Arenas del Mar: Sustainable Beach and Nature Resort
Arenas del Mar, one of the first truly sustainable resorts in Costa Rica built on 11 acres of private rainforest reserve, was built in accordance with Costa Rica’s prestigious Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST). The resort itself seeks to demonstrate that sustainability can be incorporated into a resort-like setting (where typical practices tend to be both destructive and damaging to the local environments and communities) and to showcase the natural and cultural heritage of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
While Arenas del Mar just opened recently, its very foundations and construction are rooted in the concept of sustainable tourism. With a focus on native plants (the entire ...
About You
Contact Information
Title
Mr.
First name
Hans
Last name
Pfister
Your job title
President
Name of your organization
Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality
Organization type
Business
Annual budget/currency
$350,000
Mailing address
San Jose
Telephone number
Telephone Number
Postal/Zip Code
Country
Costa Rica
Website
Email address
Alternative email address
Your idea
This will be the address used to plot your entry on the map.
Street Address
Manuel Antonio
City
Manuel Antonio
State/Province
Postal/Zip Code
Country
Costa Rica
Geotourism Challenge Addressed by Entrant
Quality of tourist experience and educational benefit to tourists , Quality of benefit to residents for the destination , Quality of tourism management by destination leadership .
Organization size
Medium (101 to 1000 employees)
Indicate sector in which you principally work
Tourism-related business
Year innovation began
2008
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Indicate sector in which you principally work
Nature, Adventure, Education, General tourism.
Name Your Project
Arenas del Mar: Sustainable Beach and Nature Resort
Describe Your Idea
Arenas del Mar, one of the first truly sustainable resorts in Costa Rica built on 11 acres of private rainforest reserve, was built in accordance with Costa Rica’s prestigious Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST). The resort itself seeks to demonstrate that sustainability can be incorporated into a resort-like setting (where typical practices tend to be both destructive and damaging to the local environments and communities) and to showcase the natural and cultural heritage of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
While Arenas del Mar just opened recently, its very foundations and construction are rooted in the concept of sustainable tourism. With a focus on native plants (the entire ...
IDB/Fomin
Si perteneces a un pais de Latinoamerica y el Caribe tienes la oportunidad de presentar tu iniciativa para acceder a fondos para innovaciones en turismo sostenible del BID/FOMIN (para mayor informacion leer la seccion sobre la oportunidad BID/FOMIN en la pagina principal del Desafio).
No deseo postularme.
Si perteneces a un pais de Latinoamerica y el Caribe tienes la oportunidad de presentar tu iniciativa para acceder a fondos para innovaciones en turismo sostenible del BID/FOMIN (para mayor informacion leer la seccion sobre la oportunidad BID/FOMIN en la pagina principal del Desafio).
Consumidores (viajeros), Mayoristas, Agentes detallistas, Operadores de Turismo, Prestatarios de servicios turísticos, Prestatarios de servicios no turísticos (proveedores).
Indica cuales de estas tematicas cubre tu innovacion (elige todas aquellas opciones que apliquen)
Innovación y diversificación en el desarrollo de productos turísticos, Profesionalización, buenas prácticas y certificación de servicios turísticos sostenibles, Estrategias y herramientas innovadoras para la promoción y puesta en mercado de destinos y productos en turismo sostenible y geoturismo..
Innovation
What is the goal of your innovation? Please describe in one sentence the kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
Arenas del Mar seeks to showcase sustainability in a resort-like setting, proving that luxury and sustainability can go hand-in-hand.
Please write an overview of your project. Include how your approach supports or embodies geotourism or destination stewardship. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the map located on the competition homepage.
Arenas del Mar, one of the first truly sustainable resorts in Costa Rica built on 11 acres of private rainforest reserve, was built in accordance with Costa Rica’s prestigious Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST). The resort itself seeks to demonstrate that sustainability can be incorporated into a resort-like setting (where typical practices tend to be both destructive and damaging to the local environments and communities) and to showcase the natural and cultural heritage of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
While Arenas del Mar just opened recently, its very foundations and construction are rooted in the concept of sustainable tourism. With a focus on native plants (the entire property consists of plants native to Costa Rica), recycled materials (roof tiles are made from recycled plastic from the banana industry), solar panels, recycling and waste management, as well as highlighting local culture, Arenas del Mar truly stands out as a shining example of how sustainability can be applied at all levels of operation.
