working to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants, protect health and hygiene measures, and implement environmental protection. Registration is voluntary. The program is comprised of a committee with at least six people and it is carried out between January and March. You must submit a registration questionnaire according to your category, submit a work plan (with a pre-set format) in late April, make a commitment to work with the community, and submit a final report every November. All these documents will be reviewed and verified by ICT staff, which visits the committees three times a year for grading. In order to pass, you will need a 90.

This year, there are 600 registered committees working to get their blue flag, including Tamarindo, whose committee includes the Hotel Tamarindo Diriá, Surfrider Foundation, the Hotel Capitan Suizo and Vacation Rentals of Tamarindo. This committee received a letter of congratulations for their efforts.

When the Blue Flag Program was established in 1996, only 10 participants registered; however, over the years, the number has increased. For 2010, there are 86 participants. This number indicates that more and more companies are realizing that protecting the environment is not only a social responsibility, but also an important advantage in their businesses.