Explain in detail why your approach is innovative
The very concept of Arenas del Mar is innovative in and of itself. Traditionally, resort-type properties have a very negative impact on their surroundings, draining all natural resources from the local community and leaving a damaging ecological and social footprint. Since its design phase, however, the owners of Arenas del Mar sought out to incorporate all principles set forth by Costa Rica´s Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST). This forward-thinking mentality has truly contributed to the sustainability, and unique character, of Arenas del Mar.
As mentioned above, the hotel itself is just in its beginning stages. However, with little over a year of operation under its belt, Arenas del Mar has shown itself to be a leader in the field of sustainable tourism. With an outstanding waste management program, the reforestation of a substantial area of land, state of the art technology that implements energy efficiency and waster conservation, the winning of the prestigious Blue Flag award on its adjacent beach (which works to implement environmental standards and education in coastal zones), and a culture of sustainability among its employees and staff, Arenas del Mar has truly proved its commitment to the principles set forth by geotourism.
Impact
Describe the degree of success you have had to date. How do you measure, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the impact on sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How has it transformed or contributed to the power of place or demonstrated the sustainability of tourism? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?
Even though the resort has only been operating for a short amount of time, we believe it has achieved considerable success in sustainability and community development. As a baseline to measure the quantitative and qualitative impacts of the hotel’s operations on the surrounding community, Arenas del Mar is currently in the process of being certified by the Costa Rica’s Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST), a certification scheme that awards tourism operators for their efforts in conservation, sustainable development and community development. The CST is a rigorous approach to sustainable tourism, causing one to implement and systematize sustainable business practices at all level of the operation, from monitoring and reducing energy usage to showcasing and highlighting local culture and customs.
And, in addition to applying for CST certification, Arenas del Mar has chosen to seek other means of monitoring its environmental and socio-economic impact, including certifying its nearby beaches with the prestigious Blue Flag program and looking into carbon neutral certification to examine its carbon footprint. These certification schemes not only work as benchmarks for our own sustainability programs but also act as a means of communicating our sustainable efforts in a verifiable and quantitative way to our customers.
In what ways are local residents actively involved in your work, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
Since its construction phase, Arenas del Mar has actively sought out the help and support of local community members. Examples of our commitment to community development include: a policy of hiring local community members, providing local doctors at the project free of charge to the workers, hiring an occupational safety and sustainability supervisor, donating funds to nearby national parks and community projects and hosting regular informative meetings with the mayor to inform him of our sustainable tourism policies and goals. So far, we have received overwhelming positive feedback from the local community.
How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
Guests who visit Arenas del Mar have an educational experience that links them with both conservation and the community of Manuel Antonio, including nature and community based tours that offer local interpretations of flora, fauna and culture, a traditional dance and musical performances and typical Costa Rican food and dishes in its restaurants. Additionally, Arenas del Mar has developed a plan to link guests with traveler´s philanthropy projects (including the assistance of local nonprofit organizations), allowing guests to contribute in meaningful ways to local education projects surrounding Manuel Antonio.
Describe how your work helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues.
Arenas del Mar educates travelers and local residents by:
• Hosting nonprofit organizations and experts in the field of sustainable tourism in the hotel to give educational chats to guests and employees
• Offering a “sustainability tour” offered by an onsite sustainability coordinator for guests who are interested in sustainability initiatives at the hotel.
• Promoting traditional artistic expression in the form of dance, music and artwork.
• Incorporating locally grown, organic food into the hotel’s menu offerings, as well as including typical dishes.
• Providing ample reading material on Manuel Antonio’s cultural and natural heritage
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
Arenas del Mar is privately funded. The hotel itself is made up of 38 rooms and approximately 100 full-time employees, generating approximately $4.2 million in annual revenues and maintaining an annual occupancy of approximately 70%..
Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? Is there a potential demand for your innovation?
We believe that the fact that Lapa Rios is both financially and organizationally stable is just another testament to its success. The fact that Lapa Rios can achieve such a high level of sustainability while also maintaining excellent services and accommodations, further demonstrates its success as a model ecotourism and sustainable development project. Over the years, we have seen more and more demand for the services and experiences offered by Lapa Rios. And we believe that as the concept of sustainable tourism continues to spread among travelers, the more successful our project will continue to be.
What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
One of the main challenges we face is determining the fine line that separates the concept of luxury from the concept of sustainability: determining when, for example, it is appropriate to tell a client that certain luxury items or services that they may be used to in a typical resort (changing sheets everyday, for example) are against our hotel’s policies. Along the same lines, we are often challenged with convincing some skeptics that the impacts brought upon by our resort can actually have a surprisingly positive impact (one that you would not normally expect from a luxurious resort).
What is your plan to expand or further develop your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
Future plans include:
• Increasing our presence in the local community and funding/helping to organize more projects that support environmental education and stewardship, the arts, general education and more.
• Getting certified by Costa Rica´s Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST)
• Working with local private businesses and government officials to stop the overdevelopment of Manuel Antonio.
• Forming stronger strategic alliances with nonprofit organizations and universities worldwide to further research and investigation in topics related to sustainable tourism, biological research and more.
• Serving as a testing ground for innovative and upcoming technological developments that enhance sustainability initiatives.
• Working with locals to provide more of the hotel’s necessities (including organic food, hotel linens, and more) and providing micro-financing whenever possible.
The Story
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
The owners of Arenas del Mar, Glen and Terri Jampol, are also owners of the boutique hotel Finca Rosa Blanca located in Costa Rica´s central valley. Glenn Jampol is on the Board of Directors of The International Ecotourism Society and President of the Board of Directors for the National Chamber of Ecotourism of Costa Rica. Teri Jampol is on the board of the Taoist Tai Chi Society of Costa Rica and is passionate about cooking and the cultivation of organic fruit, vegetables and coffee.
What is the origin of your innovation? Tell the Changemakers and media communities what prompted you to start this initiative.
Based on their experiences of building and operating Finca Rosa Blanca (a pioneer in the Costa Rica’s ecotourism industry), the owners of Arenas del Mar designed the hotel to be highly sustainable, combining elements of conservation, luxury, community development and innovative building techniques. They sought to showcase the concept of sustainability in a resort-like setting, a challenge which had not yet been embarked upon in previous years. The property itself was built on what used to be a plantain farm; over the last 20 years, thousands of native trees and endemic plants were planted that would have been found in the area before it was converted to agriculture. During these last two decades, the land was conserved by protecting it from squatters, trophy seekers (orchids and other valuable plant life) erosion and mono- culture agriculture through vigilance and reforestation.
While Arenas del Mar has only a few years of operation under its belt, it has proven to be extremely successful, not only in terms of financial operations, reviews and awards from prestigious media sources and guest satisfaction, but in terms of its impact on the surrounding environment and local community as well.
Describe some unique tourist experiences that your approach provides. Be specific; give illustrative examples.
Unique tourist experiences include:
• Tours led by local guides through the lodge’s private reserve
• A “sustainability tour” offered by an onsite sustainability coordinator for guests who are interested in sustainability initiatives at the hotel.
• Learning how to make tortillas in the morning with a local señora
• Listening to a the Caribbean rhythms of a local calypso musical group
• Contributing the hotel’s reforestation program by planting a tree in the hotel’s volunteer rainforest.
What types of partnerships or professional development would be most beneficial in spreading your innovation?
Partnerships that would allow Arenas del Mar to enhance its impact on community issues (with government and nonprofit organizations that tackle issues such as waste management, education and environmental awareness, for example) would be very helpful in enhancing the lodge’s innovation. Additionally, the assistance of more academic institutions to carry out studies examining Arenas del Mar’s true environmental and social impact, as well suggestions for how to solve these issues, would be beneficial as well.
 | 157 weeks agoMillay Kogan submitted this idea. |
